Meet 82-Year-Old Man Who Lives In A Simple Home, Doesn't Own Mobile Phone Yet Leads Rs 1,50,000 Crore Business Empire—He Is...
Meet 82-year-old Ramamurthy Thyagarajan, the man behind the Rs 1.5 lakh crore Shriram Group. Despite his massive business success, he lives simply with no mobile phone, modest home, and a ₹6 lakh car. He's also known for donating Rs 6,210 crore to charity, proving true wealth lies in values, not lifestyle. https://zeenews.india.com/photos/business/meet-82-year-old-man-who-lives-in-a-simple-home-doesn-t-own-mobile-phone-yet-leads-rs-150000-crore-business-empire-he-is-2934479 Updated:Jul 20, 2025, 06:59 PM IST The Billionaire With No Mobile Phone
1 / 7
Ramamurthy Thyagarajan, the 87-year-old founder of Shriram Group, is no ordinary billionaire. Despite heading a massive Rs 1.5 lakh crore financial empire, as per the website of his company, Shriram Group he lives a life marked by simplicity. He doesn't own a mobile phone, lives in a modest house, and drives a humble Rs 6 lakh car. His story stands out in a world where success is often equated with luxury. A Humble Beginning in Tamil Nadu
2 / 7
Born into a peasant family in Tamil Nadu, Thyagarajan grew up with limited resources but a strong sense of discipline and purpose. He pursued mathematics in Chennai and later specialized in statistics at the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata. His strong academic background would eventually shape his future as a visionary entrepreneur. The Birth of Shriram Group
3 / 7
In 1974, at the age of 37, Thyagarajan co-founded Shriram Chits along with AVS Raja and T Jayaraman. Their aim was clear—to provide financial services to those often neglected by mainstream banks. This included truck drivers, small traders, and lower-income borrowers. What started as a modest initiative slowly transformed into one of India's largest financial services groups. An Empire That Serves Millions
4 / 7
Today, Shriram Group operates across thousands of locations and serves more than 11 million clients. With over 70,000 employees and 1.4 lakh agents, the group has grown into a major financial force with an asset under management (AUM) of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Thyagarajan's people-first vision continues to drive the group's success. He Donated Rs 6,210 Crore
5 / 7
In a landmark move, Thyagarajan sold his stake in the company—worth Rs 6,210 crore—and donated the entire amount to a public trust. Instead of using his wealth for personal comfort or luxury, he decided to dedicate it to the greater good. This act of generosity remains one of the biggest philanthropic gestures in Indian business history. A Life Guided by Values, Not Wealth
6 / 7
Even with enormous success, Thyagarajan remains grounded. He has never been tempted by the trappings of wealth. He lives simply, avoids publicity, and stays true to the principles of integrity, humility, and service. His lifestyle is a refreshing contrast to the typical image of a billionaire. The Legacy of Ramamurthy Thyagarajan
7 / 7
Ramamurthy Thyagarajan's life is a lesson in purpose-driven success. He built a financial empire from scratch, empowered millions, and gave back more than most ever earn. In a time when status is often measured in luxury, his quiet, impactful journey reminds us that true success lies in how much we uplift others.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Meghalaya CM Sangma inaugurates NE's biggest bottling plant in Mendipathar
Meghalaya marked a milestone with the opening of a PepsiCo bottling plant. Conrad K Sangma inaugurated the Rs 340-crore facility in Mendipathar. The project promises economic growth and employment opportunities. It fulfills a long-held vision for industrial development in the Garo Hills. Another beverage plant is also nearing completion in the Tikrikilla-Bajengdoba region. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday inaugurated a Rs 340-crore PepsiCo bottling plant at Medipathar town in North Garo Hills District , officials said. Mendipathar is the only town in the state having a railway the project a "blessing" for the state, Sangma said, "This is a symbol of the economic growth that Meghalaya is on track to achieve. Nobody would have ever imagined that the largest bottling plant in the NE would be right here in Mendipathar."He said the project would raise aspirations among the youth and stimulate ancillary industries."We can anticipate that different avenues will come up in the region," he across 37 acres in the Mendipathar Industrial Area, the bottling unit is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for hundreds of people in the the long-delayed promise of industrial development in Garo Hills, the CM said the Mendipathar industrial area was conceptualised in the 1990s, but saw no investment for over 30 years."There was hope and expectation, which never got fulfilled," he said, paying tribute to the vision of his late father and former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma."Today is a day of hope and fulfilment of that vision he had for Mendipathar and Meghalaya in general," Sangma said, while thanking local Nokmas and residents for donating land for the industrial area decades said the plant would also lead to economic growth in Mendipathar through increased demand for housing, retail and other further announced that another beverage plant is being set up in the Tikrikilla-Bajengdoba region, with 90% of construction work already Speaker Timothy D Shira, Power Minister A T Mondal, PHE Minister Marcuise Marak, MIDC Chairman James K Sangma and other MLAs were present at the inaugural CM also thanked Varun Beverages Chairman Ravikant Jaipuria and Varun Jaipuria for their commitment."Ravikant ji is a visionary. Though the target was nine months, the project was completed in 11 months," he said, lauding the company's time-bound execution.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM Kisan 20th instalment date confirmed: PM Modi will send it your bank account on August 2, 2025
Good news for PM Kisan beneficiaries! The 20th installment of the PM-Kisan scheme, amounting to Rs 20,500 crore, will be released on August 2, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will disburse the funds to 9.7 crore farmers during his visit to Varanasi. Eligible farmers must complete their eKYC to receive the benefit. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads PM Kisan Yojana Scheme: When 20th instalment of Rs 2000 will be credited? What is PM Kisan? Only these farmers are eligible to get PM Kisan 20th instalment Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Eligibility for PM-Kisan scheme Modes of eKYC for PM Kisan How farmers can check their PM Kisan beneficiary status There is a good news for PM Kisan beneficiaries. The next installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme will be released next month i.e., in August 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will disburse funds during his visit in Varanasi. According to PIB release, PM Modi will visit his constituency Varanasi where he will disburse the next instalment of PM Kisan Samman the launch of the scheme in 2019, Rs 3.69 lakh crore has been transferred to farmers' accounts through 19 installments. In the 20th installment, Rs 20,500 crore will be transferred to 9.7 crore Minister Narendra Modi will release the 20th instalment of PM-Kisan Samman Niddhi for eligible beneficiaries on August 2, 2025 during his visit to Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme offers financial support of Rs.6,000 per year to eligible farmers in three equal installments of Rs.2,000. Each instalment is credited directly to the beneficiary account once in every four farmers should note that completing eKYC is compulsory to receive the 20th instalment. Without completing the eKYC they will not receive the next can do it online by visiting and selecting the 'e-KYC' option. They must enter their Aadhaar number, validate it through an OTP, and submit the receive the instalment under the PM-Kisan scheme, a farmer must meet certain eligibility criteria. The applicant must be an Indian citizen and own cultivable land with valid land records. Additionally, the farmer must link their Aadhaar number to their bank account and complete eKYC verification to ensure timely disbursal of the benefit. Farmers who are income tax payers, pensioners, or employed in government/public sector jobs are not eligible for the are following three modes of eKYC available to the farmers of the PM Kisan scheme (i) OTP-based e-KYC (available on PM-Kisan Portal and Mobile App).(ii) Biometric based e-KYC (available at Common Service Centres (CSCs) and State Seva Kendra (SSKs))(iii) Face authentication-based e-KYC (available on PM Kisan Mobile app which is used by millions of farmers).Step 1: Visit the official PM Kisan 2: Access the Beneficiary Status 3: Click on "Beneficiary Status"Step 4: Enter your Aadhaar Number or Account 5: Click on "Get Data"Step 6: View Beneficiary 7: Check for Payment beneficiary status will be shown on the screen when the system processes
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
ABB India digitalises THINK Gas's extensive city gas distribution network in 10 states
ABB India on Wednesday announced the implementation of its advanced automation system for THINK Gas that aims to enhance the efficiency and operational control of THINK Gas's vast network, which spans 10 Indian states, report PTI. The extensive network covers 19 geographical areas across a wide range of states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh , and Tamil Nadu . Beyond fuel stations, it also serves numerous industrial and commercial establishments. THINK Gas has centralised its operations and gained real-time visibility across its entire city gas distribution (CGD) network from its control room located in Chennai. This comprehensive system is now monitoring and controlling the gas distribution network that supplies compressed natural gas (CNG) to over 500 fuel stations nationwide. "At THINK Gas, we always aim to be at the forefront in adopting global best practices in safety processes, leveraging cutting-edge technology and building robust infrastructure to deliver natural gas to our customers while catering to their diverse energy needs. By digitalising and centralising our natural gas distribution networks, we have significantly boosted operational efficiency, optimised manpower requirements and leveraged real-time data to make better decisions," THINK Gas Chiradeep Datta, Chief Operating Officer, said.
