As Agastya Nanda makes steady inroads into Bollywood with his recent war drama Ikkis, attention has also turned to the major business legacy backing the Bachchan scion.
While the young actor is carving his own path on screen, his father, Nikhil Nanda, commands one of India’s most influential industrial powerhouses Escorts Kubota Limited, a conglomerate valued at nearly ₹36,000 crore.
Agastya, the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, recently earned headlines for reportedly charging ₹70 lakh for portraying Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal in Ikkis. But beyond Bollywood, it is Nikhil Nanda’s journey from a Kapoor-Bachchan family member to a corporate leader that defines the family’s business clout.
Who is Nikhil Nanda?
Born in 1974 in Delhi, Nikhil Nanda is the son of late industrialist Rajan Nanda and Ritu Nanda, daughter of legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor. This places him at the intersection of two of India’s most influential families, the Kapoors and the Bachchans. He married Shweta Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter, in 1997.
Despite his Bollywood lineage, Nikhil chose boardrooms over film sets, focusing entirely on building and expanding the family’s industrial interests.
How Nikhil Nanda Built Escorts into a Global Powerhouse
After completing his education in the United States, Nikhil joined the Escorts Group in 1997, a time when the company was grappling with intense competition and slowing growth. Starting as a Director, he worked closely with his father to restructure operations and strengthen the company’s core businesses.
In 2007, he was elevated to Joint Managing Director, and following Rajan Nanda’s death in 2013, Nikhil took full charge of the group. Under his leadership, Escorts underwent a major transformation, expanding its footprint in agri-machinery, construction equipment, and engineering solutions, both in India and overseas.
A defining moment came in 2021, when Escorts entered into a strategic partnership with Japan’s Kubota Corporation. By 2022, the company was rechristened Escorts Kubota Limited, with Nikhil Nanda serving as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD).
Escorts Kubota: Key Numbers and Growth
As of April 2025, Escorts Kubota’s market capitalisation stands informally estimated at over $4.1 billion (approximately ₹36,000 crore). The company reported an annual revenue of $1.1 billion (around ₹9,200 crore) in FY 2024, cementing its position as one of India’s leading engineering and agribusiness firms.
Nikhil Nanda reportedly owns around 36.5% stake in the company and draws an annual salary close to ₹13 crore, with his personal net worth estimated at ₹60 crore.
The Bachchan-Nanda Family Wealth
The business success of Escorts Kubota complements the immense wealth of the extended Bachchan family.
Amitabh Bachchan alone is estimated to be worth ₹3,160 crore, while Jaya Bachchan, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Abhishek Bachchan, and Navya Naveli Nanda each contribute to the family’s diverse portfolio spanning cinema, politics, startups, real estate, and social entrepreneurship.
Beyond Bollywood Spotlight
While Agastya Nanda continues to make headlines for his acting career, Nikhil Nanda remains one of the most powerful yet low-profile industrialists linked to Bollywood royalty.
His story reflects a generational shift where legacy names are not just sustained but strategically scaled into global enterprises.
From reviving a legacy business to steering a multinational corporation, Nikhil Nanda’s journey underscores how India’s old business houses are adapting to modern corporate realities quietly, but decisively.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
