Top 10 richest people on planet in 2014

New Delhi: The richest people in the world got even richer in 2013, adding $524 billion to their collective net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's 300 wealthiest individuals. The ranking says the aggregate net worth of the world's top billionaires stood at $3.7 trillion as on December 31.Bill Gates, the founder and chairman of Microsoft, was the year's biggest gainer. The 58-year-old tycoon's fortune increased by $15.8 billion to $78.5 billion, the index revealed, as shares of Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, rose 40 per cent. Gates' fortunes also benefited from a rally in stock holdings that include the Canadian National Railway, which rose 34 per cent, and a maker of sanitizing products, Ecolab, which rose 45 per cent.Second in the index is Carlos Slim Helu, the Mexican telecommunications mogul, whose net worth stood at $69.6 billion. But despite his high ranking, Helu was also one of the biggest losers, with his net worth dropping $1.4 billion in the course of last year after Mexico's government tried to reduce the dominance of his América Móvil mobile phone company.Here are the top 10 people in the list:Bill Gates: $78.2 billion Bill Gates, the founder and chairman of Microsoft, was the year's biggest gainer. Gates recaptured the title of world's richest person on May 16 from Mexican investor Carlos Slim. Most of his assets are held in Cascade Investment, an entity through which he owns stakes in about three dozen publicly traded companies and several closely held businesses, including Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Corbis, a photo archive company.Carlos Slim: $72 billion Carlos Slim Helu is among a handful of Latin American visionaries, entrepreneurs and investors who made it to the list. During the year, his investments in Philip Morris, the New York Times Company, clothing store Saks and Spanish Caixabank suffered in 2013, bringing down the value of his assets by 2.5 per cent.Amancio Ortega: $65.3 billion The third spot was held by Spain's richest man, Amancio Ortega. Ortega owns 59 per cent of Inditex, the world's largest clothing retailer and parent of the Zara chain.Warren Buffett: $60.3 billion The Oracle of Omaha, Warren E. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, stood at the fourth position with a wealth of $60.3 billion. Buffett is well known for his phenomenal market intuition and faultless economic forecasts.Ingvar Kamprad: $52.8 billion Swedish businessman and founder of Ikea Ingvar Kamprad took the fifth spot with a wealth of $52.8 billion.Charles Koch: $50 billion Charles Koch is one half of the most affluent sibling partnership in the world. Koch owns 42 per cent of Kansas-based industrial firm Koch Industries where he serves as chairman and chief executive. Koch Industries owns firms that are involved in refinery, chemicals and financial trading, among many others.David Koch: $50 billion Charles's brother David also owns 42 per cent of the firm and is vice president at the company. He and Charles are well known as megadonors for their conservative and libertarian political agenda and to the arts and medicine, including Lincoln Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.Larry Ellison: $43.3 billion Larry Ellison is the largest shareholder in Oracle and the eighth richest person in the world.Christy Walton: $39.1 billion Christy Walton is the world's richest woman and saw her fortune increase by $149.5 million in 2013.Sheldon Adelson: $37.5 billion Las Vegas Sands chief exec Sheldon Adelson hit the jackpot in 2013. He was the second biggest gainer in the index behind Gates after a $14.4 billion surge in his wealth. Adelson's success was largely to the success of his casinos in Macau and Singapore, which led to stellar financial results.