Gates back as world’s richest; Mukesh Ambani wealthiest Indian

New York, Mar 12 (PTI) With a fortune of USD 40 billion, software czar Bill Gates has regained his position as the world’s wealthiest from his friend and legendary investor Warren Buffett, even as the economic crisis wiped off USD two trillion from the wealth of billionaires across the world.
Gates, who himself lost USD 18 billion in the past one year, is followed by Buffett (USD 37 billion) at the second and Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim (USD 35 billion) at the third position as per the World’s Billionaires list released by the US magazine Forbes.

Buffett was ranked as the richest person in the world in last year’s list, followed by Carlos Slim and Gates at second and third positions respectively.

There are 793 billionaires in the world now, down about 30 per cent from 1,125 a year ago, while collectively they have become poorer from USD 4.4 trillion to USD 2.4 trillion.

There are just two Indians in the list of top 10 richest persons across the world, down from four last year.

Indian petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani has been ranked as the richest among all the Indians with a net worth of USD 19.5 billion, followed by NRI steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal (19.3 billion dollars).

In the global list, Ambani is ranked seventh (down from fifth last year) and Mittal is at eighth position (fourth in 2008). PTI

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Anil Ambani Biggest Loser on Forbes Billionaire List

Here is a roundup of news from Indian newspapers, news wires and Web sites on Thursday, Mar. 12. The Wall Street Journal has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Anil Ambani biggest loser on Forbes billionaire list

Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates is the richest man again, overtaking investor Warren Buffett, as the global financial meltdown wiped out $2 trillion from the net worth of the world’s billionaires, Forbes Magazine said on Wednesday.

Indian businessman Anil Ambani, the biggest gainer on last year’s list, was the biggest loser this time, with $32 billion wiped out over the last 12 months. Ranked sixth last year, he fell to 34 with an estimated wealth of $10.1 billion. “India took a huge whack,” Luisa Kroll, senior editor of Forbes said, noting that last year Indians held four of the top 10 spots and now only two, and the number of Indian billionaires more than halved to 24.

Source: Times of India

Third Front launched, to offer alternative eco policies

A ‘third force’, a coalition of Left and regional parties, was formally launched today offering an alternative to the combines spearheaded by the Congress and BJP, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a massive gathering, leaders of the third force vowed to provide new economic policies.

“We represent the diversity of India,” CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat told the rally which was attended by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, JDS chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, who is playing a key role in forming the new amalgamation, and CPI leader A B Bardhan.

Source: PTI

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