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Malaysian Business Ananda Krishnan, who once sponsored CSK in IPL, dies
Hailed as Malaysia's communication titan, Anand Krishnan was Malaysia's third-richest person, with a net worth exceeding Rs 40,000 crore (over $5 billion)
Noted Malaysian billionaire Ananda Krishnan died on Thursday at 86, according to a statement from his private investment firm, Usaha Tegas. Krishnan’s vast business empire covered multiple sectors, and one of his firms even sponsored Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings.
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Krishnan was Malaysia’s third-richest person. His firm did not elicit the reason behind his death.
Born on April 1, 1938 in the capital Kuala Lumpur’s Brickfields locality, Krishnan’s business empire spanned telecommunications, satellites, media, oil, gas, and real estate. Notably, Brickfields is also known as ‘Little India’ due to a high percentage of Indian residents and businesses.
Popularly known as ‘AK’, Krishnan had a net worth exceeding Rs 40,000 crore (over $5 billion), as per the South China Morning Post. Beyond his corporate success, he was a devoted philanthropist and a practicing Buddhist, values mirrored in his family’s outlook on life.
His ventures included founding Maxis Berhad in 1993, now a leading Malaysian telecom provider.
His portfolio extended to media through Astro, satellite operations via MEASAT, and oil and gas enterprises such as Bumi Armada and Pexco. He also maintained significant stakes in Maxis and Sri Lanka Telecom.
He once connected with cricket, as Aircel, a company he owned, sponsored IPL team Chennai Super Kings.
“He has made significant contributions to nation-building and the corporate world, and his philanthropic initiatives have touched many lives,” a statement by his firm Usaha Tegas read.
Krishnan is survived by two daughters and a son, who later became a Buddhist monk.
Ven Ajahn Siripanyo, Krishnan’s only son, made headlines last decade after he renounced a $5 billion inheritance at the age of 18 to embrace the life of a Buddhist monk. Rooted in his father’s devout Buddhist principles, Siripanyo’s decision was widely respected within the family.
As a forest monk, Siripanyo leads a life of renunciation, practicing meditation and relying on alms for sustenance. Based at the Dtao Dum Monastery, he adheres to Buddhist principles while maintaining occasional ties with his family.
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