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Lakshmi Mittal

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Lakshmi Niwas Mittal is a prominent Indian billionaire businessman and steel magnate. He serves as the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, which is the second largest steelmaking company in the world. He also acts as the chairman of the stainless steel manufacturer Aperam. Mittal holds a 38 per cent ownership stake in ArcelorMittal. His business interests extend to sports, as he holds a three per cent stake in the Queens Park Rangers football club.

18-19 Kensington palace Gardens London
18-19 Kensington palace Gardens London

Because of his massive industrial influence, he is recognized globally as a major figure in the manufacturing sector.

Mittal's career is defined by a series of strategic acquisitions and company expansions. In 1976, at age 26, he opened his first steel factory, PT Ispat Indo, in Sidoarjo, Indonesia. This move followed government curbs on steel production in India. In 1989, he purchased state-owned steel works in Trinidad and Tobago that were losing money. He successfully turned these into profitable ventures within a single year. He later expanded into Europe by purchasing the Irish Steel plant in Cork, Ireland, for a nominal fee of IR£1 in 1995. A major turning point occurred in 2006 when he led a hostile takeover of the company Arcelor. This merger created ArcelorMittal and gave him control over steel assets in France, Luxembourg, and Spain.

His business history includes complex international transactions and significant industrial growth. Before 2001, Mittal acquired assets that became Ispat Mexicana and Ispat Karmet in Kazakhstan. In 2003, his LNM Group completed a $155 million transaction to acquire steel assets from the Romanian government. This included Siderurgica Hunedoara and Petrotub Roman. That same year, he took over the PHS Steel Group from the Polish government. This group included several plants such as Huta Katowice and Huta Sendzimira. These acquisitions allowed his companies to operate on a massive, multi-national scale.

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri Lakshmi Niwas Mittal at Civil Investiture-II Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 10, 2008
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri Lakshmi Niwas Mittal at Civil Investiture-II Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 10, 2008

Mittal's background is rooted in a family of steel industrialists. He was born on 15 June 1950, in Sadulpur, Rajasthan, to a Marwari family. His father, Mohanlal Mittal, operated the steel business Nippon Denro Ispat. Lakshmi studied at Shri Daulatram Nopany Vidyalaya in Calcutta from 1957 to 1964. He later graduated from St. Xavier's College with a B.Com degree in the first class. His professional rise has led to many high-level appointments. He has served on the board of directors for Goldman Sachs since 2008 and sits on the World Steel Association's executive committee.

18-19 Kensington palace Gardens London
18-19 Kensington palace Gardens London

The scale of Mittal's wealth has been tracked closely by financial publications for decades. In 2005, Forbes named him the third-richest person in the world. This was a historic moment, as he was the first Indian citizen to rank in the top ten of that list. His wealth reached a peak in 2008, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $45 billion. By 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $16.4 billion. The Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at £15.444 billion as of 2025. His financial standing has fluctuated, dropping to 82nd place in 2015 and 130th by late 2024.

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri Lakshmi Niwas Mittal at Civil Investiture-II Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 10, 2008
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri Lakshmi Niwas Mittal at Civil Investiture-II Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 10, 2008

Despite his industrial success, Mittal's career has faced various controversies and criticisms. In 2002, a controversy arose regarding a letter from British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Romanian government. The letter supported Mittal's LNM Group during its bid for Romanian state industry. This occurred after Mittal had donated £125,000 to the British Labour Party. Additionally, his company faced criticism regarding environmental issues in Cork, Ireland. There were also reports of fatalities in his Kazakhstani mines. In December 2004, 23 miners died in explosions caused by faulty gas detectors. These events highlighted the serious risks and responsibilities associated with large-scale mining operations.

Mittal has also engaged in significant philanthropic efforts through various foundations. He established the Mittal Champions Trust with $9 million to support Indian athletes. This trust helped provide support to athletes with world-beating potential. In 2008, he awarded Abhinav Bindra Rs. 15 million for winning India's first individual Olympic gold medal. He also made a £15 million donation to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. This contribution helped fund the Mittal Children's Medical Centre. Furthermore, he donated ₹100 crores to the PM CARES fund during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. These actions demonstrate how his wealth connects to global health, sports, and social welfare.

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File:The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri Lakshmi Niwas Mittal at Civil Investiture-II Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 10, 2008.jpg
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