Mumbai, June 8 — Gautam Adani, the billionaire industrialist and India’s second-richest individual, received a total remuneration of ₹10.41 crore in the financial year ending March 31, 2025 — a figure significantly lower than many of his industry counterparts and even several top executives within his own conglomerate.
At age 62, Adani drew salaries from just two of his group’s nine listed firms: flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL) and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), according to the latest annual reports. His total pay saw a modest increase of 12% from ₹9.26 crore in FY24.
From Adani Enterprises, Adani earned ₹2.54 crore — comprising ₹2.26 crore in salary and ₹28 lakh in perks and other benefits. His remuneration from APSEZ stood at ₹7.87 crore, which included ₹1.8 crore salary and ₹6.07 crore commission. This marked an increase from the ₹6.8 crore he drew from APSEZ the previous year.
Despite heading one of India’s largest and most diversified business empires, Adani’s take-home pay remains relatively modest. His total remuneration is well below those of several Indian business leaders, including Sunil Bharti Mittal (₹32.27 crore in FY24), Rajiv Bajaj (₹53.75 crore), Pawan Munjal (₹109 crore), L&T’s S.N. Subrahmanyan (₹76.25 crore), and Infosys CEO Salil Parekh (₹80.62 crore).
“Gautam Adani’s compensation reflects a conservative remuneration philosophy despite overseeing a massive enterprise across sectors such as ports, power, renewables, and infrastructure,” said a senior official familiar with the group’s governance practices.
Notably, Adani’s salary is also overshadowed by the pay packets of several top executives within the Adani Group. Vinay Prakash, CEO of AEL, received ₹69.34 crore in FY25 — including ₹65.34 crore in perquisites and incentives. The payment was attributed to “exceptional operational and financial performance in the mining and resources vertical.”
Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) MD Vneet S Jaain earned ₹11.23 crore, and Group CFO Jugeshinder Singh received ₹10.4 crore. In APSEZ, CEO Ashwani Gupta earned ₹10.34 crore, surpassing the ₹7.09 crore drawn by Karan Adani, Gautam’s son.
Other family members were also compensated from group companies:
- Rajesh Adani (Gautam’s younger brother) received ₹9.87 crore from AEL
- Pranav Adani earned ₹7.45 crore
- Sagar Adani took home ₹7.5 crore from AGEL
Several group CEOs also earned handsomely:
- Adani Total Gas CEO Suresh P Manglani was paid ₹8.21 crore
- Adani Energy Solutions CEO drew ₹14 crore
- Adani Power CEO SB Khayalia received ₹9.16 crore
While Adani’s cash compensation may appear modest, he also benefits from dividend income from the group’s profitable listed entities. This indirect earning model aligns with practices followed by other major promoters, including Mukesh Ambani, who has voluntarily foregone his salary since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adani’s net worth currently stands at USD 82.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, ranking him 20th globally. He continues to jostle with Ambani, whose net worth is USD 104 billion, for the title of Asia’s richest person. Adani briefly topped the chart in 2022, but lost the position following a damaging short-seller report in early 2023 that wiped out nearly USD 150 billion in market value at its peak.
Despite the controversies and market volatility, Adani’s companies have largely recovered, and his restrained salary continues to reflect what insiders describe as a “focused approach toward long-term value creation over personal earnings.”
