Hemendra M. Kothari is an Indian businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder of DSP Investment Managers and a leading investment banker. Born in Mumbai, India, in 1946, his career is deeply rooted in finance; his great-grandfather was one of the founders of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in 1875.

Kothari graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics (1967). His early career began in the textiles industry before he returned to his family's investment business in the challenging 1970s. His philosophy centers on consensus, financial discipline, and picking up on trends before competitors, earning him the moniker investment guru.

Hemendra Kothari successfully revived his family's finance business in the 1970s, which was facing challenging conditions due to the nationalization of banks and insurance companies. He was instrumental in building DSP Investment Managers, which became a massive, highly successful investment banking and asset management group (partnering with Merrill Lynch for two decades).

His wealth is tied to the successful management and monetization of his investment banking assets. Post-finance, Kothari shifted his focus to his profound passion: wildlife conservation. He founded the DSP Wildlife Conservation Trust and is known for his dedication to tiger conservation and his strong stance on balancing development with environmentalism. His investment portfolio (as of 2025) still shows substantial public equity holdings in companies like Sonata Software Ltd. and Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd..

Hemendra Kothari's social impact is structural, stemming from DSP Group's role as a foundational force in Indian investment banking and capital markets. His work professionalized the industry and drove significant institutional investment.

His profound personal and structural contribution is his focus on wildlife conservation, where he actively supports tiger preservation and advocates for environmental balance—a legacy he now pursues with vigor after leaving the day-to-day finance world.

Hemendra Kothari maintains the professional, composed style of a financial executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects stability and intellectual authority, blending finance with his deep passion for nature and conservation.

Residing in Mumbai, India, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to investment strategy, financial governance, and his commitment to wildlife preservation.