Background and career
Binod Chaudhary (Nepali: विनोद चौधरी; born 14 April 1955) is a Nepalese billionaire businessman, politician and philanthropist. He is the chairman and president of the Chaudhary Group (CG). In February 2013, he was recognised as Nepal's wealthiest person and only billionaire, having an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Since 2013, his net worth has risen to $1.7 billion. Besides his business, which focuses on distribution, retail, leisure and manufacturing, he has done charity work, bookwriting, and filmmaking.
Binod Kumar Chaudhary was born in Kathmandu, Nepal, to a Marwari family. His grandfather, Bhuramal Das Chaudhary, was an entrepreneur who started a textile business. His father was also a businessman who further developed his grandfather's business. Early in his career, Chaudhary chose to pursue further education rather than join the family business. Chaudhary credits his grandfather and father as inspirations. He is a fan of Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor. He admires Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, for bringing freedom to that country, and businessman J. R. D. Tata, for "building a company of rare distinction".
His grandfather, Bhuramal Das Chaudhary, migrated to Nepal from Rajasthan, India, in the 19th century. After his arrival at age 20, he started a textile business. A few years later, after the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, he became the first in Nepal to start a formally registered clothing company. His father, Lunkaran Das Chaudhary, continued to develop the textile business, and also established international-trading houses, and a construction company. In 1968 Lunkaran Das Chaudhary founded Arun Emporium, a retail store which was his most successful enterprise. At the age of eighteen, Binod Chaudhary was about to head to India to study chartered accountancy, but his father was diagnosed with heart disease and the doctor told him his father could not continue to run the family business. As he was the eldest son in the family he stepped in as head of the business. He told The Telegraph, "My life was overnight changed completely. I did not have a choice at all. But it has made me a tougher man." He also stated "I would have liked to study further but I was required to do my duty" in an interview with the Hong Kong Tatler. At first, he considered importing Japanese Suzuki cars to Nepal. He once wrote that "Suzuki did not trust me as I was a young clothes trader. I convinced them. They gave me a trial dealership along with four others to sell Suzuki in Nepal. Whoever sold most cars in six months would get the dealership." His first independent business was in 1973—a discothèque company called Copper Floor. The company was a huge success, because of the many wealthy and powerful people who visited the club. In 1979, Chaudhary made a deal with Japanese electronic firm National Panasonic, which was his first multinational deal.
The Chaudhary Group is a business group, founded by Chaudhary's grandfather Lunkaran Das Chaudhary. Wai Wai, a brand of instant noodles, introduced to Nepal in 1984, became the company's bestseller. Chaudhary took over his family company at the age of 23, and wrote "running that disco taught me a lot about business but it was only when I took over the family business of running Arun Emporium, turning its fortune and looking after family, I understood the business." The idea to sell Wai Wai noodles came to Chaudhary after seeing many people from Thailand with packets of noodles. Soon after that, he realized that there was a craving for Thai noodles in Nepal. He went to Thailand, where he visited Thai Preserved Food Factory Co. Ltd., the company that produced Wai Wai noodles for Thailand. He wanted to collaborate with the company, however, the owner was not that confident the idea of bringing the noodles to Nepal would work due to the country's "poverty and poor infrastructure".
Chaudhary told Forbes India: Yes, back then I was simply looking to create a product from flour and then I decided on this product. Flying to Bangkok and back, I saw many cases of noodles on the baggage belt and I would ask people: 'Why are there so many of these cases coming from Thailand?' They would tell me that people loved them. I think people have grown with the product. To begin with, Wai Wai wasn't easily available in India. Today we have 20 percent market share in India. Now we're looking at creating a large national campaign here. We do localised marketing, but this is going to be a big one. After seeing Chaudhary's enthusiasm, he taught him how to make the noodles. He also told the Bangkok Post, "I'm a great admirer of Thailand and this company that has given our group this kind of status." In 2013, Chaudhary was listed as Nepal's first billionaire by Forbes. As of March 2019 he is listed at number 1,349 on Forbes' Billionaires of 2019 list. After the announcement, he said, "I am humbled. As a businessman, you don't get a Nobel. This is my Nobel Prize, ... I see this as a recognition for the 40 years of my hard work". In 2015 he was featured in cover of Forbes Asia. By 2018 his fortune had risen by $200 million. After appearing in the list he stated that, "Forbes' Billionaire List is the result of the blood and sweat of four generations. I am proud to say that there are 7000 people associated with the Chaudhary Group (CG) in 19 countries." In Daman, India during November 2019 the local administration confiscated the valuable beachfront land and bulldozed the homes of the local indigenous fishing community. The ensuing 2019 Daman Indigenous Landgrabbing Protests resulted with the detention of 70 protesters in schools converted to 'temporary jails' and another eight arrests. Few of the adivasi fisherfolk were rehoused whilst most languished traumatised and homeless on the streets near the rubble of their razed homes. As of March 2021 the site is now CG Corp Global's The Fern Seaside Luxurious Tent Resort offering tourist accommodation for $80US/£57GBP/Rs6000 for a night in a tent.
In 1995, Chaudhary bought the Dubai government's controlling stake in the Nabil Bank. He started Cinnovation Group on Singapore in 1990. Cinnovation Group is one of the first highly pervasive multinational Nepali companies. The company has interests in hotels and resorts, wildlife and in-bound tourism, FMCG (food and beverage), real estate, cement, and financial services. Chaudhary has also started to show interest in joint ventures with Taj Hotels Group. He also wants Nepal to move to a certain point where other investors see it as a safe place to invest. Has said that, "The government must become investment friendly and appreciate wealth creation and entrepreneurship. We need to give investors confidence in us to take Nepal forward. That's my single biggest priority."
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
