- Sidhi is the richest caste in India according to most of the surveys.
- Communities with entrepreneurial spirit are the wealthiest.
- Jainism is the richest major religion in India.
The general Indian society is becoming progressive. The caste system is gradually being abolished. Still, the values of communities hold a lot of importance for some people. At the same time, some castes and communities are richer than others.
Communities like Jains, Parsis, Sikhs, and more are contributing a lot to the economic development of our country. But, have you ever wondered which are the richest castes in India in 2024?
Recently, Business Insider published a report about the distribution of wealth in India. This report indicates that 22% of total upper caste Hindus own 41% of total private assets in India.
Maharashtra, UP, and Kerala emerged as the wealthiest Indian states that contribute to almost 50% of the country’s wealth.
List of 10 Richest Castes in India 2024
The debates of knowing about the richest castes in India sparked a lot ever since the government started planning for a caste-based census in India.
1. Sindhi
After the 1947 Partition of India, more than a million non-Muslim Sindhis migrated to India. As per the census of 2011, there are around 2,772,364 people currently living in India. Despite having a relatively small population, this is a very significant and rich Indian community.
They have an amazing culture of entrepreneurship. A young child is always encouraged to live out his business dream. According to Forbes magazine, the richest Indians around the world include many Sindhi people such as the Hinduja group, Vaswani group, Hirandanis, Romi Wadhwani, and more.
Sidhi people in India also have a painful past. They migrated from Pakistan after losing most of their possessions and assets. Yet, their hard work and entrepreneurial spirit make them one of the richest communities in India.
| Most Notable Sindhi People in India | LK Advani, Rahejas, Ram Jethmalani, Ramesh Sippy, Ranveer Singh, Ritesh Sidhwani |
2. Jain
Recently, the Hindustan Times published a report stating that Jainism is the richest religion in India with 70% of their population in the top quintile. Their population is just about 0.4% in India yet they contribute a lot to the country’s economy.
Jains have a strong presence in industries like textiles, diamond trading, and finance. Some of the wealthiest people not only in India but also in the world like Gautam Adani, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Pallonji Mistry belong to the Jain community. Almost 60% of the diamond trade in the world is managed by Jains.
Another reason why Jains are so rich is that most of them are highly educated. According to the Pew Research Center, 34% of total Jain adults have at least a college degree. It is far more than the national average of India i.e. 9%.
| Notable Jain People in India | Gautam Adani, Ashwin Dani, Nirmal Jain, Motilal Oswal, Madhukar Parekh. |
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3. Sikh
Sikhism is the third-largest religion in India. Although mostly concentrated in the Punjab region there are rich sikhs living all over India. According to the NFHS wealth index, nearly 60% of sikh households fall in the highest wealth quintile.
There was a time when most of the Sikh population was heavily dependent on agricultural activities. Things have changed now. Many sikh industrialists and businessmen are making the community and country proud.
A large number of Sikhs are also working overseas sending money to their families back home in India. We all may agree to the fact that Sikhs are one of the most hard-working communities. It is nearly impossible to find even a single Sikh beggar in India.
| Notable Sikh Personalities in India | Dr. Manmohan Singh, Gyani Zail Singh, Sunny Deol, Jaspal Bhatti, Milkha Singh, Harbhajan Singh |
4. Baniya
Baniya has been one of the richest castes in Hinduism for generations. It is a trader community generally found in northern states of India like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.
They have a culture of business in their family. Young boys and girls are taught business lessons at a young age. This community is also praised for its money management skills. They also have a reputation for being money-minded even at the cost of having zero social life.
However, it is not applicable to all Baniyas. The greatest social activist of all time, Mahatma Gandhi, was also from this community.
| Notable Baniya People in India | Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sarabhai Family, Mukesh Ambani, Arvind Kejriwal, Ram Manohar Lohia. |
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5. Kayastha
Apart from Baniya, Kayastha is also considered an extremely rich Hindu caste. As per a survey by India Time, 57% of Kayastha falls under the richest class category in India.
If we go by the varna system of Hinduism, they fall between Brahmin and Kshatriya. A major section of Kayastha people has high-status occupations such as doctors, industrialists, government officials, and doctors.
| Notable Kayastha People in India | Lal Bahadur Shastri, Uddhav Thackrey, Jyoti Basu, Swami Vivekananda, Jayaprakash Narayan. |
6. Brahmin
If you take a look at the Indian social hierarchy system, Brahmins are traditionally considered the highest caste. For generations, they always have access to education and economic opportunities.
These are the reasons why Brahmin is a respected and rich community in India. Since the Vedic era, Brahmins also dominated the education system of India. The Maharaja, Mughals, and even the British Indian army used to keep Brahmins as advisors.
Roughly 60% of class 1 officers in the Indian government are Brahmins. The population of Brahmins in India is huge. So, maintaining such an average is a huge thing.
| Notable Brahmin People in India | Manoj Bajpayee, Uday Shankar, Deepika Padukone, Bhanu Athaiya, Rani Lakshmibai |
7. Marwaris
Originating from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, Marwaris are also known for their entrepreneurial culture. They have been significant contributors to the manufacturing industry in India.
There was a time in the late 1980s when they used to control 24% of Indian economic activities. However, after the 1991 Indian economic reform, this control shrank to only 2%. Still, Marwaris are considered wealthy and prosperous than many other communities in India.
| Notable Marwari People in India | Harsh Goenka, Jagmohan Dalmia, Ravi Jaipuria, Kiku Sharda, Abhishek Singhvi, Om Birla. |
8. Punjabi Khatri
Originating from Punjab, the Khatri community has been engaged in professions such as trade and banking for generations. During the British colonial era, many Khatri families served in administrative jobs in the colonial bureaucracy.
Khatris has also been associated with the Indian Armed Forces for a long time. Even today, many Punjabi Khatris are managing business & trading activities and are extremely rich.
| Notable Punjabi Khatri People in India | Inder Kumar Gujral, Gulzarilal Nanda, Vikram Batra, Madan Lal Dhingra, Mohan Singh Oberoi, Ayushmann Khurana, Parineeti Chopra. |
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9. Christian
If we talk about the four major religions of India i.e. Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity, Christianity is definitely the 2nd richest religion on the basis of per capita income. They have excelled in various fields such as education, healthcare, and business.
Christians have established prestigious educational institutions, hospitals, and charitable organisations all over the country. One of the reasons why Christians are so rich is that they emphasise education and professionalism.
| Notable Christian People in India | M.G. George Muthoot, Francisco D’Souza, Annamma Mathew, George Fernandes, John Abraham |
10. Rajput
Rajput is a traditional warrior community in India. They are famous for their rich cultural heritage and strong sense of pride. They have a long history of ruling kingdoms and inheriting a lot of wealth from their ancestors. Many Rajputs have invested their inherited wealth in various sectors such as Real Estate, Hospitality, and Agriculture.
| Notable Rajput People in India | Guru Jambheshwar, Rana Sanga, Maharana Pratap, Yogi Adityanath, Jaswant Singh. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, India has numerous successful individuals from diverse castes.
Not at all, family background has its own effect on a person’s personality. Still, a person’s education, individual talent, hard work, and opportunities are the main contributors to making a person rich or poor.
Yes, a man or woman from a lower caste can become wealthy with his efforts and skills.
No, unfortunately, the wealth distribution is not equal in India. However, the Indian government has implemented various initiatives such as reservation policies to address social and economic disparities among castes,
Yes, Inter-caste marriage can promote social integration and challenge the caste system altogether.
