Vedanta chairman Anil Agrawal’s 49-year-old son Agnivesh died on Wednesday in a New York hospital, days after a skiing accident, the prominent businessman said.

In an emotional post on X, Agarwal described it as “the darkest day” of his life, adding that the loss has shattered his family.

“Today is the darkest day of my life. My beloved son, Agnivesh, left us far too soon. He was just 49 years old, healthy, full of life, and dreams. Following a skiing accident in the US, he was recovering well in Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. We believed the worst was behind us. But fate had other plans, and a sudden cardiac arrest snatched our son away from us. No words can describe the pain of a parent who must bid goodbye to his child. A son is not meant to leave before his father. This loss has shattered us in ways we are still trying to comprehend,” Agrawal wrote.

Anil Agarwal said his son, Agnivesh, was many things, including a sportsman, a musician and a leader.

“To me, he was not just my son. He was my friend. My pride. My world. Kiran and I are broken. And yet, in our grief, we remind ourselves that the thousands of young people who work across Vedanta are also our children,” the Vedanta chairman further wrote.

Agarwal said that Agnivesh believed deeply “in building a self-reliant India”.

“We shared a dream to ensure that no child sleeps hungry, no child is denied education, every woman stands on her own feet, and every young Indian has meaningful work. I had promised Agni that more than 75% of what we earn would be given back to society. Today, I renew that promise and resolve to live an even simpler life,” he wrote.

Agnivesh Agarwal, 49, was the eldest son of billionaire Anil Agarwal. He studied at Mayo College, Ajmer and went on to set up Fujairah Gold. He was also the chairman of Hindustan Zinc. Agnivesh was also on the board of Vedanta group firm Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL).