Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is a well-known investor in India and is called by many names like the “King of the Bull Market'' and the “Warren Buffett of India”. At the age of 61, he has a net worth of about $5.7 billion, as of December 2021.

Belonging to a humble background, his father worked as an Income Tax Officer and often discussed stock prices with fellow colleagues and friends. This intrigued young Rakesh, who inquisitively asked his father about the fluctuations in the market and expressed his interest in stocks.

He later spoke to his father about his aspiration and decision on making this his future profession. For this, he was conditioned to earn a degree first, and then pursue whatever he desired. He was further told that he would be debarred from major financial assistance from his family. This eventually led him to complete his graduation at Sydenham College, followed by studying Chartered Accountancy at The Institute of Chartered Accountancy (ICAI).

Some sources state that Jhunjhunwala entered the stock market with a mere sum of ₹5000, during which the SENSEX was at 150 points. He tends to favour stocks in the finance, tech, retail and pharma sectors. The story of this intellectual and self–made philanthropist is truly inspiring.

Here’s a look at some of the activities and companies Rakesh Jhunjhunwala plays an important part in:

• Rare Enterprises: Jhunjhunwala owns Rare Enterprises, a company that supplies electrical goods, hardware, earthing material and fire protection systems. His privately owned stock trading firm derives its name from the first two letters of his first name and wife Rekha's name.

• Film Producer: Along with his massive investments in the stock market, he is also a film producer. Many Bollywood films such as Ki & Ka (2016), English Vinglish (2012) and Shamitabh (2015) have been produced by the King of the Bull Market.

• Aptech: Aptech Limited is a global education and training company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company has 863 centres in India and 1300 centres across 43 countries in continents like Africa, Asia and South America. Aptech is the only company in Jhunjhunwala’s portfolio in which he has management control. Jhunjhunwala first picked up a 10% stake in Aptech in 2005 at ₹56 per share and has gradually raised his holding.

Apart from Rare Enterprises, Rakesh also has a stake in various other companies. His top holdings include Titan, Lupin and Crisil. He also owns stocks of companies such as Federal Bank and Edelweiss Financial Services. 

Below is some few advice the King of the Bull Market has for the people interested in investing:

• Look for five qualities in a company before investing — patience, technology, frugality, people and governance.

• There is potential in Public Sector Undertaking stocks.

• Investors and entrepreneurs should look after and give first priority to their health. Jhunjhunwala famously went on record to say that one of his most regretted bad investments happens to be not taking care of his health.

• The stock market is like the weather: you may not like it but you will have to bear it.

Investing in stocks is a risky ball game, but people often get flustered by the very thought of it. It is common for us to see individuals believing in the myth that securities are traded by “the rich” or “experts of the field”. However, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is a classic example of how a humble background could lead you to a flamboyant and profitable future.