Azim Premji To Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw: Karnataka’s Top 8 Richest In 2025 With Rs 1.07 Lakh Crore Net Worth, Mercedes-Benzes, Glenmore Mansion And King...
If Mumbai is India’s financial heartbeat, Karnataka – especially Bengaluru – is its restless imagination. Over the past two decades the state has moved from being a manufacturing backwater to a glittering hub for software, start-ups, biotech and infrastructure. Karnataka today produces unicorn founders alongside real-estate barons and aviation tycoons. Yet what makes its billionaires fascinating isn’t merely their balance sheets. Many drive unflashy cars, live in heritage homes or fund schools and rural projects instead of yachts. In a country obsessed with luxury displays, Karnataka’s wealthiest form a quietly radical club. Below is a look at the top eight, as listed in Forbes India’s 100 Richest for 2025 – and some surprising details about
The “Sage of Software” remains the state’s richest citizen. Founder of Wipro and architect of one of the world’s largest private philanthropic endowments, Premji still prefers understatement to bling. Fun fact: Despite being worth over a hundred thousand crore rupees, he has long commuted in a pre-owned Mercedes-Benz E-Class and once used a Toyota Corolla. Much of his personal time is spent on the Azim Premji Foundation, which builds schools and trains teachers across India.
The Kamath brothers disrupted stockbroking with Zerodha, democratising investing for millions. They are now Karnataka’s second-wealthiest family. Nikhil Kamath’s garage is a car-spotter’s delight: Audi A6 for everyday runs, Porsche 718 Boxster S for open-top drives, an Ather 450X scooter for zipping through Bengaluru traffic, and even a Suzuki Intruder 1800 cc motorcycle. A Rolls-Royce and Bentley also feature in the collection, alongside a Mercedes GLS450 SUV gifted by his mother.
3. Irfan Razack – Rs 52,962 Crore (US $6 Billion)
Chairman of Prestige Group, Razack has literally altered Bengaluru’s skyline with glass towers, luxury condos and malls. His company’s projects – from UB City to The Forum – have become city landmarks. Fun Fact: Prestige Estates was one of the first Indian developers to bring global architects for its residential projects, a move that raised the bar for urban living in southern India.
4. N. R. Narayana Murthy – Rs 46,783 Crore (US $5.3 Billion)
Infosys’s co-founder remains a moral compass for corporate India. Murthy owns two contrasting homes: a long-standing, modest Jayanagar residence and a high-rise apartment in Kingfisher Towers purchased for ₹50 crore in late 2024. Cars? Think Skoda Laura, Mahindra Scorpio, Toyota Camry, a Ford EcoSport (since replaced by a Kia Seltos) – hardly the stuff of supercar selfies. He is also known to use public transport, underscoring his frugal streak.
Another Infosys co-founder, Gopalakrishnan now channels his wealth into tech start-ups and neuroscience research. He has backed several Indian deep-tech ventures, quietly seeding the next generation of industry leaders.
6. G. M. Rao – Rs 35,213 Crore (US $3.99 Billion)
Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao heads the GMR Group, a conglomerate spanning airports, energy and transport. Under his watch Delhi and Hyderabad airports became world-class hubs. Fun Fact: Rao began his career as a small-town entrepreneur in Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, running a jute mill before building one of India’s largest infrastructure empires.
Co-founder of Infosys and architect of Aadhaar, Nilekani embodies public-spirited wealth. Despite his billions, he is often spotted in a humble Toyota Innova, valued for reliability rather than prestige. Enthusiasts say early Innovas can clock several lakh kilometres without major repairs – perhaps explaining his loyalty.
Founder of Biocon, India’s largest biopharmaceutical firm, Mazumdar-Shaw is the only woman on this list. Her residence “Glenmore” on Bengaluru’s outskirts once stood amid a palm plantation; architect Sandeep Khosla transformed it into a 17,000-square-foot red-tiled retreat with an enviable art collection. Fun Fact: Biocon began in a rented garage in 1978; today it exports to over 120 countries. These eight names prove that Karnataka’s wealth is not a monolith. Tech visionaries rub shoulders with infrastructure czars and biotech pioneers. Several drive modest cars, back rural schools, or endow cutting-edge research instead of flaunting private jets. Together they illustrate how wealth can be both aspirational and responsible.
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-1758367029102741.webp)
