Remembering Rakesh Jhunjhunwala: The veteran investor's role models

Jhunjhunwala, the son of an income tax officer, had a keen interest in stocks since his days in college

Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala has passed away aged 62. As the country mourns him, we look back on an interview of his from February, where he spoke about those he looked up to.

At an event of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala had said his first role model was his father.

“My father gave me my morals, my thoughts, my guts, encouragement, curiosity,” he had said.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala had said his second role model was house of Tatas, the salt-to-airline conglomerate.

For tenacity and courage, he said he looked up to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. “I think for tenacity and sheer guts, Churchill. For the tenacity with which he saved the world in World War II, and for trading I would say George Soros (American billionaire investor),” he had said.

Another role model of his, Jhunjhunwala said, was veteran investor and founder of DMart, RK Damani.

Jhunjhunwala, the son of an income tax officer, had a keen interest in stocks since his days in college.

He began investing with a capital of Rs 5,000 in 1985 when Sensex was around 150 points. Today, his net worth stands at over $5 billion.

The "Big Bull", as he is popularly called, had holdings in over 30 companies across sectors- from construction to banks to real estate.

"His most valuable listed holding is watch and jewellery maker Titan, part of the Tata conglomerate," Forbes magazine has said in its profile about the investor.  "Jhunjhunwala's early bets on Star Health and Allied Insurance and Metro Brands paid off when both companies listed in 2021."