Anil Agarwal built Vedanta Resources from a 8x9 ft rented office in Mumbai with a shared telephone

This year has been all about nostalgia for Anil Agarwal.

On Monday, the Executive Chairman of Vedanta Resources revealed how he built India's largest non-ferrous metals and mining company. Based in London, it is also one of the leading oil and gas and metals companies in the world.

The 68-year-old said that it took him some time to make connections in Mumbai after relocating from Bihar.

Describing his Vedanta journey, Agarwal shared, in a series of posts on Twitter, that he rented an office in Kalbadevi's metal market - Bhoiwada.


In his 8x9 feet office space, the billionaire would "work day-in, day-out" using a shared telephone. He spent his days collecting metal scraps from cable companies, and his hometown in Bihar. And he would sell the scraps to people or companies who would need them.

After a long day of work, he would board the Mumbai local in the evening to return home. On some days, he would take a detour to the Juhu Beach or Chowpatty to watch the waves crash against the rocks.

That was the time Agarwal fell in love with ‘the city that never sleeps’ and its bright lights.


Despite having any connections when he first came to the city, Agarwal's ambition and hard work made him a renowned name in the steel and iron ore industry.

The initial post was retweeted over 750 times and liked by over 6,000 people.

Last month, the businessman shared, alongside vintage pictures from his photo album, memories about the time when he first came to Mumbai from his hometown in Bihar.

Agarwal said that he reached the Victoria Terminus station (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) in Mumbai with a tiffin box, bedding, and dreams in his eyes. He was awestruck by the charm of the city, the 'kaali peeli' (black-yellow) taxis, and double-decker buses - things he had only seen in movies.


In another post, the metal and mining magnate shared that he spent his first night in a small shared lodge in Kalbadevi Cotton Exchange. For Rs 21, he shared a room and a bathroom with seven other people.


Last year, Agarwal made it to the Forbes India's Richest and Forbes Billionaires lists at 63rd and 831st positions, respectively, with a net worth of $4.3 billion.