Anil Agarwal’s son Agnivesh, 49, dies in US after cardiac arrest

NEW DELHI: Agnivesh Agarwal, the eldest son of mining billionaire Anil Agarwal, passed away in the United States after a sudden cardiac arrest, the family said on Wednesday. He was 49.

Agnivesh, who was on the board of Vedanta group firm Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), had sustained injuries in a skiing accident in the US and was recovering well in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.

“We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us,” his father said in a heart-wrenching post on X.

“Today is the darkest day of my life,” he said in the deeply personal tribute, describing the loss as a “shattered” reality that defies the natural order of life, and pledging to live an even simpler life.

“No words can describe the pain of a parent who must bid goodbye to his child. A son is not meant to leave before his father. This loss has shattered us in ways we are still trying to comprehend,” he said.

Anil Agarwal has two children: his late son, Agnivesh, and a daughter, Priya, who is on the board of Vedanta and chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Limited.

“Agnivesh was many things - a sportsman, a musician, a leader. He studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, went on to set up one of the finest companies Fujeirah Gold, became Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, and earned the respect of colleagues and friends alike. Yet, beyond all titles and achievements, he remained simple, warm, and deeply human,” he said.

Anil recalled that Agnivesh believed in building a self-reliant India, often telling him that there was no reason why India should lag behind when the country lacked nothing as a nation.

“We shared a dream to ensure that no child sleeps hungry, no child is denied education, every woman stands on her own feet, and every young Indian has meaningful work. I had promised Agni that more than 75% of what we earn would be given back to society.”

“Today, I renew that promise and resolve to live an even simpler life.”