Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh AmbaniReuters

Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of India's Reliance Industries has emerged as the richest Indian with a net worth of $18.6 billion, according to the latest annual list of the world's richest people by Forbes magazine.

Ambani is followed by ArcelorMittal's Lakhmi Mittal with a net worth of $16.7 billion. In global rankings, however, Ambani stands at 40th position, while Mittal ranks 52.

The latest list includes a record of 1,645 billionaires with a total net worth of $6.4 trillion up from 1,426, according to a report by Reuters.

Bill Gates has returned to the top on the list of the world's richest people, with a net worth of $76 billion. The Microsoft Corporation co-founder reclaimed the top spot after four-years break, toppling Mexico's telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who has emerged as the second richest man on Earth this time, with $72 billion.

Amancio Ortega, the Spanish founder of clothing conglomerate Inditex SA, which also includes the Zara fashion chain, came to the third place with $64 billion.

On the fourth place is Warren Buffett, who runs Berkshire Hathaway Inc, and has close partnership with Gates. He had the net worth of $58.2 billion.

Oracle Corp's chief Larry Ellison managed to grab the fifth spot at $48 billion.

From among the list of the billionaires, just over 10 percent were female, with 172 women compared with 138 a year earlier.

The richest Woman on Earth is Walmart Stores Inc heiress Chrity Walton, and is in the ninth place, overall with $36.7 billion.

Next among the woman billionaires' is France's Liliane Bettencourt, who earned much from her cosmetics company, L'Oreal SA. She has $34.5 billion and finds position 11 on the list.

Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are in 17th and 19th position with $32.3 billion and $31.8 billion respectively, while Amazon's Jeff Bezos stood between them at $32 billion.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 29, managed to stand at 21st position with $28.5 billion.