Who was Agnivesh Agarwal? Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal's son passes away at 49 due to cardiac arrest
Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal announced the passing of his son Agnivesh Agarwal on Wednesday, calling it the “saddest day” of his life.
Agnivesh Agarwal, son of Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal, passed away at the age of 49 due to cardiac arrest. Anil Agarwal described the tragedy as a “medical shock” that occurred during treatment following a skiing accident in the United States.
While announcing his son’s death, Anil Agarwal said Wednesday marked the most heartbreaking day of his life. He is the founder and chairman of natural resources company Vedanta Resources Limited and also heads the Anil Agarwal Foundation, which oversees the group’s philanthropic initiatives.
Who was Agnivesh Agarwal?
Remembering his son’s journey, Anil Agarwal shared that Agnivesh was born on June 3, 1976, in Patna, Bihar, and grew into a respected business leader and a deeply compassionate human being.
Agnivesh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, and later founded Fujairah Gold before going on to serve as Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, one of the flagship companies of the Vedanta Group.
In an emotional post on X, Anil Agarwal revealed that Agnivesh was undergoing treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and had been considered out of danger after a recent skiing accident.
“We thought the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest took our son away from us. No words can describe the pain of parents who have to say goodbye to their child. A son should not leave before his father. This loss has shattered us in ways we are still trying to comprehend,” Anil Agarwal wrote.
He described Agnivesh as many things—an athlete, a musician, a leader—but added that beyond all titles and achievements, he remained simple, warm, and deeply humane. “He was not just my son, but also my friend, my pride, and my world,” Agarwal said.
“Kiran and I are heartbroken,” he wrote, adding, “Yet even in our grief, we remind ourselves that the thousands of young people working at Vedanta are also our children.”
Anil Agarwal reiterated his long-held dream: that no child should go hungry, no child should be deprived of education, every woman should stand on her own feet, and every young Indian should have access to meaningful work.
Addressing his son fondly as “Agni,” Agarwal said Agnivesh had pledged that more than 75% of whatever he earned would be given back to society—a commitment that reflected his values and compassion.
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