British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have seen their wealth increase significantly, moving up in the ranks of the annual ‘Sunday Times Rich List’ published on Friday. The couple’s estimated fortune has reached GBP 651 million, primarily due to Murty’s lucrative holdings in Infosys, a Bangalore-based IT company co-founded by her father.
Over the past year, the value of Murty’s Infosys shares has grown by GBP 108.8 million to approximately GBP 590 million. As per financial statements released in February, Murty earned around GBP 13 million in dividends over the past year, adding to her previous dividend earnings. She is expected to receive an additional GBP 10.5 million this year.
Meanwhile, Sunak’s earnings are reported to be GBP 2.2 million for the period 2022-23.
The ‘Sunday Times Rich List’ also highlights the growing wealth of other Indian-origin billionaires in the United Kingdom. The Hinduja family, with their global business empire spanning automotive, healthcare, and other sectors, maintains their position at the top of the list with an estimated wealth of GBP 37.196 billion.
The Reuben brothers, David and Simon, have climbed to third place with a combined fortune of GBP 24.977 billion. Lakshmi N. Mittal of ArcelorMittal steelworks and Anil Agarwal of Vedanta Resources are ranked eighth and 23rd respectively, with estimated wealth of GBP 14.921 billion and GBP 7 billion.
Other Indian-origin billionaires on the list include Prakash Lohia (textiles), Mohsin and Zuber Issa (retail), and Navin and Varsha Engineer (pharmaceuticals). The Arora brothers, Sunder Genomal (fashion), and Jasminder Singh (hotels) are also among the top 100 richest Britons.
However, the ‘Sunday Times Rich List’ also reports a decline in the number of billionaires in the UK, with the total dropping from 177 in 2022 to 165 in 2024. This decline is attributed to a combination of factors, including falling stock market valuations and the departure of some ultra-wealthy individuals from the UK.
The list’s compiler, Robert Watts, noted that “This year’s Sunday Times Rich List suggests Britain’s billionaire boom has come to an end. Many of our home-grown entrepreneurs have seen their fortunes fall, and some of the global super-rich who came here are moving away.”
Despite the overall decline, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has joined the billionaire ranks, becoming the first UK musician to achieve that status.
