Meet richest man in Lucknow, donates large amount of money to poor, no match for Mukesh Ambani, Adani; his business is…, net worth is Rs…

Indian-American businessman and philanthropist, Manoj Bhargava, the founder and CEO Innovations Ventures LLC, which is famous for its popular 5-hour Energy drink, is the richest man in Lucknow.

Published: March 14, 2025 6:06 PM IST

Manoj Bhargava (File)

India is home to some of the wealthiest business tycoons and industrialists on the planet, with names like Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Shiv Nadar, and Narayana Murthy, often coming up in conversations concerning the global rich list. But, have you ever wondered who the richest person is in Lucknow, the historic capital of Uttar Pradesh? Lets us find out.

Richest man in Lucknow

Indian-American businessman and philanthropist, Manoj Bhargava, the founder and CEO Innovations Ventures LLC (dba Living Essentials LLC), which is famous for its popular 5-hour Energy drink, is the richest man in Lucknow, as he was born in this iconic Indian city.

Who is Manoj Bhargava?

Born in Lucknow, UP in 1953, Manoj Bhargava’s family moved to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States in 1967, where his father pursued a doctorate at the Wharton School of Business. Manoj Bhargava was 14 when his family moved to the US.

Since his early school years, Manoj displayed exceptional academic abilities and problem-solving skills, and in the US, he earned admission into the The Hill School, an elite private school, after winning a math scholarship.

After graduating high school, Manoj Bhargava attended Princeton University for a year in 1972, but returned to India, spending the next 12 years traveling to and from Hanslok Ashram monasteries. While moving between US and India, Bhargava worked several office and construction jobs.

Finally, Manoj Bhargava returned to the US where joined his parents’ Indiana-based plastic injection manufacturing firm, Bhar Incorporated, and in 1990, bought a furniture company.

Manoj Bhargava career

However, Bhargava’s big break came in 2003, when he established Innovations Ventures LLC, and launched the now-famous 5-hour Energy drink. The company witnessed a rapid rise, and by 2012, had recorded over $1 billion in retail sales.

Apart from Innovations Ventures, Bhargava has founded a variety of new ventures over the years, including MicroDose Life Sciences, Stage 2 Innovations LLC, a private equity fund called ETC Capital LLC, Plymouth Real Estate Holdings LLC, and Oakland Energy and Water Ventures.

Manoj Bhargava also has a 65% controlling stake in Arena Group Holdings Inc, a media conglomerate that owns renowned publications such as Sports Illustrated, The Street, and Men’s Journal.

Manoj Bhargava net worth

While there is no credible information about Manoj Bhargava’s current wealth, in 2013, Forbes had pegged his net worth at $1.5 billion. According to a 2015 documentary, Billions in Change, Manoj Bhargava has a net worth of over $4 billion, however, the figure is unverified.

Manoj Bhargava philanthropy

Apart from his remarkable success in the business space, Lucknow-born Manoj Bhargava is also famous for his philanthropic ventures, and in 2015, Bhargava pledged 99 percent of his wealth to improve the well-being of the less fortunate.

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