The corporate world often favors individuals or personalities who drive success and help organizations reach new heights. CEOs of large companies are considered smart in India, for not only the administrations they offer but also for the remunerations they earn.
Such salaries show them to be helms of introducing changes, managing crisis and leading to change in their respective fields.
Here are the top 15 Highest-Paid CEOs in India in 2025
| S. No. | CEO Name | Company | Salary (₹) |
| 1 | Ravi Kumar S | Cognizant | 186 crore |
| 2 | Vinay Prakash | Adani Enterprises | 89.37 crore |
| 3 | Nithin Kamath | Zerodha | 72 crore |
| 4 | Salil Parekh | Infosys | 66.225 crore |
| 5 | S.N. Subrahmanyan | Larsen & Toubro | 61.27 crore |
| 6 | Sandeep Kalra | Persistent Systems | 61.7 crore |
| 7 | Nitin Rakesh | Mphasis | 59.2 crore |
| 8 | Rajiv Bajaj | Bajaj Auto | 53.75 crore |
| 9 | Satish Pai | Hindalco Industries | 37.1 crore |
| 10 | Sudhir Singh | Coforge Ltd. | 34 crore |
| 11 | CP Gurnani | Tech Mahindra | 30 crore |
| 12 | K. Krithivasan | Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) | 25.36 crore |
| 13 | T. V. Narendran | Tata Steel | 17.45 crore |
| 14 | Niranjan Gupta | Hero MotoCorp | 10.84 crore |
| 15 | Debashis Chatterjee | LTIMindtree | 9.33 crore |
1. Ravi Kumar S : CEO Of Cognizant
Source: Google Images
Salary: ₹186 crore
The present CEO of Cognizant is Ravi Kumar Singisetti, one of the most acclaimed businessmen in the Indian IT segment. The total emoluments that Ravi Kumar Singisetti, was paid for the financial year 2023 are ₹186 crores. After joining Cognizant, he has proved apt in steering the company to success in the IT sector.
In the same regard, it has been possible for the company to undertake digital transformation endeavors and innovation and achieve some phenomenal five-year growth. It also shows that the remuneration also confirms a valuable contribution he has made to the organization and its stakeholders.
Impact: Through successful leadership and management, the company has developed and enhanced its competence in artificial intelligence, cloud services and security to make cognizant an ideal partner for many firms in the world.
2. Vinay Prakash
Source: Google Images
Salary: 89.37 cr
Facilitating him is Dr. Vinay Prakash, who serves as the Director of Adani Enterprises Limited and the CEO of Natural Resources. Dr. Prakash has played a major role in setting the goal for the Adani Group to decentralize sustainable initiatives in their business by creating awareness among the management that sustainable business should also be integrated into Adani business operations.
His vision for the future involves leveraging technology and innovation to create more efficient and sustainable resource management systems, positioning Adani as a leader in the global natural resources sector.
3. Nithin Kamath: Zerodha CEO
Source: Google Images
Salary: ₹72 crore
The founder and CEO of Zerodha or Rainmatter, Nithin Kamath, was paid ₹72 crore for the fiscal year 2023. The latest innovative products have placed Nithin at the forefront of the financial services market, forcing a myriad of users to change their approach to investment and portfolio management in India.
Leadership Highlights: So many people invested in stocks because Kamath made the trading easy with no commission.
Impact: Investing for the masses in India has got a new door of opportunity with Zerodha and heading a new generation of fintech start-ups is Nithin.
4. Salil Parekh
Source: Google Images
Salary: ₹ 66.225 cr
Salil Parekh is the current CEO and managing director of Infosys. He has been the CEO of Infosys since January 2018 and had a hand in the planning of Infosys’ strategic direction of emphasizing digital as well as cloud business and the exact implementation of these plans.
Mr. Parekh assists several client leaders directly to implement or develop and execute their digital transformation strategies.
5. S. N. Subrahmanyan: Larsen and Toubro
Source: Google Images
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of L&T S.N. Subrahmanyan have been compensated commendably Rs. 61.27 crore for the financial year 2023. Subrahmanyan can take much credit for having positioned L&T strategically in a league of engineering and construction firms.
Leadership Highlights: In the three years since he assumed office as the CEO in 2017, he has overseen strategic developments with an emphasis on sustainable infrastructure and smart technologies.
Impact: Contributions are valuable in L&T growth as well as a contribution to infrastructure development in India, affecting millions of people.
6. Sandeep Kalra: CEO of Persistent Systems
Source: Google Images
Sandeep Kalra is the CEO and Executive Director on the Board of Persistent Systems. His salary is ₹61.7 crores Under his leadership, the company has achieved significant milestones, including recognition from leading industry analysts and remarkable business growth.
Kalra’s strategic vision and commitment to innovation have been instrumental in delivering exceptional value to clients and shareholders, solidifying Persistent Systems’ position as a prominent player in the industry.
Leadership Highlights: Kalra’s emphasis on innovation and client-centric solutions has been central to the company’s success.
Impact: Permanent Systems has emerged as a key player in IT services, delivering exceptional value under Kalra’s stewardship.
7. Nitin Rakesh, Mphasis
Source: Google Images
Nitin Rakesh became the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Mphasis on 29th January 2017. He is also a proud alumnus of SVKMs NMIMS of Mumbai with a Master’s Degree in Management Studies under Sikkim Manipal University. Not long after becoming the CEO of Mphasis, Rakesh made the establishment of Mphasis Sparkles, an innovation laboratory to assist entrepreneurs set up, link ideas to various large companies, and then merge these innovations into the services that Mphasis offers.
During his dynamic tenure, Mphasis scaled great heights and created new records in terms of new deal acquisition and industry-beating growth rates. In FY23, Nitin Rakesh’s performances were remarkable and were clearly depicted in his remuneration of ₹59.2 crore, considering that he plays a strategic role in evoking the transformations within the firm.
Leadership Highlights: Rakesh has been instrumental in driving the changes in Mphasis, where the company has sought to employ new generation technologies in improving the value delivered to clients.
Impact: This wise strategy direction has led to proper and strong growth and strengthened Mphasis’s image within the IT services.
8. Rajiv Bajaj: A Visionary Leader in the Automotive Industry
Source: Google Images
Annual Salary (FY24): ₹53.75 crore
Rajiv Bajaj, who has been controlling the company for many years, has continued to prove his worth as an innovative CEO and managing director of bikemaker Bajaj Auto in the Indian motorcycle manufacturing industry. Elected as Managing Director in 2005 and re-elected in 2020, he is a critical person for the company and defines its future.
Mr. Rajiv Bajaj has really exerted his control to put Bajaj Auto on a pedestal and been very instrumental in making the company dominant in the auto market all over India. He repositioned the two-wheeler business through new concepts, which include implementing the Pulsar series that has been viewed as successful.
These new initiatives not only revolutionized the existing market scenario but also envisioned Bajaj Auto as a market leader in its segment.
Maybe the impact of Rajiv Bajaj cannot be best tested when seen from the corporate perspective only. In December 2017, he was ranked 42nd in the 50 Most Powerful People in India by India Today.
In the fiscal year FY24, Rajiv Bajaj received a total remuneration of ₹ 53.75 crore, securing Bajaj Auto among the most remunerative Indian CEOs. He has remained true to this vision and today we delight in Bajaj Auto’s continued innovation and extraordinary performance on the world stage in the automobile industry.
9. Satish Pai: Managing Director of Hindalco Industries
Source: Google Images
Salary (2023-2024): ₹37.1 crores
Satish Pai has been at the helm of Hindalco Industries as the Managing Director since 2016. His journey with the company began in 2013 when he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer for its Aluminium business. Beyond his leadership responsibilities, Satish also chairs Hindalco’s Sustainability Board, driving the company’s commitment to sustainable practices.
Prior to joining Hindalco, Satish brought with him 28 years of rich experience from Schlumberger, a global leader in oilfield services. During his tenure there, he held a variety of engineering and management positions, ultimately serving as the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Operations. His extensive expertise across industries underscores his pivotal role in steering Hindalco to new heights.
10. Sudhir Singh: Executive Director and CEO, Coforge Ltd.
Source: Google Images
Salary : INR 34 Crore (FY23)
Sudhir Singh serves as the Executive Director and CEO of Coforge Ltd., a global digital services and solutions provider. An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta, Singh has built a distinguished career with notable tenures at Hindustan Unilever, Genpact, and Infosys before taking the helm at Coforge.
Under his strategic leadership, Coforge achieved a significant milestone with the acquisition of Cigniti, a Hyderabad-based company, for $220 million. This acquisition is set to propel Coforge into new business verticals and further bolster its presence in the North American market.
In recognition of his leadership and contributions, Sudhir Singh earned a total remuneration of INR 34 crore during the fiscal year 2023.
11. CP Gurnani, Tech Mahindra
Source: Google Images
CP Gurnani, the former CEO of Tech Mahindra, received Rs. 30 crore in FY23. Gurnani’s tenure at Tech Mahindra is marked by groundbreaking achievements.
- Leadership Highlights: He championed digital transformation and global expansion, driving Tech Mahindra to new heights.
- Post-Tech Mahindra: In April 2024, Gurnani launched AIonOS, a venture focused on AI-driven solutions, demonstrating his commitment to innovation.
12. K. Krithivasan
Salary: 25.36 CR
K. Krithivasan is TCS company holder the position of the CEO/Managing Director in Tata Consultancy Services Limited, an international leading IT solutions and consulting provider. According to the balance sheet in FY23, TCS earned electronic revenues of US $27.9 billion, having human associates in excess of 600,000 and operating in 50 nations.
13. T. V. Narendran: CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel Limited
Source: Google Images
Salary (FY24): INR 17.45 crore
T. V. Narendran serves as the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel Limited, a global leader in the steel industry. An accomplished professional, he holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy, and an MBA from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta.
14. Niranjan Gupta
Source: Google Images
Salary: ₹ 10.84 Cr (FY24)
Mr. Niranjan Gupta is the CEO of Hero MotoCorp. He has been chosen for this post, which is on May 1, 2023. Prior to this, he served as the Finance Director for the Household Care & Hair Category at Unilever UK Ltd.
15. Debashis Chatterjee
Source: Google Images
Salary : 9.33 CRORES
Debashis Chatterjee is the CEO & MD of LTI Mindtree, the fast-growing global technology consulting and digital solutions company that helps organizations across the spectrum to unlock the value of digital for enterprise reimagination.
Understanding CEO Compensation
The salaries of these CEOs reflect a combination of factors:
Market Dynamics: Business sectors such as ITs and fintech companies are likely to offer higher remuneration because such industries include higher speed and variation.
Performance-Based Rewards: Below we define bonuses and stock options as a form of incentive mechanism that is linked to the performance of the firm and the contribution made by the CEO .
Global Competition: The chief of Indian accounts, especially the multinationals, are accustomed to benchmarking their figures to those of the global ones.
Rising High CEO Salary: The Broader Consequences
Of course, everyone knows that big organizations pay their CEOs inconvenient amounts of money for their services, making the inequality topic here again.
However, these compensations are a testament to the value these leaders bring:
Driving Economic Growth: Consequently, affirming that their decisions impact their organizations and the broad economy by providing employment opportunities and promoting innovations.
Setting Industry Standards: CEOs who reap high profits may force talents and leaders to develop more of a kind and better organizational cultures.
Corporate Responsibility: Many of these leaders are also involved in CSR activities that improve social development.
Conclusion
It is most important to categorize India’s highest-paid CEOs as lucky recipients of rich packages; they are architects of new strategies and remodelers of their respective organizations as per the rivalry of the world. Their remuneration, comparatively somehow high, is one of the returns that they have offered to the corporate world and business.
Such leaders continue to encourage other developing talents through nurturing of innovation, growth and formation of new industries and their effects can still be observed in the existing business world, highlighting the importance of visionary leadership.
