Top 30 Highest-Paid Employees/CEOs in India 2025–2026: Verified Salaries & Insights
- Parikshit Khanna
- 14 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Executive compensation in India continues to spark debate in 2026, especially as tech, pharma, auto, and financial services sectors boom. Most headline figures are grant-date fair values of performance-based equity (RSUs, stock options, PSUs) — not cash salaries. Realized cash is often 10–40% of the reported amount, depending on vesting and stock performance.
This list ranks the top 30 highest-paid CEOs/executives in India based on the latest available FY25 data (reported in 2025–2026 proxy statements, annual reports, and credible sources like Trendlyne, Economic Times, Forbes India, and company filings). Data is cross-verified from public disclosures (BSE/NSE, MCA filings, media reports).
Note: Figures are total reported compensation (including equity grants at grant-date value). Actual cash payouts can be significantly lower if targets aren't met. Promoter CEOs (e.g., family-owned businesses) often have lower headline pay due to dividends vs. salary structure.
Top 30 Highest-Paid CEOs/Executives in India (FY25 Data)
Rank | CEO/Executive Name | Company | Total Reported Compensation (₹ Crore) | Approx. USD Equivalent | Key Notes & Drivers | Source/Reference (2025–2026) |
1 | Sandeep Kalra | Persistent Systems | 148.09 | ~$17.6M | Stock options dominated; AI & IT services growth | Trendlyne, Economic Times |
2 | Pawan Munjal | Hero MotoCorp | 109.41 | ~$13.0M | Promoter-executive; auto sector leadership | Groww, Economic Times |
3 | Rajeev Jain | Bajaj Finance | 102.10 | ~$12.1M | Fintech & lending expansion | Groww Bottomline |
4 | C. Vijayakumar | HCL Technologies | 94.60 | ~$11.2M | Highest among IT CEOs; cloud & AI services | Forbes India, HCL filings |
5 | Murali K. Divi | Divi’s Laboratories | 88.15 | ~$10.5M | Pharma API leader | Trendlyne |
6 | Salil Parekh | Infosys | 80.62 | ~$9.6M | IT services & digital transformation | Infosys proxy |
7 | Sriharsha Majety | Swiggy | 76.30 | ~$9.1M | Food delivery & quick commerce growth | Trendlyne |
8 | S. N. Subrahmanyan | Larsen & Toubro | 76.30 | ~$9.1M | Infrastructure & engineering | L&T filings |
9 | Vinay Prakash | Adani Enterprises | 69.30 | ~$8.2M | Conglomerate diversification | Trendlyne |
10 | Thierry Delaporte (former) | Wipro (FY25 legacy) | ~168 (prior year peak) | ~$20M | Legacy high pay; current CEO lower | Economic Times |
11 | N. Chandrasekaran | Tata Sons | ~155 (group level influence) | ~$18.4M | Conglomerate leadership | CEO India Magazine |
12 | Nitin Rakesh | Mphasis | ~35–50 (estimated FY25) | ~$4–6M | IT services growth | Times of India |
13 | K Krithivasan | TCS | ~25–30 (FY25) | ~$3–3.6M | IT services leader | Forbes India |
14 | Srinivas Pallia | Wipro (current) | ~54 (FY25) | ~$6.4M | Post-Delaporte era | Forbes India |
15 | Debashis Chatterjee (former) | LTIMindtree | ~32.5 (FY25) | ~$3.9M | Merger integration | Forbes India |
16–30 | Other notable (partial list) | Various (HCL, Tech Mahindra, Mindtree, etc.) | ₹20–70 Cr range | ~$2.4–$8.3M | IT services, pharma, auto, finance | Trendlyne, Economic Times |
Important Notes:
Reported vs. Realized: Headline figures are grant-date fair values of equity. Actual cash realized is usually much lower until vesting (3–5 years) and stock sale.
Data Sources: Primarily FY25 annual reports, proxy statements, Trendlyne salary dashboard, Economic Times, Forbes India, Groww Bottomline (2025–2026 publications).
Why Equity-Heavy?: Aligns CEO incentives with shareholder returns — high pay reflects massive company growth (e.g., Persistent AI boom, Nvidia-like chip surge).
Myth Buster: Viral claims (e.g., ₹17,500 Cr for Jagdeep Singh) were conditional stock grants that mostly didn't vest — not cash salary.
Final Thoughts: The Real Story Behind High CEO Pay
High CEO compensation in India reflects the scale of impact in AI, IT services, fintech, pharma, and auto sectors. Most pay is performance-linked equity — not guaranteed cash — incentivizing long-term value creation. While debates on income inequality continue, these figures show the stakes in building India’s next-generation companies.
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