India home to most billionaries in Asia

India did it again.
India became home to the most billionaires in Asia, pushing Japan
back to the No. 2 spot, according to Forbes magazine's 2007 rankings of
the world's richest people.
Lakshmi N. Mittal, the
London-based steel magnate who spearheaded the takeover of European
steel maker Arcelor SA, was the richest Asian -- and the world's
fifth-wealthiest -- with a net worth estimated at $32 billion, the
magazine said.
India added 14 new billionaires since last
year to bring its total on the list to 36 with a combined wealth of
$191 billion, Forbes said, contrasting sharply with the 400 million
Indians who still live on less than a dollar a day.
Japan's
24 billionaires had an estimated combined net worth $64 billion,
according to the list, while Hong Kong came in the third spot with 21
billionaires, and China was fourth with 20.

Only five Americans were in the top 20 that included three Indians.
Ranked third and fourth richest in Asia were two Indian brothers,
Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani, who split their father's business after
months of feuding in 2005.
Mukesh Ambani, whose Reliance
Industries is largely focused on petroleum and petrochemicals, was No.
14 with wealth totaling $20.1 billion. His brother Anil, whose
diversified business interests include telecommunications, power
generation and finance, ranked 18 with an estimated net worth of $18.2
billion.