Vedanta founder Anil Agarwal’s eldest son Agnivesh Agarwal dies after US skiing accident

Agnivesh Agarwal, the eldest son of mining billionaire and Vedanta Plc founder Anil Agarwal, passed away in the United States at the age of 49, the Vedanta Group confirmed on Wednesday. Agnivesh was undergoing recovery after sustaining injuries in a skiing accident when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

In an emotional statement shared on the social media platform X, Anil Agarwal described the loss as “the darkest day” of his life. He said Agnivesh had been recovering well at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York following the accident, and the family believed the worst was over before tragedy struck.

“No words can describe the pain of a parent who must bid goodbye to his child. A son is not meant to leave before his father,” Agarwal wrote, adding that the loss has shattered his family in ways they are still trying to comprehend.

Agnivesh Agarwal held several key leadership roles within the Vedanta Group. He was the chairperson of Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) and also served as a board member. He was previously associated with Hindustan Zinc and was known for taking a keen interest in the group’s long-term vision and sustainability initiatives.

Educated at Mayo College, Ajmer, Agnivesh later went on to establish Fujairah Gold, expanding his professional footprint beyond India. Those close to him described him as a multifaceted personality — a sportsman, musician and a leader with a strong sense of social responsibility.

In his tribute, Anil Agarwal said his son believed deeply in building a self-reliant India and shared his vision of giving back to society. “We shared a dream to ensure that no child sleeps hungry, no child is denied education, every woman stands on her own feet, and every young Indian has meaningful work,” he wrote, renewing his pledge to donate a significant portion of his wealth for social causes.

Messages of condolence poured in from business leaders, industry peers and employees across the Vedanta Group, mourning the untimely loss of a leader who was seen as part of the group’s next generation.