The Indian Panorama

Tag: Vinod Khosla

  • Six Indian Americans on Forbes’ 2025 billionaires list

    Six Indian Americans on Forbes’ 2025 billionaires list

    NEW YORK (TIP): Forbes released its 2025 Billionaires List today, highlighting several Indian Americans among the world’s wealthiest individuals. While none has broken into the top 200, their success across diverse industries, including technology, finance, and aviation, underscores their growing influence in the global economy.

    Among those listed is Vinod Khosla, the founder of Khosla Ventures and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, with an estimated net worth of $7.5 billion. A veteran in Silicon Valley, Khosla has played a key role in nurturing technology startups and advancing innovation in artificial intelligence and sustainability.

    Jay Chaudhry, the CEO of cybersecurity firm Zscaler, boasts net worth of $8.3 billion. Born in a small village in India, Chaudhry’s journey from humble beginnings to billionaire status is a testament to the power of entrepreneurship. His company, Zscaler, has been instrumental in reshaping cloud security for major global enterprises.

    Other notable Indian Americans on the list include Jayshree Ullal, CEO and president of Arista Networks, with a net worth of $4.5 billion; Romesh Wadhwani, founder of Symphony Technology Group, worth $5 billion; Rakesh Gangwal, co-founder of IndiGo Airlines, with a fortune exceeding $4 billion; and Aneel Bhusri, co-founder of Workday, with an estimated $3.3 billion.

    Elon Musk is the world’s richest individual, with a net worth of approximately $433.9 billion. He is followed by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, with a net worth of $239.4 billion, and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, with $211.8 billion.

    A record 3,028 people around the globe make Forbes’ annual World’s Billionaires list this year, 247 more than last year. It’s the first time the billionaire population has crossed 3,000 marks. They’re worth a record $16.1 trillion in all, $2 trillion more than a year ago and more than the GDP of every country in the world besides the U.S. and China. The average fortune now stands at $5.3 billion, up $200 million from 2024.

  • Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla clashes with Elon Musk over Trump on X

    Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla clashes with Elon Musk over Trump on X

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TIP) : In a heated exchange on social media platform X, Indian American tech billionaire Vinod Khosla clashed with Tesla CEO Elon Musk over former President Donald Trump, mere minutes after President Joe Biden announced he was “standing down” from the presidential race.

    Vinod Khosla, a Bay-area billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, ignited the conversation by calling for an open Democratic convention following Biden’s announcement. He expressed his desire for a “more moderate candidate who can easily beat” Trump, reflecting his concerns over the former president’s values and policies.

    Responding to Khosla, Musk urged him to support Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, with an enthusiastic post: “Come on, Vinod. Trump/Vance LFG!!”

    Khosla did not hold back, replying, “Hard for me to support someone with no values, lies, cheats, rapes, demeans women, hates immigrants like me. He may cut my taxes or reduce some regulation but that is no reason to accept depravity in his personal values. Do you want President who will set back climate by a decade in his first year? Do you want his example for your kids as values?”

    Musk countered by suggesting that Khosla meet Trump to form his own opinion. “He doesn’t hate you. In fact, I think he likes you. Meet him and find out for yourself. How many times have you read something in the media where you know the real story, but what they printed was diabolically false? Well, it’s way worse in politics, which is a blood sport.”

    Khosla, acknowledging Musk’s point on media mistrust and meritocracy, raised concerns about Trump’s stance on climate change and international relations. He replied, “Agree on not trusting media. Agree on meritocratic and promote individual freedoms. But abandon climate and ‘drill baby drill’? Be MAGA and abandon NATO and American leadership and moral authority? I was a socially liberal registered fiscal Republican till climate made me switch to Independent. First used ‘techno optimist’ to describe myself on Twitter but have to add now ‘with care and caring’ to bring along people left behind by the tech-driven acceleration and growth we love. Define my optimism & caution in 2016: Link

    In response, Musk said, “Civilization has needed oil & gas for quite some time. I don’t think we should demonize an industry that is essential for humanity to function. However, as you know, sustainable energy production and consumption is growing very rapidly and is tracking to exceed use of hydrocarbon fuels. That will happen no matter what Trump does. As for NATO, the amount contributed by the United States is absurdly higher than other allies. Why are American taxpayers paying for the defense of Europe when Europe is fully capable of doing so itself?”

    Khosla concluded by highlighting the balance needed between energy consumption and climate change awareness. “GDP depends on energy consumption but that doesn’t support climate change denialism. The fossil industry must acknowledge that. In fact, I was against the recent order to shut down coal plants by 2032 because there are better policies. Let’s discuss live on X.”

    The exchange between Khosla and Musk not only highlighted their differing political views but also shed light on broader issues such as climate change, media trust, and international relations, sparking a conversation among their followers, besides getting worldwide media attention.

  • Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla loses round in Martins Beach battle

    Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla loses round in Martins Beach battle

    SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): For 15 years, Indian American billionaire venture capitalist Vinod Khosla has been fighting a legal battle to restrict access to Martins Beach near his home in San Francisco area.
    California Superior Court Judge Raymond Swope Saturday, May 11, denied Khosla’s bid to throw out a lawsuit against him that says he cannot limit access to Martins Beach, a popular surfing spot near San Francisco. Swope’s decision is just the latest setback in Khosla’s years-long saga, Bloomberg reported.
    Back in 2008, Khosla bought a home near the beach for an impressive $32.5 million, according to the publication. Shortly thereafter, he built a gate on the road that leads down to the cove, ensuring that the public couldn’t use that access point to get to the beach. Security guards initially patrolled the beach and issued citations to those who violated the “No Trespassing” sign by jumping over the gate.
    Lawyers for Khosla say the gate is legal, given that he’s the property owner, but others disagree. The ensuing legal battle made it all the way to the US Supreme Court in 2018, where the justices opted to not take up Khosla’s appeal, letting a lower ruling stand. That ruling was in favor of the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit in California that advocates for the protection of oceans and beaches.
    And now the State Lands Commission, a California government agency, is similarly trying to bar Khosla from closing off the beach to the public. It contends that the public has “access rights” to the land given state law and historical use. Swope’s ruling said the agency had given enough support for its claims, Bloomberg noted, and that it could proceed with the case it filed in 2020.
    Beach access in California is a hot-button issue, and battles among homeowners and the public have been known to play out for decades. Last year, for example, the public finally gained access to Escondido Beach in Malibu after a 40-year fight. In that case, two homeowners agreed to restore an access point that had been blocked since the 1980s.
    While the San Francisco issue doesn’t have that sort of history behind it, it’s been dragging on for more than a decade at this point. And depending on what Khosla decides to do, the public could be waiting much longer to get to Martins Beach.
    Khosla told Bloomberg the battle was about property rights and a group of people trying to “coerce him” into giving up his private property.

  • Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla wants the world’s elite to skip Davos

    Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla wants the world’s elite to skip Davos

    SANTA CLARA, CA (TIP): Indian American billionaire Vinod Khosla wants the world’s elite to not go to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, and instead contribute that money to “a better cause.”

    The founder of Khosla Ventures and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, who is a big champion of clean energy, tweeted on Monday, January 16: “Can the people going to Davos not go and contribute the money to a better cause? This is ridiculous.”

    The tweet was in response to a tweet by Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital who is campaigning to channel $350 billion in Russian funds frozen since the beginning of the Ukraine war to be “used for the defense of Ukraine.”

    The financier said he is skipping Davos “after 27 years as a regular” because “the Forum wanted to charge him $250,000, more than triple what he paid in the past.” Browder thinks he deserves to be “admitted for free, as a human rights activist.” “I’m in Davos to argue for the frozen Russian $350 billion to be used for the defense of Ukraine,” he wrote. “But I won’t be doing it in the halls of the WEF because they raised the price of attendance to $250k for me (3x what they charged before). Russians are happy.”

    The 2023 edition of the Forum began in Davos Monday and runs through January 20. The theme this year is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World.” CEOs of 1,000 member companies and leaders from a wide range of fields are expected to attend the event, covered by hundreds of global media organizations.

    It is also a magnet for critics who denounce the gathering for being tone deaf to a number of global issues, including increasing income inequalities and climate change, just to name a few.

    Khosla — who is worth $4.9 billion, according to the Forbes Real Time Network tracker on January 16 — himself is no stranger to Davos. The 557th richest person in the world has attended the Forum on multiple occasions.

    Born in Pune, India, Khosla, 67, is considered one of the most successful and influential venture capitalists. An alumnus of IIT Delhi where he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Khosla earned his master’s in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon and MBA from Stanford.

  • Meet the Forbes Seven richest Indian Americans

    Meet the Forbes Seven richest Indian Americans

    NEW YORK (TIP): Forbes recently released its list of 400 wealthiest Americans for the year 2021. Seven Indian Americans, with a combined net worth of $42.4 billion, have made it to the list — the same number as 2020. While six of the seven billionaires retained their positions on the list, Google investor Kavitark Ram Shriram fell off it. However, he was replaced by Baiju Bhatt, Co-founder of Robinhood. Here is the complete list:

    Jay Chaudhury
    CEO, Zscaler
    Rank: 45
    Net worth: $16.3 billion
    Age: 62

    The richest Indian American on the list the wealthiest 400 Americans, Chaudhury saw his net worth increase by nearly a whopping $10 billion in the past year. His ranking also increased from 85th in 2020 to 45th this year. Chaudhry founded Zscaler, a cyber security firm, in 2008. He, along with his family, owns 42 percent of the company’s shares. The firm went public in March 2018. Chaudhry moved to the United States to study in Nevada back in the 1980s. Zsclaer is not Chaudhry’s first venture. Along with his wife, he founded a number of companies which were subsequently acquired.

    Vinod Khosla
    Founder, Khosla Ventures
    Rank: 92
    Net worth: $8.6 billion
    Age: 66

    The net worth of Khosla, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and the founder of Khosla Ventures, increased from $2.8 billion in 2020 to $8.6 billion. His ranking went up from 353 to 92.

    A graduate of IIT Delhi, Khosla grew up in the Indian capital before moving to the United States to do an MBA from Stanford, in 1980. He founded Sun Microsystems with his classmates from Stanford. He later left the company to become a venture capitalist. He founded Khosla Ventures, based in Menlo Park, California, in 2004.

    Rakesh Gangwal
    Co-founder, Interglobe Aviation
    Rank: 253
    Net worth: $4.5 billion
    Age: 68

    Co-founder and co-owner of India’s Indigo Airlines, Gangwal previously served as the CEO of US Airways group. His network increased from $2.3 billion to $4.5 billion in the past year. An IIT, Kanpur graduate, he earned an MBA from Wharton School of Pennsylvania. He has also served as the executive vice-president for Air France. He lives in Miami, Florida with his wife and a daughter.

    Romesh Wadhwani
    Founder, Symphony Technology Group
    Rank: 333
    Net worth: $3.5 billion
    Age: 74

    Founder and CEO of Symphony Technology Group, Wadhwani was born in Karachi before Indian independence. His net worth last year was $3.4 billion.

    A graduate from IIT Bombay, he earned his masters and doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University.

    He lives in Palo Alto, California with his wife and has a married daughter.

    Niraj Shah
    CEO, Wayfair
    Rank: 340
    Net Worth: $3.4 billion
    Age: 47

    At number 340 on the list, online retailer Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah grew up in Massachusetts. His net worth increased from $2.8 billion to $3.4 billion in the past year.

    He graduated from Cornell University and co-founded Wayfair in 2002 with his classmate.

    In 2017 he also became the director of Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and lives in Boston with his wife Jill Shah.

    Aneel Bhusri
    CEO, Workday
    Rank: 363
    Net Worth: $3.2 billion
    Age: 55

    Born in Pittsford, New York, Bhusri co-founded Workday with David Duffield.

    He became the vice chairman of the company in 1999, until the takeover by Oracle in 2004.

    He is also a partner at Greylock Partners which is a software investment fund. He is placed number 363 on the list.

    Baiju Bhatt
    Co-founder, Robinhood
    Rank: 389
    Net Worth $2.9 billion
    Age: 36

    At just 36, Bhatt is the youngest Indian American on the list. He is placed at number 389.

    He founded Robinhood, a financial services company, along with Vladimir Tenev.

    Son of Indian immigrants, Bhatt grew up in Virginia. He studied mathematics at Stanford University.

    He co-founded the trading platform in 2013. After a funding run in 2018, he became a billionaire along with his co-founder. He lives in Palo Alto, California.

  • Indian Americans number over 40 in Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List 2021

    Indian Americans number over 40 in Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List 2021

    WASHINGTON (TIP): Over 40 Indian Americans figure in the 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List recognizing one hundred Indian and diaspora leaders who have made a significant impact with their philanthropic contributions and engagement.

    Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, released their list of those who are making a difference through their giving at two virtual sessions on Thursday.

    Both launch sessions, focused on the Diaspora and India, featured conversations with honorees and leaders in the philanthropy ecosystem.

    Prominent Indian Americans on the list include Anna and Raj Asava, Founders, HungerMitao USA, Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman, Mastercard, Deepak Chopra Founder and CEO, Freedom Employability Academy USA, Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman, Founders Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation USA and Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures.

    “It is incredibly inspiring to see so many philanthropists from our community who have translated their success into social impact,” said Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami. “These leaders serve as an example of the importance of generosity and remind us of the many issues that need our attention.”

    With guidance from nine jurors and drawing from multiple sources, including reputed studies, earlier verified lists, and publicly shared documents, Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List recognizes Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe for their philanthropic contributions and engagement, according to an Indiaspora media release.

    “It was very gratifying to be a part of this effort, and I appreciated the careful consideration given to each honoree by those who were involved,” said Sara Kalim, Director of Development at Somerville College and one of the jurors.

    “As someone who works in the development space, I see firsthand how philanthropy can transform lives for the better. This list shines a light on the tremendous power of giving.”

    With more than 32 million people of Indian origin globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world.

    Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List includes philanthropists from India (26) and from geographies with significant diaspora migration, including the United States (43), the United Kingdom (17), Canada (5), the United Arab Emirates (8), Singapore (10), and Australia (2).

    Several of these philanthropists stepped forward to give during the Covid-19 crisis.

    “Covid-19 taught us that businesses, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy all play a critical role in lifting the communities they serve and operate in during times of crisis,” said Prem Watsa, Founder and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings and one of the honorees on the List.

    “Indiaspora’s Philanthropy Leaders List serves as a reminder to the diaspora to continue the important work of giving even once the crisis abates so our communities can meet future challenges.”

    The List includes names from various industries including technology, entertainment, finance, and the law, among others, who are using their philanthropy to address issues such as access to healthcare, quality education, water and sanitation, arts and culture, food insecurity, and employability.

    “I hope the diaspora will continue to give forward, and even more boldly,” said Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson of sustainable water and sanitation nonprofit Arghyam, who is also an honoree on the List.

    “It is both inspiring and critical to resolve many old and emerging societal challenges in India.”

    Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is one of several of the organization’s philanthropy-focused initiatives.

    Other initiatives include ChaloGive, an online giving campaign that raised more than $3.5 million in 2021 to provide COVID relief in India, and the Philanthropy Summit, an annual event that brings together nonprofits, foundations, philanthropists, and others in the social impact space to share learnings regarding Indian and diaspora philanthropy.

    “This is a transformative moment for philanthropy,” said Ashish Shah, Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora.

    “The purpose of our philanthropy work is to galvanize the Indian diaspora to elevate its level of giving in the next decade, and Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is an important step towards building a culture of philanthropy.”

    Indian Americans on 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List
    1. Monte Ahuja, Chairman and CEO, MURA Holdings, LLC USA
    2. Anna and Raj Asava, Founders, HungerMitao USA
    3. Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman, Mastercard
    4. Manoj Bhargava, Founder and CEO, Living Essentials,
    5. Aneel Bhusri, Co-founder and CEO, Workday
    6. Allison Bhusri, Founder, Lemonade Capital USA
    7. Sumir Chadha Co-founder and Managing Director, WestBridge Capital Partners USA
    8. Deepak Chopra Founder and CEO, Freedom Employability Academy USA
    9. Bharat Desai and Neerja Sethi, Co-founders, Syntel, Founders, Desai Sethi Foundation USA
    10. Desh Deshpande, President and Chairman, Sparta Group LLC, Co-founder, Deshpande Foundation
    11. Jaishree Deshpande, Treasurer, Sparta Group LLC; Co-founder and Trustee, Deshpande Foundation; USA
    12. Anil and Gautam Godhwani, Co- founders, Simply Hired, Habitera, and AtWeb; Co-founders, India Community Center
    13. Prabhu and Poonam Goel Co-founders, Foundation for Excellence USA
    14. Vijay Goradia, Founder, Vinmar International Ltd; Goradia Capital Co-founder, Pratham
    15. Marie Goradia, Co-founder, Pratham USA
    16. Raj Gupta, Chairman, Aptiv PLC, Avantor Inc, Founder, Ujala Foundation USA
    17. Venky Harinarayan, Founder, Junglee & Kosmix, Founding investor, Efficient Frontier Co-founder, Cambrian Ventures USA
    18. Frank Islam, Founder, FI Investment Group, Founder, QSS Group
    19. Debbie Driesman, Vice President, Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation USA
    20. Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures
    21. Neeru Khosla, Co-founder and Executive Director, CK-12 Foundation USA
    22. Lata Krishnan, Co-founder, Krishnan-Shah Family Office, Founder & Co-chair, American India Foundation
    23. Ajay Shah, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Silver Lake Sumeru USA
    24. Dinakar Singh, Founding Partner, TPG-Axon Capital, Co-founder, SMA Foundation
    25. Loren Eng, Co-founder, SMA Foundation USA
    26. Deepak and Neera Raj, Founder & Managing Director, Raj Associates, Chairman, Pratham USA and Indian Philanthropy Alliance USA
    27. Anand Rajaraman and Kaushie Adiseshan, Founding Partner, Rocketship.vc, USA
    28. Raju Reddy, Founder and former CEO, Sierra Atlantic Co-founder, Kakatiya Sandbox USA
    29. Rao and Satya Remala, Founders, Satya and Rao Remala Foundation USA
    30. Nalini Saligram Founder and CEO, Arogya World USA
    31. Manu and Rika Shah, Co-founders, MSI, Sarva Mangal Family Trust USA
    32. Sanjay Shah, Founder, CEO, and Chief Architect of Vistex; Founder, Vistex Foundation USA
    33. Ram Shriram Chair and Trustee, Dhanam Foundation USA
    34. Chandrika Tandon, Founder and Chair, Tandon Capital Associates
    35. Ranjan Tandon, Founder and Chairman, Libra Advisors USA
    36. Romesh Wadhwani, Founder and CEO, SymphonyAI Group, Founder and Chairman, Wadhwani Foundation USA
    37. Sunil Wadhwani, Managing Partner, SWAT Capital, Founder Donor, WISH Foundation (Wadhwani Initiative for Sustainable Healthcare) USA.

  • Indian American Billionaire Vinod Khosla Pledges $10 Million for Oxygen Supplies to India 

    Indian American Billionaire Vinod Khosla Pledges $10 Million for Oxygen Supplies to India 

    HOUSTON (TIP):  Indian American billionaire businessman Vinod Khosla pledged USD 10 million for the supply of medical oxygen to hospitals in India. This is in continuation with the Sun Microsystems co-founder’s efforts to fund hospitals for oxygen supplies amid a surge in COVID cases in the country. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, he said there was a need to save lives as further delay may end up in more deaths.

    “For @GiveIndia this isn’t enough. They’ve received requests for 20,000 oxygen concentrators, 15,000 cylinders, 500 ICU beds, 100 ventilators, 10,000-beds COVID centers with requests coming from non-profits & hospitals all across India every day. We need to do a lot more urgently,” Mr. Khosla said.

    For @GiveIndia this isn’t enough. They’ve received requests for 20000 oxygen concentrators, 15000 cylinders, 500 ICU beds, 100 ventilators, 10000-beds Covid-19 centers with requests coming from non-profits & hospitals all across India every day. We need to do a lot more urgently

    — Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) May 2, 2021

    “The Khosla Family is adding USD 10 million to @GiveIndia to its previous commitment as a match and hoping others will join in this urgent need,” Mr. Khosla said.

    The Khosla Family is adding $10m to @GiveIndia to its previous commitment as a match and hoping others will join in this urgent need. There is large and very urgent needs & a day’s delay costs lives. One day at one hospital without oxygen had 8 people die gasping for breath!

    — Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) May 2, 2021

    India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 new coronavirus cases being reported daily and hospitals in several states reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.