Lakshmi Mittal pays tribute to father: 'Family was everything to him'

ASIAN steel tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal paid tribute to his father, Mohan Lal Mittal, who passed away in London aged 99.

He said his "beloved father" died peacefully on Thursday (15) evening in London, surrounded by his family, at the incredible age of 99 and only a few months short of reaching his 100th birthday.

"My father was an extraordinary man, whose strong religious belief and work ethic stayed with him his whole life. He was born into a loving and modest family in a small village named Rajgarh, Rajasthan. Always someone to make the most of his circumstances, he believed that hard work was usually, if not always the answer," he said.

The ArcelorMittal chief said his father studied hard at school and had a strong affinity for commerce.

Mohan Lal Mittal started the family's steelmaking business during the 1950s, laying the foundation for what would become one of the world's largest steel empires. Lakshmi now heads ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steelmaker, with the family worth an estimated £15.5 billion, according to Eastern Eye's Asian Rich List 2026.

Lakshmi said, "He was a natural entrepreneur, with a vision that was in many ways well ahead of his time. He inspired us to be bold and extend our horizons beyond what was safe. Throughout my life I would seek his counsel and wisdom and even till his last days his mental strength never wavered. I never stopped discussing business issues and challenges with him – he always encouraged me to be bold and ahead of time.

"For all his business success, he was a great friend to me all the time, remembering, cherishing and celebrating all the important milestones in our lives. Family was everything to him. He is survived by five children and their spouses, 11 grandchildren and their spouses, and twenty-two great-grandchildren.

"He would always call and remember, and when he could be present at each one's birthday, wedding anniversary, graduation, you name it, he was there.

"For those who knew him personally, he was incredibly charismatic and a great raconteur, and maintained many close friendships which had been built over the course of his very long life," he said.

"We all love him, miss him deeply, and we celebrate his extraordinary, very full life and his considerable legacy," he added.