Richest Man in Kerala 2026: Net Worth, Business Empire and Kerala’s Top 10 Billionaires List
Kerala is often associated with backwaters, literacy, and a strong Gulf connection. For decades, remittances shaped household incomes and transformed small towns into thriving commercial hubs. But today, a new question dominates business conversations: Who is the richest man in Kerala in 2026?
The state that once relied heavily on overseas employment now produces global business leaders in jewellery, retail, education, healthcare, and technology.
Top 10 Richest People in Kerala 2025
From jewellery and retail to education, healthcare, finance, and technology, Malayali entrepreneurs have built international business empires that now feature on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List.
Here is the updated list of the Top 10 richest people in Kerala in 2026 based on publicly available data.
| Rank | Name | Net Worth (USD) | Company |
| 1 | Joy Alukkas | $6.7 Billion | Joyalukkas Group |
| 2 | M A Yusuff Ali | $5.4 Billion | Lulu Group |
| 3 | Sunny Varkey | $4.0 Billion | GEMS Education |
| 4 | B Ravi Pillai | $3.9 Billion | RP Group |
| 5 | T S Kalyanaraman | $3.6 Billion | Kalyan Jewellers |
| 6 | S Gopalakrishnan | $3.5 Billion | Infosys |
| 7 | Ramesh Kunhikannan | $3.0 Billion | Kaynes Technology |
| 8 | Shamsheer Vayalil | $1.9 Billion | Burjeel Holdings |
| 9 | S D Shibulal | $1.9 Billion | Infosys |
| 10 | Kochouseph Chittilappilly | $1.4 Billion | V-Guard Industries |
Do you know, who is the richest woman in kerala
Sara George Muthoot is considered the richest woman in Kerala, with an estimated net worth of approximately $1.5 billion. She represents the Muthoot business family and remains one of the wealthiest Malayali women in global rankings.
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Top 10 Richest Persons in Kerala Ranked by Net Worth – 2026
Kerala’s wealth story is diverse, global, and sector-driven.
But, how did Kerala get rich?
Kerala’s wealth growth is largely linked to remittances from Gulf countries, strong gold trade networks, education institutions, healthcare businesses, and global expansion by Malayali entrepreneurs.
The top 10 richest people in Kerala highlight how trade and education built long-term capital.
The next decade may redefine who becomes the next richest man in Kerala.
1. Joy Alukkas’ Net Worth – $6.7 Billion (Joyalukkas Group – Jewellery Retail)
Joy Alukkas chairs and manages the Joyalukkas Group, a leading jewellery retail chain with around 190 showrooms worldwide, including the largest gold jewellery outlet in Chennai. The group reported strong FY2023 figures with Rs 14,513 crore turnover and Rs 899 crore profit, targeting Rs 17,500 crore turnover in FY2024. In late 2025, Joyalukkas announced a Rs 3,600 crore expansion to add 40 new showrooms by next year, aiming for Rs 35,000 crore revenue in FY2026. He ranked 24th on the Hurun India Rich List 2025 with a net worth of Rs 88,430 crore.
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2. M A Yusuff Ali’s Net Worth – $5.4 Billion (LuLu Group – Retail & Hypermarkets)
M A Yusuff Ali founded and leads LuLu Group International from Abu Dhabi, operating over 240 supermarkets, malls, hotels, and ventures in retail, hospitality, real estate, food trading, healthcare, and software across 21 countries.
LuLu Retail Holdings generates about $7.3 billion annually from Gulf stores alone. The group employs the largest number of Indians outside India and continues expanding, including new malls in India.
3. Sunny Varkey’s Net Worth – $4.0 Billion (GEMS Education – Private School Network)
Sunny Varkey founded GEMS Education, the world’s largest private K-12 school operator with over 130 schools serving 142,000 students across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, China, and India. It offers curricula such as CBSE, IB, British, and American systems.
Through the GEMS Foundation, it supports 100 underprivileged children for every enrolled student.
4. B Ravi Pillai’s Net Worth – $3.9 Billion (RP Group – Construction & Diversified Businesses)
B Ravi Pillai founded RP Group, a Dubai-based conglomerate involved in oil and gas, refinery, steel, cement, construction, hospitality, and real estate. The group employs over 100,000 Indians in the Middle East. Key assets include Raviz Hotels and Resorts, with new properties planned in the Maldives and near Kovalam.
He has offered up to $1 billion investments in India through foreign partnerships and actively supports philanthropy in education and healthcare.
5. T S Kalyanaraman’s Net Worth – $3.6 Billion (Kalyan Jewellers – Jewellery Retail)
T S Kalyanaraman owns Kalyan Jewellers under the Kalyan Group, one of India’s major jewellery retailers. The company has expanded rapidly through franchise models, with over half its stores franchise-operated. Revenue doubled to Rs 25,000 crore in recent years, with 16 percent same-store sales growth amid rising gold prices.
Plans include 90 new stores this year and the expansion of the Candere omnichannel brand, targeting profitability.
6. S Gopalakrishnan’s Net Worth – $3.5 Billion (Infosys – Information Technology)
S Gopalakrishnan, also known as Kris Gopalakrishnan, is a co-founder of Infosys and derived his wealth from his stake in the IT company. He held key leadership roles that supported Infosys’ global growth. His net worth is estimated between $3.7 to $4.35 billion through shares and investments.
He actively supports philanthropy in education and research and is recognised for contributions to the IT sector.
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7. Ramesh Kunhikannan’s Net Worth – $3.0 Billion (Kaynes Technology – Electronics Manufacturing)
Ramesh Kunhikannan founded Kaynes Technology India, which specialises in electronic systems and PCB assemblies for automotive, aerospace, medical, and defence sectors. He holds a 64 percent stake in the company.
The firm supplied equipment for Chandrayaan-3, which boosted its shares and his net worth after 2023. The company’s annual revenue exceeds $137 million.
8. Shamsheer Vayalil’s Net Worth – $1.9 Billion (Burjeel Holdings – Healthcare)
Shamsheer Vayalil founded Burjeel Holdings, which operates 16 hospitals and 24 medical centres across the Middle East and North Africa region.
The company was listed in 2022 on the Abu Dhabi exchange. He also chairs Response Plus Holdings and supports investments in healthcare businesses such as RPM and LifePharma. In December 2025, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer alongside his chairman role and approved a major 2026 expansion budget for specialised healthcare services.
9. S D Shibulal’s Net Worth – $1.9 Billion (Infosys – Information Technology)
S D Shibulal, another co-founder of Infosys and former Chief Executive Officer, built his wealth from his stake in the company. His net worth is estimated at around $2.8 billion.
He owns over 700 apartments in Seattle valued at around Rs 600 crore through his family office, along with real estate investments in Europe.
10. Kochouseph Chittilappilly’s Net Worth – $1.4 Billion (V-Guard Industries – Consumer Electricals)
Kochouseph Chittilappilly founded V-Guard Industries in 1977, which became India’s leading voltage stabiliser manufacturer and later diversified into multiple consumer electrical products. The company has a market capitalisation of around Rs 14,000 crore and also launched Wonderla theme parks.
In the latest quarter, the company reported a 3.4 percent rise in net profit to Rs 60.22 crore and 8.9 percent revenue growth.
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Disclaimer– The rankings and figures in this article have been compiled from multiple verified reports, credible news sources, and public financial data available as of 2026.
All values are approximate and may vary with newer updates, revisions, or changes in official records.
Kerala’s Richest Man – FAQs
As of early 2026, the Muthoot Family is widely regarded as the richest Hindu family in Kerala. The promoters of Muthoot Finance have a combined estimated net worth of around $10.4 billion, largely driven by the gold loan business and rising global gold prices.
Mohanlal is currently regarded as the richest celebrity from Kerala, with an estimated net worth between ₹376 crore and ₹400 crore, earned through films, production ventures, endorsements, and investments.
Thrissur is often called the billionaire capital of Kerala. Several major business leaders, especially from the jewellery and manufacturing sectors, are based there.
Joy Alukkas ranks as the no.1 richest person in Kerala in 2026 with an estimated net worth of $6.7 billion from his global jewellery retail empire.
Village Food Channel and M4 Tech remain among the biggest and most influential YouTube creators from Kerala as of 2026, with millions of subscribers.
Sections of the Muslim community in Kerala built wealth through early migration to Gulf countries and successful entrepreneurship in retail, trade, and healthcare sectors across the Middle East.
Historically, Syrian Christian and Muslim business communities have been economically strong due to plantation ownership, trade, banking, and overseas migration. Today, wealth is distributed across multiple communities and industries.
As of 2026, actresses such as Mamitha Baiju, Keerthy Suresh, and Nayanthara are among the most popular Malayalam film heroines based on recent box office success and public visibility.
No, Mammootty is not a billionaire in US dollar terms. His estimated net worth is around ₹300 to ₹350 crore.
Based on late 2025 reports, actor Mohanlal has built a massive business empire with an estimated net worth of around ₹410–450 crore ($50+ million). He indeed is one of the richest people.
Mammootty’s residence in Kochi is estimated to be valued between ₹30 crore and ₹50 crore.
Attractiveness is subjective, but Dulquer Salmaan and Tovino Thomas frequently rank high in public polls for style and screen presence.
