Riya Sharma 
The story of Anil Agarwal is one of ambition, risk taking and perseverance. With little capital, he slowly rose to the international business world through a succession of aggressive moves that propelled him from a small trading with a large company.
Starting from a small business, it eventually grew to become global with a diversified portfolio of interests in oil & gas, zinc, silver, aluminium, copper, iron ore, steel and power. Yearly, Agarwal grew his business within business and geographic boundaries, and strengthen Vedanta’s position significantly as a global entity in the natural resource sector.
From Limited Resources to a Global Enterprise
Agarwal did not come from a big business background. With little money in his account, he decided to go it alone in 1976. He is a testament to the mindset and determination that has propelled countless successful entrepreneurs to greatness.
Over the years he continued to diversify his business interests in various industries and regions. This consistent growth helped him turn his initial business into a diversified global business brand and make Agarwal one of the leading business names.
It is also because of his journey that Anil Agarwal is popularly linked with the image of a Top Indian Businessman, especially in the magnitude of the business he built and his inclination towards venturing outside India.
The Decision That Took Vedanta Global
In 2003, Agarwal became the first Indian to have his company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Agarwal felt that Indian businesses were not being valued or recognized in the world in the manner they ought to be. He chose not to follow the traditional route and opted to relocate to London and seek an international listing.
It was a gamble, both financial and strategic. But it marked a turning point for Vedanta and was a testament to Agarwal’s business philosophy, which was one of taking bold decisions to follow a bigger vision.
This was an international move that also served to build his reputation as an entrepreneur willing to do whatever is needed to realize his goals. His story is still going on and he remains in the list of Top 10 Indians Industrialists.
Business With a Wider Purpose
Building a big company is a far from the end of the story for Agarwal. He has always felt that there should be a giving back to people from business as well.
He has invested heavily in the metals and mining industry in India over the years with the objective to bring India to a more self-sustaining stage. In addition to this, he has been promoting small businesses through Vedanta Saathi programme.
The programme is designed to offer tools and services to MSMEs for their growth and employment generation.
Creating Opportunities Through Social Impact
Yet another important project mentioned on Agarwal’s path is Nand Ghar. The initiative involves combines early childhood education, health, nutrition and women empowerment in rural communities.
The initiative has reached many families over the past five years and in his broader vision, Agarwal has been working to reach more children and women in communities that are underserved.
These efforts are spearheaded by Anil Agarwal Foundation which operates in various areas such as healthcare, nutrition, women and child development, animal welfare, grassroots sports and hunger alleviation.
A simple idea is the main element of Agarwal’s work, and it is that no one should have to go to bed hungry.
A Journey Beyond Business
Anil Agarwal’s story is not just about the growth of a business enterprise, but also about the growth of a personality. It started with small beginnings in 1976 and has grown over the years, with a succession of bold decisions, limited resources and a determination to seek opportunities in the world beyond the borders.
His path from diversifying his business into natural-resource ventures to an international listing to social causes demonstrates his ambition, risk-taking and perseverance.
Finally, it is not just a story about creating a successful business. It’s also about applying that success to provide opportunities and hope to communities all over India.
