Ananda Krishnan Passes Away At 86

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Business tycoon Ananda Krishnan has passed away today. He was 86-years-old.

This was confirmed by his flagship investment company, Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd, in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the demise of our chairman Mr Ananda Krishnan Tatparanandam, who passed away peacefully on Nov 28, 2024.

“He has made significant contributions to nation-building and the corporate world, and his philanthropic initiatives have touched many lives. We humbly ask that the family's wishes to mourn in private be respected,” said the company.

Born on April 1, 1938, in Brickfields, here, Ananda who goes by the full name Tatparanandam Ananda Krishnan or T. Ananda Krishnan, rose to become one of Malaysia’s most prominent business figures and was listed as one of the wealthiest individuals in the country.

Ananda, a Harvard Business School grad, started Usaha Tegas and later founded Maxis Communications and MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems.

His leadership helped propel Maxis to become one of the leading telecommunications providers in Malaysia.

According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire list, Ananda’s net worth stood at US$5.1 billion (US$1=RM4.4325) as at Nov 27, 2024, ranking him the 667th richest person in the world.

He is survived by a son, who later became a Buddhist monk, and two daughters.

-- BERNAMA