The Forbes managing ahs released its annual ranking list of the richest people in the US and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has topped the list for the 19th consecutive year.

Forbes' annual ranking of the country's 400 super rich people showed that their combined wealth added up to an whooping US $ 1.7 trillion dollars. The magazine said that Mr. Gates remained the richest man in the country with a net worth of US $ 66 billion.

Forbes also said that MR. Gates is the most generous person in the world due to his contributions towards development programmes in developing countries. He is also given US $ 28 billion to philanthropic causes so far and is planning various projects to help people in developing counties.

"Gates and his good friend Warren Buffett continue to recruit new members to their Giving Pledge, in which the very wealthy promise to give away at least half of their net worth during their lifetime or after they die," Forbes said.

Meanwhile, there were 5 Indian-Americans in the list of 400 richest Americans including Vinod Khosla, Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Bharat Desai, the founder of IT major Syntel.