Who would have thought a middle-class boy living in a small house in Mumbai would later become one of India’s biggest billionaires in the stock market?
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was not from a wealthy family. His father was an income tax officer, and the stock market was simply one other topic at the dinner table. But Rakesh was curious even as a child. While others his age were playing games, he was always listening to what his father had to say about shares. There was something about those mining conversations that sparked something inside him.
Rakesh did not dream of taking a job in government. He was tired of being limited to a fixed salary and wanted more. For him and his family.
So, he entered the stock market with ₹5,000 INR and big dreams in his heart. And he faced losses. People doubted him. But he never gave up. He studied the market. He made bold decisions. And one step at a time, he built his empire.
The positive success story of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala in the Indian stock market shows us something simple but powerful.
Key Takeaways
- Born in 1960 in a middle-class Marwari family; his father was an Income Tax officer.
- Received no financial assistance- even his father advised relatives to avoid assisting him.
- Attended Sydenham College, and later became a Chartered Accountant.
- Joined the stock market with only 5000 rupees in 1985.
- Invested in Tata Tea and made ₹5 lakh in the first year itself.
- Increased his capital to 25 lakh rupees in 1986 1989 through shrewd choices such as Sesa Goa.
- Was a legend in the market in the 1990s and 2000s because it believed in the growth of India.
- By 2022, net worth had exceeded 6 billion dollars; portfolio worth 11,000 crores rupees.
- Supported Akasa Air and other projects during his retirement.
Let’s walk through the journey of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, the bullish big bull of India.
Early Life of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, the Big Bull of India, did not start with anything and build his way up to enormous wealth because his story is not a rags-to-riches one; however, it is no less motivating. Having been born into a middle-class family, his rise to be one of the most feted investors in India is something.
His last name, Jhunjhunwala, literally leads to the town of Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. His father was an income tax department commissioner, and that is where finance first gave him interest. His father used to talk about the stock market with his friends at home. Rakesh, who was then young, used to listen in, and gradually his curiosity developed into passion.
He proceeded to complete his graduation at Sydenham College and thereafter became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. His father was supportive of his idea in the market but made it quite clear he was not going to finance him and even asked relatives and friends to avoid assisting him financially.
That did not deter Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, though. It is unknown when he started investing, but it was in 1985 with 5000 rupees. Within one year, he earned a profit of ₹5 lakh. Within the period of 1986 to 1989, he made approximately 25 lakh rupees – and the rest, as they say, is history. His investments had increased to a whopping ₹11,000 crores by 2022.
His net worth is approximately 6 billion dollars today, and there can be very little doubt about it: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is one of the greatest investors India has ever had. This is a true story and a testament to the fact that anything can be accomplished with enough faith, patience and the right choices.
The First Investment of Jhunjhunwala (1985)
When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala entered the stock market, he was not armed with either money or favours but only with belief.
He opened to investing in 1985. However, his father did not offer any financial support when he expressed his interest to him. His father, indeed, expressly informed him that he would not give him a rupee to invest—and even did more than that. He even requested his relatives and close friends not to lend or invest in the ideas of Rakesh as well.
It was not that he did not believe in his son. It was that he wished him to go the round alone, that he might learn the worth of each rupee gained.
That is what Rakesh Jhunjhunwala did.
His own money was ₹5000, with which he started. No backup plan, no loans. His initial major step? Tata Tea. He realised that it was selling at approximately ₹43 a share and caught an opportunity. The stock went up soon to ₹143, and he locked in a gain of 5 lakh in a year.
This could not have been mere luck. It had been brought about by belief, by reasoning and by dauntlessness. And it turned out to be the cradle of the lengthy story of what renders Rakesh Jhunjhunwala a billionaire.
He did not begin with a great deal of money–but he had something better than money; he had the confidence to follow his own judgement and do what he had to do without awaiting permission or assistance.
This is the way the legends are made.
Building Momentum (1986–1989)
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala did not rest after the first profit came in at 5 lakh rupees, which at that time was a lot of money, but it was only the start of his journey. This was not a time to celebrate; this was a time to be confident of the win that came through Tata Tea. He had caught a vision of what might be.
He was a smart man, so he did what any smart man would do, he doubled down. In the coming years, he began selecting the stocks that were not attracting the attention of other people so much. Such firms as Sesa Goa (a mining company), and Tata Power, etc. None of these were glamorous selections — they were sound. There was a possibility, and what was more important, Rakesh was patient enough to wait.
He was not even throwing darts on the board. He analysed balance sheets, followed up the performance of companies, sought long-term value, and placed big bets where others were cautious. His portfolio had increased to approximately ₹25 lakh in four years, by 1989 when he began.
This was not by chance. And this was a pattern. He had worked out a formula – watch, then invest, then hang on.
These were the years which solidified his reputation as a serious investor. Dangers were not imaginary. The market had been uncertain. But Rakesh possessed one thing unlikely: he believed in his analysis, and he had the guts to remain in place when everyone went nuts.
And this, these initial victories and silent computations, are where we begin to get the protracted story of what makes Rakesh Jhunjhunwala a billionaire. There was no jackpot, it was a succession of clever, bold steps piled up over the years.
He was not only investing in companies. He was investing in the future of India—and in his own.
Playing the Long Game (1990s–2000s)
At this point, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was not any other investor, he was making a market presence. And rather than victory laps he grew quiet and deep. The initial success had imparted in him a lesson that most people never get to discover; short term gains are exhilarating, whereas long term wealth is achieved through passion and foresight.
This is the area in which he really distinguishes himself from the pack.
When everyone was jumping in and out, attempting to tell the highs and the lows, Rakesh remained basic. He began to invest in businesses in which he had faith not days or weeks but decades. Among his most legendary investments? Titan. He had purchased it at ₹3- 4 per share. Nobody paid much attention at that time. He didn’t. He visualised the brand, the management and the potential. And then–he waited.
This was neither luck nor instinct. That was a matter of attitude. A trading mindset, which remains out of panic in crash moments, and which is not greedy or anxious in the boom times. When you are one who is attempting to develop that type of patience and clarity, it becomes important to know the distinction between trader psychology and investor discipline.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala did not spend the entire day stuck in front of the monitors learning candlestick chart formations or responding to all the breaking news. His advantage was plainness. He read company reports, he had faith in the growth story of India and he took massive steps when others would have faltered.
The 90s and 2000s were overwhelmed with market Booms and Busts. Dot-com bubble, political uncertainty, economic reforms- name it and you have it. But Rakesh kept flourishing despite it all. It is not that he did it safely, but he did what he knew and remained in the game as long as most individuals did not consider doing it.
Investments compounded by the end of this phase to unimaginable levels and the long story of what makes Rakesh Jhunjhunwala a billionaire was starting to reverberate on Dalal Street.
He was no longer simply investing in stocks. He was spending on the future of Indian business.
From Investor to Icon (2010s–2022)
At this point, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala had ceased to be a shrewd investor alone- he had turned into an icon of faith in the growth story of India. They were talking about his name with a sort of reverence which is earned only by decades of steadiness.
And yet he never behaved like a celebrity. He just continued to follow the same principles: study intensively, invest rationally, hold to.
And this was not a period simply of making money multiple: it was a period of empire-creating. His earlier choices such as Titan, Crisil, Lupin and Praj Industries had already blown up in value. He did not, however, stop there.
He began to diversify—investing in finance, pharma, real estate, and even the aviation industry. Then, people were shocked when he invested in Akasa Air last year (2021). But that was the way he was always doing-he realized opportunities where others saw danger.
Today, many new-age investors track the market on a real-time basis with alerts and intraday trade and seek quick gains. But Rakesh did not follow all that hype. His formula remained retro: research, basics, belief. His journey is a reminder, if anything, that a true trading mindset has nothing to do with reacting instead of controlling your own psychology.
The market experienced some crazy fluctuations: global crises, elections, and pandemics between 2010 and 2022. Jhunjhunwala stayed put, though. Never did he pretend to know the future. He simply trusted the India story,–and was patient enough to wait it out.
His portfolio passed 11,000 crores by 2022.
He had a net worth of approximately $6 billion.
And what of his rank? Unshakable.
And thus we complete the circle in the long story of the reasons why Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is a billionaire. It was neither shortcuts nor secrets. It was doing the dull things, year in and year out, decade after decade, the dull things intelligently, patiently, consistently.
Lessons That Outlived the Legend
When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala died in 2022, he was not only an investor but a school of thought in his own right. But strip away the admiration and the media coverage and you realise that his success was founded on something quite simple; clarity and discipline.
In the modern world, investing seems to be closer than ever. There are apps, influencers and now AI in finance so data is at your fingertips. You can receive real-time insights predictive models, and even automated investing tools. However the main question remains, is it luck or skill that makes you a trader?
The story of Rakesh gives a clear answer. Fortune will perhaps open a door or two, but it is the ability that constructs the house. And the knack? It is a product of years of watching, learning, and screwing up and getting back in.
Many young people nowadays are interested in starting out but have no idea how to get started. It is absolutely normal. And, as you are only beginning, you could look at our How to Start Investing in 2025 guide as well since the rules of the game might have changed, yet the mindset does count. An early thorough grounding will save you years of trial and error.
Jhunjhunwala did not sit around until the markets were ideal and someone signals him to invest. He believed in his methodology and made daring choices when other people were paralyzed with fear. He did not get engulfed with the noise, he sieved it.
It is therefore true that the tools are different and trading has become faster but the spirit behind investing is still identical: know what and why you are doing something.
So, what makes Rakesh Jhunjhunwala a Billionaire?
It wasn’t luck.
It wasn’t shortcuts.
And it definitely wasn’t just timing.
The traits that made Rakesh Jhunjhunwala a billionaire were his sheer faith in his vision, willingness to learn rather than be devoured by the market, and an inherent patience that most traders in this day and age find hard to cultivate.
- When other people chased fads, he believed in the principles of the stock market.
- He invested in India at a time when doubts were being cast.
- He remained the same–in bull markets, crashes, and turmoil.
His story is a reminder in a world, where people tend to go after easy gains, that real wealth is not created in one day. It is established silently, securely and gradually.
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I left my engineering job to follow my true passion writing and research. A passionate explorer of words and knowledge, I find joy in diving deep into topics and turning rich, insightful research into compelling, impactful content. Whether it’s storytelling, technical writing, or brand narratives, I believe that the right words can make a real difference.
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