# Balkrishna

Balkrishna (born 4 August 1972) is an Indian businessman, author and chairman of the consumer goods company Patanjali Ayurved. He was reported by Forbes to have a net worth of US$2.3 billion as of May 2021. According to Ashish Kumar of Arya Samaj, Balkrishna has successfully established and managed a global business without a formal education.
As per Forbes list of India’s 100 richest tycoons, dated 9 October 2024, Acharya Balkrishna is ranked 77th with a net worth of $4 billion.

## Early life

Balkrishna was born on 4 August 1972 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand (then Uttar Pradesh), to Nepalese immigrants, Sumitra Devi and Jay Vallabh Subedi originating from Syangja, Nepal. He spent his childhood in Nepal. He returned to India and studied at Khanpur Gurukul in Haryana, where he met Ramdev.

## Career

On 5 January 1995, Balkrishna, Ramdev, and Acharya Karamveer founded Divya Yoga Mandir Trust which was set up at the Kripalu Bagh Ashram in Haridwar. This was followed in 2005 by the establishment of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, which was given responsibility in 2022 for the establishment and management of the Bharatiya Shiksha Board. In 2006, they founded Patanjali Ayurved, a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company involved in the manufacturing and trading of FMCG, herbal, and ayurvedic products. Followers of Ramdev, NRIs Sunita and Sarwan Poddar, helped kick-start the business with a loan. According to Balkrishna, he had taken out a ₹50–600 million loan at a time when he had never held a personal bank account in his name. In 2012, the company posted a turnover of ₹4.5 billion (US$51 million) which by 2015–2016 had risen to ₹50 billion (US$570 million). Patanjali Ayurved's revenue from operations increased marginally to ₹9,022.71 crore in the year up to 31 March 2020. Revenue stood at about ₹8,522.68 crore in FY19.
While Ramdev does not hold a stake in Patanjali Ayurved, he is the face of the firm and endorses its products to his followers across his yoga camps and television programmes. Balkrishna owns 94% of the company and serves as its managing director. He is a close aide of Ramdev. Acharya Balkrishna listed in India's 50 most influential personalities 2020. He was reported India's third-youngest billionaire by Forbes India Rich List 2020. He is also second billionaire of Nepalese origin.
In March 2024, Balkrishna filed an unconditional apology before the Supreme Court for airing misleading advertisements on medicinal cures.

## Personal life

Balkrishna lives in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, and is unmarried.

## Positions

* Patanjali University, Haridwar – Vice Chancellor
* Divya Yog Mandir (Trust), Haridwar – General Secretary
* Patanjali Yogpeeth (Trust), Haridwar – General Secretary
* Patanjali Research Foundation – General Secretary
* Patanjali Gramodhyog Trust – General Secretary
* Patanjali Foods- Chairman
* Patanjali Ayurved Limited, Haridwar – Chairman & Managing Director
* Yog Sandesh - Chief editor
* Vedic Broadcasting Ltd.– Managing Director
* Patanjali Food and Herbal Park, Padartha, Haridwar – Managing Director
* Bhartiya Shiksha Board, General Secretary

## Awards

* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded the honorary Doctor of Literature degree by the Governor for the protection of Ayurveda and Indian knowledge tradition at the 10th convocation ceremony, Uttarakhand Sanskrit University.
* Balkrishna was awarded the Champions of Change award in 2019, for his work in the field of Ayurveda.
* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded the "UNSDG 10 Most Influential People in Healthcare Award", for his work in the healthcare sector.
* Acharya Balkrishna received "Best Wellness Impact Global Award" from the CFI.co.
* Acharya Balkrishna honoured with "Bheeshma Puraskar" by Sant Shree Gyaneshwar Gurukul, Pune.
* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded AIMA Managing India Award 2018 for the "Transformational Business Leader of the Year" by Central Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded "Shalin Manav Ratna Award – 2018" By Anoopam Mission for his contribution towards social welfare and Ayurveda.
* Acharya Balkrishna honoured with "Degree of Doctor of letter (Yoga) (Honoris Causa)" by S-Vyasa Deemed University Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana for outstanding work done in the field of Yoga and Ayurveda.
* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded "Indian of the Year Business Category – 2017" for his contribution to the country to strengthen the foundation of society and helping in building Brand India in the process; by CNN-News on 30 November 2017
* Acharya Balkrishna was awarded with "Jashn-e-Youngistan Samman for Business Icon of the Year" by News 24.
* Acharya Balkrishna was honoured with the "Lokmanya Tilak Award 2017" by Tilak Smarak Trust on 1 August 2017 for his contribution towards the promotion of Yoga & Ayurveda
* Acharya Balkrishna Ji awarded with "Bloomberg Special Recognition Award" by the India Brand Equity Foundation on 22 March 2016 for outstanding contribution in the field of Ayurveda.
* Acharya Balkrishna, was bestowed with the "Bharat Gaurav" award by Kaptan Singh Solanki, Governor of Haryana and Punjab in recognition of his amazing work in the field of Ayurveda at a programme organised by the Indian International Friendship Society at New Delhi in 2016.

## Literary career

Acharya Balkrishna has published more than 330 research articles in various national and international journals and has authored more than 200 books on yoga and Ayurveda and edited many unpublished ancient Ayurveda manuscripts.

### Notable publications

* World Herbal Encyclopedia (111 Volumes)
* Flora of Rashtrapati Bhavan
* Medicinal Plants of Rashtrapati Bhavan
* Flora of Sijusa-Arunachal Pradesh
* Man Ke Manke Part-2
* World Botanical Part-6
* Ayurveda Siddhanta Rahasya
* Ayurveda Jadi-Buti Rahasya
* Bhojan Kutuhalam
* Ayurveda Mahodadhi
* Vichar Kranti
* Acharya, Balkrishna (2010). Vedic Nityakram Vidhi. Divya Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-89235-55-0.
* Acharya, Balkrishna (2009). Syllabus of Yoga/Yog Siksha ka Pathyakram. Divya Prakashan. ISBN 978-93-85721-60-1.
* Acharya, Balkrishna (2004). Divya Aushadiya Avam Saundriyakaran. Divya Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-89235-05-5.

### Notable books

* 'Secrets of Indian Herbs for Good Health', March 2008, Divya Prakashan, p;422, ISBN:8189235648
* 'Jadi Buti Rahasya', 2014, Divya Prakashan, ASIN:B0826SPYTD
* 'Ayurved Siddhanth Rahasya', Divya Prakashan, 1 January 2013, p:300, ISBN:8189235478
* 'Ayurved Jadi Buti Rahasya', p:420, ISBN:4049800357