The Indian stock market is full of opportunities, but not everyone succeeds in it. Only a few people have mastered the art of investing and made history with their smart decisions. These top Investors of India have shown how discipline, research, and long-term thinking can turn small investments into big fortunes. Whether it’s value investing, small-cap gems, or sectoral bets, these investors have shared timeless lessons for every market participant. Let’s explore the journeys, strategies, and success secrets of these top 10 legends of the Indian stock market.
1. Radhakishan Damani: The Retail King & Value Investing Pioneer
Background: Born in 1954, Radhakishan Damani started as a stock trader in the 1980s. He learned from the legendary investor Chandrakant Sampat. His style is simple—invest in good companies and hold them for the long term.
Key Achievement: He founded DMart (Avenue Supermarts) in 2002, which is now India’s most profitable retail chain with a market value of over ₹2.5 lakh crore (as of 2023).
Investment Style: Damani believes in “Buy right, hold tight.” He chooses companies with low debt, strong cash flows, and good products. He has invested in companies like VST Industries and India Cements.
Net Worth: Around ₹1.6 lakh crore (2023), making him one of the top Investors in the country.
Read More: Who is stock Broker in Stock Market?
2. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala: The Big Bull of India
Background: Known as the “Warren Buffett of India,” Rakesh Jhunjhunwala started with just ₹5,000 in 1985. His big bets on stocks like Titan, Crisil, and Tata Motors made him a stock market icon.
Key Achievement: Built a ₹45,000 crore portfolio by 2022 and launched Akasa Air just before he passed away.
Investment Style: He believed in India’s growth story. He loved sectors like pharma, finance, and consumption. His firm, Rare Enterprises, continues to influence Indian markets.
Legacy: He donated over ₹500 crore to charity, especially for hospitals and education.
3. Ramesh Damani: The Blue-Chip Whisperer
Background: A member of the Bombay Stock Exchange since 1989, Ramesh Damani became serious about long-term investing after the 1992 Harshad Mehta scam.
Strategy: He prefers blue-chip companies in growing sectors. In the 1990s, he invested in IT companies like Infosys and TCS when they were just starting.
Famous Quote: “Invest in businesses you understand, with ethical management.”
Role: Ramesh Damani is often seen on business news channels like CNBC, where he shares his views on the market.
Learn More: Institutional Investors : The Key Players Behind Stock Market
4. Raamdeo Agrawal: The Long-Term Visionary
Background: Co-founder of Motilal Oswal Group, Raamdeo Agrawal turned a ₹10 lakh investment in Hero Honda into a 260x return over 20 years.
Strategy: He believes in Coffee Can Investing—buying quality stocks and holding them for a very long time. His famous investments include Asian Paints and Bajaj Finance.
Contribution: He wrote a book called Market Masters to help others understand the stock market. His ideas are followed by many new investors today.
5. Vijay Kedia: The Small-Cap Maestro
Background: Coming from a family of stock market investors, Vijay Kedia faced huge losses early in life but learned from his mistakes.
Famous Picks: He turned companies like Atul Auto (300% returns) and Sudarshan Chemical (600% returns) into multi-baggers.
Framework: He uses the 5Ps rule—Product, Promise, Potential, Politics, and People—to choose small companies that can grow big.
Mentorship: He now runs the Kedia School of Investing to help new investors learn how to succeed.
6. Nemish Shah: The ROCE Champion
Background: Nemish Shah co-founded Enam Holdings. He is known for picking companies with high ROCE (Return on Capital Employed).
Strategy: He avoids companies that frequently raise money from the public. He loves companies like Asian Paints and Page Industries that are capital efficient.
Legacy: He was a mentor to big names like Raamdeo Agrawal and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, making him one of the top Investors who shaped others’ careers too.
7. Porinju Veliyath: The Small-Cap Czar
Background: Porinju came from a small village in Kerala and built a strong investment firm called Equity Intelligence. He manages over ₹500 crore.
Strategy: He focuses on turnaround stories—small companies that are changing for the better. One of his popular picks was SEL Manufacturing.
Quote: “Fear of losing is worse than losing itself.” He teaches investors to stay calm and look beyond short-term losses.
Focus Areas: He often invests in small companies in textiles, infrastructure, and industrials.
8. Dolly Khanna: The Silent Multi-Bagger Hunter
Background: Although the portfolio is under Dolly Khanna’s name, the real brain is her husband Rajiv Khanna. They’ve been investing since the 1990s.
Investment Style: They invest in niche sectors and lesser-known companies like Rain Industries, NOCIL, TNPL, and KCP Sugar.
Approach: They stay low profile and invest with high conviction for 3–5 years. If a company stops growing, they exit.
Net Worth: Their portfolio in 2023 was worth around ₹800 crore, making them one of India’s most successful yet silent top Investors.
9. Ashish Kacholia: The Mid-Cap Alchemist
Background: Ashish Kacholia is an IIT graduate who co-founded Hungama Digital and now runs Lucky Investments.
Famous Picks: He made over 1000% returns in Fine Organic and huge profits in APL Apollo Tubes.
Style: He likes companies that are not yet in the spotlight but have high growth potential. He does deep research on business models before investing.
10. Chandrakant Sampat (1929–2015): The Guru of Gurus
Background: Chandrakant Sampat was a legend who influenced many famous investors like Damani and Jhunjhunwala.
Strategy: He believed in buying good companies cheap and holding them forever. He held Hindustan Unilever for more than 50 years.
Philosophy: “Ignore market noise; focus on cash flow and management integrity.”
Legacy: His principles still guide many of today’s top Investors.
Key Takeaways: What Unites These Top Investors?
While each investor has a unique style, there are some common things they all follow:
- Patience Pays Off: Many of these investors hold their stocks for decades. They don’t rush in and out of the market.
- Focus on Fundamentals: They choose companies with strong earnings, low debt, and ethical management.
- Understand the Business: Most of them invest in sectors they know well—like consumer goods, IT, and finance.
- Trust Management: They believe the right leaders can take even an average company to great heights.
- Keep Learning: All these top Investors constantly learn from markets, books, and their own mistakes.
Conclusion: Learning from Legends
These top Investors have not only made money, but also changed how India thinks about investing. They proved that you don’t need to be born rich to succeed. What matters is how you think, how you act, and how you stay strong during tough times.
If you’re a new investor, remember this: The stock market is not a lottery. It rewards those who stay disciplined, do their homework, and think long-term. As Rakesh Jhunjhunwala once said, “Stay hungry, stay foolish, and believe in India.