The salaries of Indian CEOs have been on the rise in recent years, with some of the highest-paid CEOs in the world now based in India. Top executives in India are compensated handsomely for leading powerful corporations. Here are 10 of the highest-paid CEOs in India:
1 – N. Chandrasekaran
COMPANY: Tata Sons
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 109 crores
N. Chandrasekaran is the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, one of the largest conglomerates in India. The first non-Parsi leader of the TATA group, he was chosen by Institutional Investor’s Annual All-Asia Executive Team rankings five years in a row as the ‘Best CEO’. He took over as chairman in 2017 and has since overseen a period of significant growth for the group. In 2021, his total compensation was $44.6 million, making him the highest-paid CEO in India.
2 – Sunil Mittal
COMPANY: Bharti Airtel
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs 15.39 crores
Sunil Mittal is the chairman and managing director of Bharti Airtel, one of the largest telecommunications companies in India. He is one of the most successful businessmen in India and has been ranked as one of the most powerful people in the country by Fortune India. In 2022, his salary was estimated at Rs 15.39 crores.
3 – Mukesh Ambani
COMPANY: Reliance Industries Limited
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs 24 crores
With a net worth of over $100 billion, Mukesh Ambani is one of the richest people in the world. He is the Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). He has transformed RIL into India’s largest private sector enterprise, with interests in petrochemicals, refining, oil, and gas exploration, among others. Under his leadership, RIL has also become a leader in the telecommunications industry, with its subsidiary, Reliance Jio, disrupting the market with affordable data plans and services. His remuneration has reportedly remained the same for more than 12 years at INR 15 crores.
4 – Aditya Puri
COMPANY: HDFC Bank
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 15 crores approx.
Former Managing Director of HDFC Bank, Aditya Puri retired in October 2020 with a compensation of Rs 13.8 crore after leading HDFC Bank for 26 years. He is widely credited with making HDFC Bank one of the most successful and respected banks in India, with a reputation for customer service, innovation, and profitability. Under his leadership, HDFC Bank’s market capitalization grew from Rs. 5 billion in 1994 to over Rs. 6 trillion in 2020.
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5 – Salil Parekh
COMPANY: Infosys
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 11 crores fixed salary, Rs. 68 crores performance linked salary
CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, Salil Parekh took over as CEO of Infosys in January 2018 and has been credited with bringing stability and growth to the company after a period of turmoil. He has focused on strengthening Infosys’ digital capabilities and expanding its presence in key markets like the US and Europe. Under his leadership, Infosys’ revenue grew by 5.8% in constant currency terms in FY21. His salary was estimated at Rs 71.02 crore between FY 21-22, making him one of the highest paid CEOs in India.
6 – Vijay Shekhar Sharma
COMPANY: Paytm
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 4 crores
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is the founder and CEO of Paytm, one of the largest digital payments companies in India. He is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in India and has been ranked as one of the most powerful people in the country by Fortune India. In 2021, his total compensation was $34.9 million.
7 – Naveen Jindal
COMPANY: Jindal Steel and Power Limited
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 100 crores approx.
The Chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Naveen Jindal is also one of the highest paid CEOs in India, with a salary of over Rs. 25 crore (approximately $3.4 million) in the fiscal year 2020-21. As an influential industrialist and Member of Parliament (MP) for the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha, he has led Jindal Steel and Power Limited to new heights.
8 – CP Gurnani
COMPANY: Tech Mahindra
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs 63.4 crores
The CEO and Managing Director of Tech Mahindra, CP Gurnani advocated the merger of Mahindra Satyam and Tech Mahindra. Named as the E&Y ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, and CNBC Asia’s ‘India Business Leader of the Year’ in 2013, he is one of the most successful leaders of India. He is one of the highest paid CEOs in India, with a reported salary of around Rs 63.4 crores in the fiscal year 2022.
9 – SN Subrahmanyan
COMPANY: Larsen & Toubro
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 61 crores
Subrahmanyan is the CEO and Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro, which is an Indian multinational conglomerate dealing with financial services, engineering, construction, technology and manufacturing. He is also one of the highest paid CEOs in India, with a salary of over Rs. 27 crores in the fiscal year 2020.
10 – Sanjiv Bajaj
COMPANY: Bajaj Finserv
ANNUAL SALARY: Rs. 28 crores
A well-known business leader in India and the Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj is one of the highest paid CEOs in India, having consistently ranked among the top earners in the country over the years. In the fiscal year 2020, his total salary was reported to be over Rs. 28 crore. Under his leadership, Bajaj Finserv has grown rapidly and established itself as a major player in the financial services sector in India.
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