posted March 09, 2007 11:03 AM         

With 36 billionaires, India has overtaken Japan's 24 billionaires, after two decades of Japan topping the Asian rich list.

Steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal leads the Indian billionaire club, with a net worth of $32bn.

Globally, there are a record 946 billionaires, up from 793 last year.

"It was a sizzling year in Asia. Both India and China saw huge gains, " Forbes associate editor Luisa Kroll was reported as saying by the AFP news agency.

China and Hong Kong together have a total of 41 billionaires, according to the list.

Lakshmi Mittal, 56, is the fifth richest person in the world, according to the magazine.

The other Indians in the list include Mukesh and Anil Ambani of Reliance, Wipro chief Azim Premji, Bharti Group chairman Sunil Mittal and Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla.

India has recorded impressive economic growth in the past few years, though critics say the poor have been largely left out of the process.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates holds the top spot for the 13th year in a row in the world list of billionaires with a net worth of $56bn.

posted March 10, 2007 10:34 AM         

The media portrayal is not the right things all the time, so beware, they have vested interests. It is all about channelising money for their selfish motives.

At the same time, I am not saying there is no poverty in India, but it is nothing as big a monster, perhaps it is the same as the US or UK for that matter.

And being a millionaire is not by looting people, they have a company to rum, they have sweat it out, and the point is not to feed all the people with your money, blame it on political-religious nexus.

'nuf said

posted March 10, 2007 10:53 AM         

Have you ever been to India?

posted March 12, 2007 01:02 PM         

killerweed, if u dont like the face of poverty on earth go ahead and ask u western counterparts to donate some to eradicate it.

these fine individuals have 'earned' their cash not stollen it to just blindly donate it.

india is plagued by corrupt politicians who would eat up any donations. and these people, who have come up from cut throat competition know this and are so creating oppurtinities for the youth rather than donate money.

we are not beggers. we are a victim of theft.

yes, our riches lie in the coffers of once imperialistic europe who sucked the life out of us (and the rest of asia). parasites as they were.

the now poorest state bihar of the now poor country india was once the richest state in the world belonging to the once richest country in the world.

if europe is the tree of prosperity, asia is its root. both cultural and economical.

posted March 12, 2007 01:05 PM         

quote:

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yes, our riches lie in the coffers of once imperialistic europe who sucked the life out of us (and the rest of asia). parasites as they were.

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Join the club....

posted March 12, 2007 01:15 PM         

i understand tht u feel strongly about the subject. but venting it here (or anywhere else) won't achieve a thing, except polarize people against you as being anti-europe and pro-India. This is a global forum. not a battleground for people from different nationalities. please try to maintain the spirit of neutrality. we dont represent our respective countries here. we r here to find a common ground, to share, discuss, help, build bridges, and not the other way round.

i understand tht u r patriotic about your country (and hey its my country too!), but dont u think these feelings wud be better channelized in other ways?? like working hard at your job and earning lots of money, like all these people u talked about? every little bit counts. thinking about the past is utterly futile and will only breed bitterness.

posted March 12, 2007 01:22 PM         

btw r u a sag by any chance???

I am from UP.

posted March 12, 2007 01:24 PM         

me from mumbai

posted March 12, 2007 02:30 PM         

I was born in India yes, but I am a global citizen. I have friends all over the world, different communities, beliefs, etc etc, but they are my friends, and that is the point.

now back to the subject, yes India is the poorest country in the world, billions, not millions,, sleep on the street. we don;t have proper food nor shelter, now - what have you done about it? How much have you provided to your so called home land? Do you provide anything proactive to the community and family?

Anyways, I know you cannot answer this, so leave it at that, I am not expecting any answer either.

posted March 12, 2007 03:44 PM         

quote:

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now go and smoke some weed and kill your self u depressing spirit.

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posted March 12, 2007 05:29 PM         

And please don't assume that just because we Westerners have the balls to speak up about this that we are being hypocrites. First off, many Americans do care about our own poor, just regrettably it is often those Americans who aren't power. Many Americans do get involved with organizations that help out the poor and give money. Most of this happen on a local scale so it's not surprising that someone in another hemisphere wouldn't be that aware of that. Besides, you should at least marginally appreciate that Westerners are this aware of the conditions in India. We could just as easily not pay attention altogether, given all the problems we have here at home to deal with as well.