Anurag Dikshit
Encyclopedia
Anurag Dikshit (ˈdɪksɪt; born 1973, in Dhanbad
Jharkhand
), is an India
n businessman and philanthropist. Previously the richest man in Gibraltar
and the 701st richest man in the world Anurag has given away the vast majority of his wealth through his charitable organisation The Kusuma Trust. He sold off the remainder of his stake in PartyGaming in January 2010, after selling 23% of his stake in the company's Initial Public Offering
, and a further two thirds of the remainder, in October 2009.
Born in Dhanbad, Jharkhand
, Dikshit graduated with a Bachelor of Technology
degree
in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
in 1994. He completed schooling at De Nobili School, FRI
. Following graduation, Dikshit worked as a software developer in the United States at CMC, as a systems analyst for Websci and later as a consultant for AT&T
.
founder, American Ruth Parasol
, to write the company’s betting software. His programme enabled gamblers around the world to play one another in poker. After seeing first hand Anurag’s impressive skills with programming he was given a large number of shares in the company to continue working with PartyGaming
In 2000, Dikshit hired a friend from his alma mater
, Vikrant Bhargava
, to begin working at PartyGaming with him and others. Party Poker was launched in August 2001, just prior to the poker
industry as a whole enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity in America. As television
programs, new books and celebrities got involved with poker, online poker sky-rocketed in popularity. Dikshit's platform, which allowed 20,000 simultaneous users, proved inadequate and new technology was adopted allowing 70,000 simultaneous users.
In May 2006 Dikshit stepped down from PartyGaming's board of directors to develop new products as head of the company's research and special projects and left PartyGaming completely in November 2006. As of December 2008 he still owned approximately 28% of the company's shares.
Despite PartyGaming being one of the first online gaming companies to pull out of the US market, in December 2008, Dikshit agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Justice Department in an investigation of PartyGaming. Dikshit entered the plea to one count of online gambling
in violation of the Federal Wire Act
and agreed to forfeit $300 million. "I came to believe it was in fact illegal under U.S. law," Dikshit told U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff
in New York, referring to PartyGaming’s activity. "I have taken full responsibility for my actions". It was Anurag who initiated the process with US Department of Justice., even though the department of justice did not have a case against him. On April 15th 2011, owners of some major poker sites operating in the US (Pokerstars, Full Tilt and Absolute) were charged with various illegal gambling and financial crimes. Dikshit no longer owns any shares in the company with the proceeds of the shares sales completed in January 2010 having been donated to the Kusuma Trust.
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
), is an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n businessman and philanthropist. Previously the richest man in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and the 701st richest man in the world Anurag has given away the vast majority of his wealth through his charitable organisation The Kusuma Trust. He sold off the remainder of his stake in PartyGaming in January 2010, after selling 23% of his stake in the company's Initial Public Offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
, and a further two thirds of the remainder, in October 2009.
Born in Dhanbad, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, Dikshit graduated with a Bachelor of Technology
Bachelor of Technology
The Bachelor of Technology is an undergraduate academic degree conferred after completion of a three or four year program of studies at an accredited university or accredited university-level institution...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in Computer Science and Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
The Indian Institute Of Technology, Delhi , commonly known as IIT Delhi or IITD, is a college of engineering in Delhi, India...
in 1994. He completed schooling at De Nobili School, FRI
De Nobili School, FRI
De Nobili School is a school located in Dhanbad, India. The De Nobili School shield displays part of a Sanskrit sloka Vidya Dadati Vinaym in Devanagari script in the scroll under the school shield. The school is named after an enigmatic Jesuit, Roberto de Nobili, who was the first foreigner master...
. Following graduation, Dikshit worked as a software developer in the United States at CMC, as a systems analyst for Websci and later as a consultant for AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
.
PartyGaming
At age 26, Dikshit was asked by PartygamingPartyGaming
bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Plc is an online gambling company, formed by the March 2011 merger of PartyGaming plc and bwin. The world's largest publicly traded online gambling firm, it is best known for its online poker room PartyPoker.com and its sports betting brand Bwin. It is...
founder, American Ruth Parasol
Ruth Parasol
Ruth Parasol founded PartyGaming in 1997, the parent company of online poker site PartyPoker.com, which floated on the London Stock Exchange in June 2005. In 2006, Parasol was ranked #197 on Forbes' 400 Richest Americans. Subsequently in 2007, she dropped off the Forbes' 400 Richest Americans...
, to write the company’s betting software. His programme enabled gamblers around the world to play one another in poker. After seeing first hand Anurag’s impressive skills with programming he was given a large number of shares in the company to continue working with PartyGaming
In 2000, Dikshit hired a friend from his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Vikrant Bhargava
Vikrant Bhargava
Vikrant Bhargava is an entrepreneur of Indian origin, based in Gibraltar and the former Group Marketing Director of online casino operator PartyGaming...
, to begin working at PartyGaming with him and others. Party Poker was launched in August 2001, just prior to the poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
industry as a whole enjoying a huge resurgence in popularity in America. As television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programs, new books and celebrities got involved with poker, online poker sky-rocketed in popularity. Dikshit's platform, which allowed 20,000 simultaneous users, proved inadequate and new technology was adopted allowing 70,000 simultaneous users.
In May 2006 Dikshit stepped down from PartyGaming's board of directors to develop new products as head of the company's research and special projects and left PartyGaming completely in November 2006. As of December 2008 he still owned approximately 28% of the company's shares.
Despite PartyGaming being one of the first online gaming companies to pull out of the US market, in December 2008, Dikshit agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Justice Department in an investigation of PartyGaming. Dikshit entered the plea to one count of online gambling
Online gambling
Online gambling, also known as Internet gambling and iGambling, is a general term for gambling using the Internet.-Online poker:Online poker tables commonly offer Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Seven-card stud, razz, HORSE and other game types in both tournament and ring game structures...
in violation of the Federal Wire Act
Federal Wire Act
The Interstate Wire Act of 1961, often called the Federal Wire Act, is a United States federal law prohibiting the operation of certain types of betting businesses in the United States. It begins with the text:...
and agreed to forfeit $300 million. "I came to believe it was in fact illegal under U.S. law," Dikshit told U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff
Jed S. Rakoff
Jed Saul Rakoff is a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.-Biography:Rakoff was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 1, 1943. Rakoff graduated with honors in English literature from Swarthmore College , earned his M. Phil. from Balliol College at Oxford University...
in New York, referring to PartyGaming’s activity. "I have taken full responsibility for my actions". It was Anurag who initiated the process with US Department of Justice., even though the department of justice did not have a case against him. On April 15th 2011, owners of some major poker sites operating in the US (Pokerstars, Full Tilt and Absolute) were charged with various illegal gambling and financial crimes. Dikshit no longer owns any shares in the company with the proceeds of the shares sales completed in January 2010 having been donated to the Kusuma Trust.