Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal has expressed deep grief over the sudden death of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, who passed away at the age of 49 following a cardiac arrest in New York.

Agnivesh died while recovering at Mount Sinai Hospital after sustaining injuries in a skiing accident in the United States. According to Agarwal, his son had been responding well to treatment and the family believed the worst was over.

“The darkest day of my life,” says Agarwal

Calling it “the darkest day” of his life, Agarwal said his son was healthy, full of energy, and had many dreams. “We believed he was recovering well. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us,” he said in an emotional message.

Agarwal also reflected on Agnivesh’s journey, from being born in Patna on June 3, 1976, to emerging as a respected business leader. He described him as a man of compassion, purpose, and humility, who remained grounded despite his achievements.

Remembering a simple and humane leader

Agnivesh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, and went on to establish Fujairah Gold. He later served as Chairman of Hindustan Zinc and was the chairperson of Vedanta subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd.

Despite his corporate stature, Agarwal said his son remained “simple, warm, and deeply human”. “To me, he was not just my son. He was my friend, my pride, my world,” he wrote.

Renewed promise to give back to society

Reaffirming a shared vision with his son, Agarwal said Agnivesh strongly believed in building a self-reliant India. “He would often ask why our nation should ever be behind when we lack nothing,” Agarwal recalled.

In his memory, Agarwal renewed his pledge to give back more than 75 per cent of his earnings to society and committed himself to living an even simpler life. “I will try to carry his light forward,” he said in a poignant message.

Family and legacy

Anil Agarwal has two children — his late son Agnivesh and daughter Priya Agarwal Hebbar, who serves on the board of Vedanta Ltd and is Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd.

Agnivesh Agarwal’s untimely passing has drawn condolences from business leaders and industry peers across India, marking a profound personal loss for one of the country’s most prominent industrial families.