Warren Buffett
Net Worth: $62 billion
America's most beloved investor Warren Buffett is now the world's richest man. The 77-year-old stock investor has overtaken software czar Bill Gates as well as Mexican Tycoon Carlos Slim Helu.
Carlos Slim Helu & family
Net Worth: $60 billion
The second-richest man in the world this year, even richer than Microsoft's Bill Gates, at least for now, is Carlos Slim Helu.
Thanks to strong Mexican equities market and the performance of his wireless telephone company, America Movil.
Bill Gates
Net Worth: $58 billion
Harvard dropout and Microsoft visionary Bill Gates is no longer the world's richest man.
Lakshmi Niwas Mittal
Net Worth: $45 billion
Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, owner of the world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal, which accounts for 10% of all crude steel production, stands at a the fifth position.
The Indian origin steel czar is also the Europe's richest resident.
Mukesh Ambani
Asia's richest resident heads petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company by market cap.
His fortune is up $22.9 billion since last year, making him the world's second biggest gainer in terms of dollars.
The Ambani brothers inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani.
Anil Ambani
Net Worth: $42 billion
The year's biggest gainer, Anil Ambani, is up $23.8 billion in the past year, and is closing gap with estranged brother, Mukesh, who ranks one spot ahead of him in the world at number five.
A marathon runner, his biggest asset is his 65% stake in telecom venture Reliance Communications. He recently raised $3 billion from the highly anticipated initial offering of his Reliance Power, the biggest in India's history.
Despite the hype, the stock tumbled 17% immediately after its February listing. In a bid to appease investors, company's board recently approved the issue of bonus shares.
Ingvar Kamprad & family
Net Worth: $31 billion
Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947.
Now his company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost conscious, is one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cultlike following.
K P Singh
K P Singh is now the world's richest real estate baron after listing his real estate development company DLF in 2007. The offering helped triple his fortune to $30 billion this year, up from $10 billion.
