Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man and chairman of Reliance Industries, has once again drawn zero salary from his conglomerate for the fifth consecutive year, yet he continues to earn thousands of crores—without lifting a single rupee in salary or perks.

According to the company’s FY25 annual report, Ambani, 68, has voluntarily chosen to forgo his entire salary, allowances, perquisites, and retiral benefits as Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). This practice began in FY21, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has continued as part of his long-standing stance on financial prudence and leadership by example.

While Ambani’s official salary remains nil, his true wealth continues to multiply. His dividend earnings tell a completely different story. Personally holding 1.61 crore shares in RIL, Ambani earned approximately ₹8.85 crore in dividends this year, based on the company’s declared ₹5.50 per share payout. But the real windfall comes through promoter group entities he controls, which collectively own over 664.5 crore shares—amounting to ₹3,655 crore in dividend income in FY25 alone. That means while he claims no compensation, he’s quietly pocketing thousands of crores through shareholding.

Ambani’s commitment to salary moderation isn't new. From 2008-09 to 2019-20, he voluntarily capped his salary at ₹15 crore annually, refusing any raise. Since 2020-21, in response to the pandemic’s societal and economic toll, he waived even that amount. Over the past five years, he has not taken a single rupee in salary or benefits, choosing instead to align himself with the company’s long-term recovery and shareholder interests.

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In contrast, other top Reliance executives have seen notable earnings. Cousins Nikhil and Hital Meswani received slightly reduced remuneration of ₹25 crore each in FY25, down from around ₹25.3 crore last year. Executive Director PMS Prasad’s compensation increased to nearly ₹20 crore, including performance-linked incentives. Ambani’s children—Akash, Isha, and Anant—appointed to the board in October 2023, received sitting fees and commission totaling ₹8.27 lakh each. Anant, now an Executive Director, is expected to draw ₹10–20 crore annually from the current fiscal onward.

Independent directors, including high-profile names like Arundhati Bhattacharya and K.V. Kamath, continued to receive a fixed ₹2.25 crore commission, along with standard sitting fees. Meanwhile, Ambani’s decision to draw no salary—despite being reappointed as Reliance head until 2029—continues to reinforce his image as a leader focused more on value creation than personal compensation.

Even without a paycheck, Mukesh Ambani’s earnings strategy is a masterclass in wealth by ownership, not salary. While ordinary CEOs negotiate hikes, Ambani proves that real power lies in dividends—not direct deposits.

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