'Darkest day of my life': Vedanta chairman’s son dies at 49 after cardiac arrest in New York

Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal’s son, Agnivesh Agarwal, died on Wednesday in New York following a sudden cardiac arrest. He was 49. Agnivesh had been undergoing treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital after a skiing accident in the United States and was said to be recovering when the fatal episode occurred.

In an emotional post on X, Anil Agarwal described the loss as “the darkest day” of his life. He said the family believed the worst was over as Agnivesh’s condition had been improving, but fate intervened unexpectedly. “A son is not meant to leave before his father,” Agarwal wrote, expressing the depth of his grief.

Remembering his son’s life, Agarwal traced Agnivesh’s journey from his birth in Patna on June 3, 1976, to his rise as a business leader. He described him as a man of compassion and purpose who remained simple and deeply human despite professional success.

Agnivesh studied at Mayo College, Ajmer, before going on to establish Fujeirah Gold. He later became chairman of Hindustan Zinc and was also chairperson of Vedanta subsidiary Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd. Agarwal said that beyond his achievements, Agnivesh was a sportsman, musician, and a gentle presence admired by colleagues and friends.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, calling Agnivesh’s death deeply shocking and saddening, and prayed for strength for the bereaved family. Agarwal also renewed a shared pledge with his son to give back more than 75% of earnings to society, saying he would strive to carry forward Agnivesh’s ideals and vision for a self-reliant India.