This man was world’s richest businessman ever, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Adani, also helped this Mughal ruler, East India Company
India has produced several business tycoons who, through their hard work and dedication, have earned a spot on the Forbes Billionaires list or Hurun’s Asia’s Richest list. This story features the success story of Virji Vora, a Gujarati business tycoon, who financed East India company and helped this Mughal ruler. He is even renowned as the richest businessman ever by the British East India Company.
This man was world’s richest businessman ever, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Adani, also helped this Mughal ruler, East India Company
While details about his family background remain scarce, it is reported by scholars that he hailed from the Srimali Oswal Porwal caste. His significant contributions to religious causes earned him the title of Samghapati or Sanghavi, which is awarded to lay leaders who play vital roles, such as constructing temples or organizing large pilgrimages. Active from 1619 to the 1670s, he was instrumental in facilitating trade during this era. Read the story of the man, who was the world’s richest businessman ever, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Adani, and Tata…
Born in 1590, Virji Vora was involved in wholesale trading as well as banking and money lending. He established a monopoly on certain imports into Surat and dealt with a diverse range of goods, including opium, bullion, coral, ivory, and lead. Vora served as a major credit provider and client for both the Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company.
Often referred to as the “merchant prince,” he rightfully earned this title by amassing personal wealth of around $8 million during his time—a staggering sum for that era.
Virji Vora, an important personality of the Mughal era, was a key financier for the East India Company from 1617 to 1670. At one point, he is reported to have lent a substantial amount of Rs 2,00,000 to the Company. Vora played a crucial role in the trade and financial networks of his time..
Virji Vora was recognized as a ‘sole monopolist,’ reportedly acquiring entire stock sets and selling them for substantial profits. His business empire had outposts across India, as well as in Southeast Asia, the Red Sea, and Persian Gulf port cities. In major Indian commercial hubs, Virji maintained a network of agents.
While he was a competitor to the British, he also fostered a cordial relationship with the East India Company by sending gifts and letters, making him their largest creditor and customer in Surat. Historians have noted that when Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb faced financial difficulties during his campaign to conquer the Deccan region, he dispatched an agent to seek funding from Virji Vora. Notably, Virji Vora had initially sent four Arab horses as a gift to Shah Jahan.
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