Shiv Nadar’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 | $14.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $11.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $23.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $28.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $25.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $36.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $34.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $30.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $30.5 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.
Shiv Nadar’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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Shiv Nadar has an estimated net worth of $30.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Shiv Nadar profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $14.6 billion in 2019.
Shiv Nadar is an Indian businessman who cofounded HCL in 1976. The company began in a garage with five friends, making calculators and microprocessors. Over time, he helped turn HCL from an IT hardware business into a larger technology company. HCL Technologies is now one of India’s biggest software services providers. Nadar later became chairman emeritus and strategic advisor after stepping down as chairman in 2020.
His wealth is tied to software services through HCL Technologies, the listed flagship of the HCL group. Forbes says the company has $14.5 billion in revenue and employs over 223,000 people across 60 countries. Nadar is also known for education giving through the Shiv Nadar Foundation. Forbes says he has donated $1.1 billion to the foundation. In 2025, he transferred a chunk of shares in investment companies to his daughter Roshni as part of succession planning.
How Shiv Nadar built his fortune
Nadar made his name by building HCL, which started in 1976 as a small venture making calculators and microprocessors. He later guided the business from hardware toward a broader IT model over the next three decades. That shift matters because Forbes places his wealth in software services, not consumer products or real estate. HCL Technologies grew into one of India’s largest software services providers, making the company the main engine behind his fortune.
The business also expanded beyond India early. In 1980, HCL opened Far East Computers in Singapore to sell IT hardware, giving the company an international base. Today, Forbes notes that HCL Technologies employs over 223,000 people in 60 countries and hires high school grads for on-the-job training. In 2020, Nadar stepped down as chairman and handed the role to Roshni Nadar Malhotra. He remains chairman emeritus and strategic advisor.
Forbes net worth updates
Forbes tracked big swings in Nadar’s fortune over time. It estimated his wealth at $14.6 billion in 2019, then $11.9 billion in 2020. The figure later climbed to $23.5 billion in 2021 and $28.7 billion in 2022. Because his wealth comes from software services and his HCL holdings, changes in the value of that business play a big part in where the estimate lands from year to year.
The later Forbes updates were also volatile. The estimate moved to $25.6 billion in 2023, then rose to $36.9 billion in 2024. Forbes put him at $34.5 billion in 2025 and $30.9 billion in 2026. As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker shows $30.5 billion. That keeps him among the world’s richest tech figures from India, with wealth still closely linked to HCL and related holdings.
Career and money timeline
- 1967
He began his career at Cooper Engineering Ltd. in Pune.
- 1976
He cofounded HCL in a garage with five friends.
- 1980
HCL entered the international market with Far East Computers in Singapore.
- 1996
He founded SSN College of Engineering in Chennai.
- 2008
He received the Padma Bhushan for his work in the IT industry.
- 2020
He stepped down as HCL Technologies chairman and became chairman emeritus and strategic advisor.
- 2025
He transferred a chunk of shares to Roshni as part of succession planning.
Shiv Nadar net worth FAQ
What is Shiv Nadar's net worth?
Shiv Nadar's net worth is an estimated $30.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Shiv Nadar profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Shiv Nadar get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Software services.
Is Shiv Nadar a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Shiv Nadar is worth $30.5 billion.
How has Shiv Nadar's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $14.6 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $30.5 billion (October 20, 2026).
What company is Shiv Nadar best known for?
He is best known for cofounded HCL in 1976. HCL Technologies later became one of India’s largest software services providers.
What is Shiv Nadar’s net worth according to Forbes?
As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker shows $30.5 billion. Forbes ties his wealth to software services.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Shiv Nadar profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Shiv Nadar profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Shiv Nadar profile (April 8, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Shiv Nadar profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Shiv Nadar profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Shiv Nadar profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Shiv Nadar profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Shiv Nadar profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Shiv Nadar 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, Shiv Nadar (accessed October 20, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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.