Real-time billionaire rankings: This Malayali business leader now leads Forbes list with $6.7 billion; Yusuff Ali slips to second
Kozhikode: Malayali businessman and jewellery chain chairman Joy Alukkas has claimed the top spot among Malayalis in Forbes’ real-time global billionaire rankings. Forbes’ April 2025 global billionaire list had reported his net worth at $3.3 billion. His fortune has more than doubled since then, now standing at $6.7 billion.
M. A. Yusuff Ali slips to second place
Lulu Group chairman M. A. Yusuff Ali, who had long held the top position among Malayalis, now occupies second place with a net worth of $5.4 billion.
Other notable Malayali billionaires
Forbes’ rankings (real-time) also feature several other prominent Malayalis, including:
- Sunny Varkey, chairman of GEMS Education
- Ravi Pillai, RP Group chairman
- T.S. Kalyanaraman, managing director of Kalyan Jewellers
- P.N.C. Menon, founder of Sobha Group
- Kris Gopalakrishnan, Infosys co-founder
- Ramesh Kunhikannan, founder of Kaynes Group
- George Jacob Muthoot, Sara George Muthoot, George Thomas Muthoot, George Alexander Muthoot, promoters of Muthoot Finance
- Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, chairman of Burjeel Holdings
- S.D. Shibulal, Infosys co-founder
- Kochouseph Chittilappilly, founder of V-Guard Group
In the global and Indian context
Globally, Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk continues to hold the top position with a staggering net worth of $463.2 billion. Among Indians, Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani remains the wealthiest, with $104 billion.