Nandan Nilekani’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2019 | $2.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $1.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $3.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $2.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $3.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $3.2 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $2.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $2.5 billion | Forbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Nandan Nilekani’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
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Nandan Nilekani has an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Nandan Nilekani profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $2.1 billion in 2019.
Nandan Nilekani is an Indian entrepreneur best known as a cofounder of Infosys. He started in information technology at Patni Computer Systems in 1978. In 1981, he left with N.R. Narayana Murthy and others to build Infosys. He later held senior roles across the company, then served as chief executive officer from March 2002 to April 2007. Since 2017, he has been Infosys' non-executive chairman after returning during a boardroom shakeup.
His wealth is tied mainly to software services and his continuing stake in Infosys, according to Forbes. After leaving Infosys in 2009, he led the Unique Identification Authority of India and is widely credited with building Aadhaar, the country's large identity system. Beyond Infosys, he has backed Fundamentum, a venture capital fund for technology companies, and teamed up with Ratan Tata to start Avanti Finance, which provides microloans.
How Nandan Nilekani built his fortune
The main engine behind Nilekani's wealth is Infosys, the software services company he helped start in 1981. He moved through leadership roles including managing director, president and chief operating officer before becoming chief executive officer in March 2002. During his time as CEO through April 2007, Infosys' topline grew to $3 billion. He still owns shares in Infosys, which Forbes ties to his fortune in technology.
His career also spread into public technology work and investing. Nilekani left Infosys in 2009 to chair the Unique Identification Authority of India, where he led the rollout of Aadhaar. Forbes also notes that he has backed Fundamentum, a fund focused on technology companies. He later worked with Ratan Tata to launch Avanti Finance for microloans. In 2023, Forbes says he donated $38 million to the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
What Forbes says about his net worth
Forbes has shown big swings in Nilekani's fortune over time. It estimated his wealth at $2.1 billion in 2019, then $1.4 billion in 2020. By 2022, Forbes put the figure at $3.4 billion. Those moves track a fortune built from software services and Infosys shares, with his long career at the company still central to the story even after his return as non-executive chairman in 2017.
More recently, Forbes estimated Nilekani at $3.2 billion in 2025. On Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker, he stood at $2.5 billion as of October 20, 2026. The source of wealth remains software services, and the Forbes notes still point back to Infosys as the core asset. His wider money story includes technology investing through Fundamentum and work on new ventures such as Avanti Finance.
Career and money timeline
- 1978
He began his career at Patni Computer Systems.
- 1981
He co-founded Infosys with N.R. Narayana Murthy and others.
- 2002
He became chief executive officer of Infosys in March 2002.
- 2009
He left Infosys to chair the Unique Identification Authority of India.
- 2017
He returned to Infosys as non-executive chairman on 24 August 2017.
- 2026
The Government of India named him to head a task force on examinations.
Nandan Nilekani net worth FAQ
What is Nandan Nilekani's net worth?
Nandan Nilekani's net worth is an estimated $2.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Nandan Nilekani profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Nandan Nilekani get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Software services.
Is Nandan Nilekani a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Nandan Nilekani is worth $2.5 billion.
How has Nandan Nilekani's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $2.1 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $2.5 billion (October 20, 2026).
What is Nandan Nilekani best known for?
He is best known for cofounding Infosys and later returning as its non-executive chairman in 2017. He is also credited with building Aadhaar during his time at UIDAI.
Where does his wealth come from?
Forbes ties his wealth to software services. His Infosys shareholding is the core piece, with added activity in technology investing through Fundamentum and work on Avanti Finance.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Nandan Nilekani profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Nandan Nilekani profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 7, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Nandan Nilekani profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Nandan Nilekani profile (March 10, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Nandan Nilekani (accessed October 20, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Photo: World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.