In what he described as the “darkest day” of his life, Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal announced the tragic passing of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, on Wednesday. Agnivesh, aged 49, died of a sudden cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
A Medical Setback Following Recovery
Agnivesh had been recovering from a recent skiing accident in the United States and was reportedly believed to be out of danger. However, a sudden “medical setback” in the form of a cardiac arrest proved fatal.
In a heartbreaking post on X (formerly Twitter), Anil Agarwal wrote:
“We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans… 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.”
A Legacy of Leadership: Who was Agnivesh Agarwal?
Born in Patna on June 3, 1976, Agnivesh was a key pillar in the Vedanta ecosystem and a respected business leader in his own right.
- Education: An alumnus of Mayo College, Ajmer.
- Corporate Journey: He was the founder of Fujairah Gold and served as the Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, leading one of Vedanta’s most critical global companies.
- Philanthropy: He was deeply involved in the Anil Agarwal Foundation, championing the cause of a self-reliant India.
Renewing the “75% Wealth Pledge”
In the wake of this tragedy, Anil Agarwal reaffirmed his commitment to the philanthropic dream he shared with his son. He promised that more than 75 per cent of his earnings would be given back to society to ensure that no child sleeps hungry and every young Indian has access to education and work.
“Kiran and I are broken,” Agarwal said, referring to his wife. “And yet, in our grief, we remind ourselves that the thousands of young people who work across Vedanta are also our children.”
Tributes have poured in from political leaders and industry titans, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the passing as “deeply shocking and saddening.”