'Darkest day of my life': Mining mogul Anil Agarwal's son Agnivesh passes away at 49

Agnivesh Agarwal, son of Vedanta Group chairman and mining magnate Anil Agarwal, passed away at the age of 49 following a sudden cardiac arrest in New York, the industrialist said in a statement on Wednesday.

Agnivesh had suffered injuries in a skiing accident in the United States and was undergoing treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. According to his family, he had been recovering well and the outlook appeared positive before his condition deteriorated unexpectedly.

"Today is the darkest day of my life. My beloved son, Agnivesh, left us far too soon. He was just 49 years old, healthy, full of life, and dreams. Following a skiing accident in the US, he 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," Agarwal wrote in a post on X.


Born in Patna on June 3, 1976, Agnivesh was educated at Mayo College in Ajmer and went on to build a distinguished professional career.

He was instrumental in establishing Fujeirah Gold and later served as Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, earning wide respect across the business community, his father noted in his post.

In his tribute, Agarwal described his son as a sportsman, musician, leader, and remembered his warmth, humility and compassion. “Beyond all his achievements, he remained simple, deeply human and kind. To me, he was not just my son. He was my friend. My pride. My world,” the business tycoon said.

The Vedanta chairman said the family is devastated by the loss. “Kiran and I are broken,” he wrote.

Moreover, the Vedanta chairman said the family is devastated by the loss. “Kiran and I are broken,” he wrote, referring to his wife, adding that Agnivesh was not just his son but also his closest friend and greatest pride.

Agarwal also recalled his son’s strong belief in India’s future and their shared commitment to social development. He renewed a personal pledge to dedicate more than 75% of his earnings to social causes, saying he would live an even simpler life in Agnivesh’s memory.

"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," the industry leader wrote.

“Beta, you will live on in our hearts, in our work and in every life you touched,” Agarwal wrote. “I do not know how to walk this path without you, but I will try carrying your light forward.”