Ronnie Screwvalas net worth is around $1.7 billion or about ₹16,000 crore as of September 2026. For a man who started his career selling toothbrushes and launched a cable TV network with an investment that number shows a career that was all about finding chances before they were obvious.
What makes his money interesting is not the number. It is the way the money is spread out. He is not an actor or a director. He is an entrepreneur and an investor who created a media company sold it for a lot of money and then used that money to invest in education, sports and new startups.
the upGrad stake: the main part of the portfolio
The single part of Screwvalas money is his share in upGrad the online education company he started in 2015. Screwvala and his family have 45% of the company. That gives them a lot of say in how the company runs over time.
upGrad was made to fill a gap in Indias education system. It helps working people improve their skills. The company grew fast during the time when online learning became very common.. The education tech world has had problems since then and upGrad has not been safe. The company lost ₹560 crore in the fiscal year. The 45% share is still the important part of his money. How much that share is worth depends a lot on how the company does after the time when online learning was the main way to learn.
the sports part: U Sports and U Mumba
Screwvalas sports projects, which are under the U Sports brand are a part of his money. He owns U Mumba in the Pro Kabaddi League, a team that has become one of the known in the league. His sports investments go beyond kabaddi. He also owns U Mumba TT in the Ultimate Table Tennis league and the Mumba Masters in the Global Chess League.
These are not investments that sit and wait. Screwvala has said he wants to make sports a real career choice in India not just something people do for fun. The U Sports platform also offers sports management classes. That helps create a world around the sports leagues. The exact amounts of money for these teams are not known.. They are a way to spread out money into experiences that have both money value and other benefits.
the startup money: Lenskart, AI and new areas
Screwvalas money in startups goes through Unilazer Ventures the company he started to invest. The best success far has been Lenskart. Screwvala was one of the first to invest in this eyewear company putting in about $6 million ten years ago. That share has given about 70 times the money back. He still holds about 5% of the company.
The money is not just in Lenskart. In the end of 2025 Screwvala said he had $50 million set aside to invest in startups working in AI, deep technology and space technology. He has already put money into some of these companies like SpeakX, ZuAI and CuePilot AI. His way of investing is focused. He gives between $1 million and $3 million. That is different from investors who give small amounts to many companies. As he said in an interview “Doing $30,000 or $40,000 checks is like throwing darts. I don’t know why people talk about investing in 100 or 150 companies.”
He is also looking for his big success in the new areas of technology. He believes that the next big changes in value in India will come from these areas not from delivery or online shopping.
the media past: UTV and RSVP Movies
Screwvala became rich from media. He started UTV in 1990 with an amount of money. He grew it into a television and film production company. The company made films like Rang De Basanti, Jodhaa Akbar and Fashion. In 2012 he sold part of UTV to Disney for $100 million. That was one of the deals in Indian media at that time.
After selling UTV he started RSVP Movies. That company made films like Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kedarnath and Sam Bahadur. The media business is not the way he makes money now.. It is still a part of his money and gives both creative and financial returns.
what everyday investors can learn from this
Putting all your money in one place can make you rich. Spreading your money out keeps it safe. Screwvalas money started in UTV. The sale gave him the money to spread into upGrad, sports and startups. For people who invest the main way to make money is usually one investment. The rest is about keeping and growing that money.
Investing early in companies that serve consumers can give a lot of money back. The investment in Lenskart made ten years ago is now giving about 70 times the money back. That kind of return comes from seeing a business and waiting for it to grow. It is not about trades. It is about waiting for the money to grow.
Sports ownership is something that’s not easy to sell. The U Mumba team is not an investment. It is a part of a growing sport. If the sport grows the value can go up. It also helps Screwvala build a system around sports in India.
the future
Ronnie Screwvala is 70. UpGrad is still dealing with the problems in the education tech world. U Sports is growing more. The $50 million money for startups is being used in the new areas. The money from Lenskart is still growing.
The number of ₹16,000 crore is a guess, not a number.. The way it was made through a media sale an education tech company, sports ownership and focused startup money is clear enough to look at.
FAQs
1. How does Ronnie Screwvalas money compare to movie stars?
Forbes says his money is $1.7 billion or about ₹16,000 crore. That makes him richer than Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan together. The comparison is not fair though. Screwvala is not an actor. He is an entrepreneur and investor. His money comes from building and selling companies not from acting in movies.
2. What is upGrad. How much does Screwvala own?
upGrad is an education company he started in 2015. Screwvala and his family own 45% of the company. The company lost ₹560 crore in the year. That shows the problems in the education tech world.
3. What sports teams does Ronnie Screwvala own?
He owns U Mumba in the Pro Kabaddi League. He also owns U Mumba TT in the Ultimate Table Tennis league and the Mumba Masters in the Global Chess League. These are all part of his U Sports group.
4. What was the Lenskart investment. How much did it return?
Screwvala put about $6 million into Lenskart ten years ago. That share has given about 70 times the money back. He still owns about 5% of the company. He has said it is his early investment.
5. What is the $50 million money for?
In the end of 2025 Screwvala set aside $50 million of his money to support new startups in AI, deep technology and space technology. He has already made several of these investments. He is looking for his big success, in these areas.
