Humble beginnings: Vedanta boss shared a room with 7 people for Rs 21 when he first came to Mumbai

Vedanta Resources Limited Executive Chairman and founder Anil Agarwal recently took a trip down the memory lane.

In a series of posts, the top boss remembered the time when he spent his first night in Mumbai at a shared lodge in Kalbadevi Cotton Exchange. The small-town boy from Bihar shared a room and a bathroom with seven other people at the accommodation for a rent of Rs 21 (which was a big sum at the time, according to him).

That was the night that changed Agarwal's life. He decided to work hard and dedicate his life to building a renowned company despite having any connections in the city. "I did not have any connections, but that never stopped me from going after my dreams," he added.


The billionaire also said that he was excited to find out that the food stalls stayed open all night, serving pav bhaji and his other favourite street food.


Alongside a picture of The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, the 68-year-old recalled the time when he was starstruck by the city of dreams - Mumbai.

"Mumbai meri jaan," he exclaimed in his post.

Agarwal said that the then 19-year-old had a fan-boy moment when he saw 'Qurbani' actor Firoz Khan coming out of The Taj.


Also read: ‘Big dreams, a tiffin box and bedding.’Anil Agarwal remembers his humble Bombay beginnings,asks start-up leaders to ‘shoot for the stars'

A few weeks ago, Agarwal got nostalgic about the time he left Bihar with a tiffin box, a bedding, and dreams in his eyes to try out his luck in Mumbai.

"Millions of people come to Mumbai to try their luck. I was one of them," he shared.


The mining boss said he experienced the Bollywood scenes of 'kaali-peeli' (yellow-black) taxis and a double-decker bus in real life on his arrival at the Victoria Terminus station in Mumbai.

The businessman further encouraged the youth to 'work hard' and 'shoot for the stars' to fulfil their dreams. "Agar aap majboot irade ke saath pehla kadam uthayenge, manzil milna tay hai. (Being determined will help you get to your destination)."

Currently, Agarwal ranks 63 in the Forbes India's Richest 2021 with a net worth of $4.1 billion.