"Darkest day of my life": Vendanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal mourns loss of son Agnivesh

New Delhi [India], January 8 (ANI): Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal on Wednesday announced the tragic demise of his son, Agnivesh Agarwal, who passed away at the age of 49 following a cardiac arrest in the United States.
Agarwal described the day as "the darkest" of his life, saying his son had been recovering well after a skiing accident before the sudden medical setback claimed his life.
In an emotional post on X, Agarwal said Agnivesh was undergoing treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and was believed to be out of danger.
"We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us. No words can describe the pain of a parent who must bid goodbye to his child. A son is not meant to leave before his father. This loss has shattered us in ways we are still trying to comprehend," he wrote.

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.… pic.twitter.com/hDQEDNI262

— Anil Agarwal (@AnilAgarwal_Ved) January 7, 2026

Recalling his son's journey, Agarwal said Agnivesh was born in Patna on June 3, 1976, and grew up to become a respected business leader and a compassionate individual. He studied at Mayo College in Ajmer and later went on to establish Fujairah Gold, before serving as Chairman of Hindustan Zinc, one of Vedanta Group's key companies.
"Agnivesh was many things -- a sportsman, a musician, a leader...Yet, beyond all titles and achievements, he remained simple, warm, and deeply human," Agarwal said, adding that he was not only his son but but his "friend", "pride" and "world".
Expressing grief alongside his wife Kiran, Agarwal said the family was shattered by the loss. He added that in their sorrow, they found solace in the belief that the thousands of young people working across Vedanta were also like their children.
The industrialist also reiterated his son's belief in building a self-reliant India, quoting Agnivesh as saying that the country lacked nothing and should never lag behind.
"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," he further wrote.
"I renew that promise today and resolve to live an even simpler life," he said, adding that his son's legacy would live on through the lives he touched.
Agarwal thanked friends, colleagues and well-wishers for their support, concluding that while he does not know how to walk the path ahead without his son, he would try to carry forward Agnivesh's light and vision.
Anil Agarwal is the founder and Chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited, a natural resources company, and also heads the Anil Agarwal Foundation, which undertakes the group's philanthropic initiatives. (ANI)