According to reports, Delta Electronics, a Taiwanese power and energy management company, is spending $500 million to increase its footprint in India. According to a top official who spoke with a media agency, the investment, which was made public in 2015 as part of the “Make in India” campaign, intends to increase the company’s operations and manufacturing in the nation.
Benjamin Lin, president of Delta Electronics India, stated at Elecrama 2025 that the company has made large investments through its local division since entering the Indian market in 2003. He went on to say that India is a significant market for Delta and that we are dedicated to using our cutting-edge solutions to propel its industrial and energy revolution. The company’s strategic investment in the Krishnagiri facility demonstrates its commitment to sustainability, superior production, and local innovation.
Delta’s Expansion Plan
Lin noted that Delta Electronics is now spending $500 million in India, which includes expanding its Krishnagiri facility. He emphasised that while upholding international industry norms, the investment seeks to increase India’s independence in smart manufacturing and energy infrastructure. Additionally, he stated that by the end of 2025, a portion of this expansion should be operational. It’s important to remember that the 125-acre Krishnagiri project, which included a special economic zone (SEZ), was supposed to be completed in five stages.
At its Krishnagiri location, roughly 90 kilometres from Bengaluru, Delta Electronics produces solutions for telecom, data centre energy efficiency, and electric mobility. Since 2003, Delta Electronics India, a division of Delta Group, has been a prominent player in the power and energy management industry. It leads the market in telecom power, EV charging, and display solutions and specialises in power electronics, automation, and infrastructure. In addition, the company provides energy storage systems, rail transportation, UPS and data centre solutions, and industrial automation. With two R&D centres (Gurugram, Bengaluru), three manufacturing plants (Rudrapur, Gurugram, Krishnagiri), and sixteen regional offices, Delta has a significant national footprint.
India’s EV Sector
India has seen a tremendous increase in EV adoption due to government regulations and startups that prioritise sustainability. The market is expanding quickly despite its late start thanks to the creative solutions provided by companies like Ather Energy, Altigreen, BluSmart, and Exponent Energy. By 2029, the Indian EV market is expected to grow to a value of $110.74 billion. Indian EV entrepreneurs are lowering carbon emissions, providing affordable fossil fuel substitutes, and advancing sustainable mobility, energy infrastructure, and battery management solutions.
The move coincides with the Indian government’s intention to restrict the amount of money that international manufacturers may spend on charging infrastructure to 5% of their overall investment. The purpose of this clause is to guarantee that EV producers concentrate more on making vehicles than on building charging stations. Their pledged commitment in the nation will not include any investments made above the 5% criterion. A few thousand electric vehicles will reportedly be shipped to a port close to Mumbai in the upcoming months by Elon Musk’s Tesla, which is getting ready to enter the Indian market. As part of its expansion strategy in India, the EV giant has also decided on two locations for its showrooms: Delhi and Mumbai.
About $1.5 billion worth of cryptocurrency tokens were taken from Bybit by hackers in what the digital asset exchange called the worst crime in the history of the sector. The CEO of Bybit, Ben Zhou, said in a post on X that Ethereum tokens were being stolen from the company’s offline, or “cold,” wallet. Later, in a live-stream update, Zhou stated that, to the best of the company’s knowledge, this may be the biggest hack in the history of the cryptocurrency business.
Zhou claimed that although there had been a rush to leave the market, things had cooled down. According to him, the website was receiving a bridging loan from its partners and would reimburse consumers for any coins that it was unable to retrieve. The attack is a setback for the cryptocurrency business, which has been booming in recent months due to hopes that the Trump administration will be more accepting of digital assets.
Crypto Industry’s Security taken for Ride by Hackers
Since the beginning of the crypto business, large-scale thefts have been a persistent problem that has brought attention to security issues. About 25,000 bitcoins, valued at about $470 million at the time, were lost by Mt. Gox in 2011, which was the preferred location for most bitcoin transactions at the time.
In October 2022, a glitch in a smart contract—a computer software that takes action automatically when specific criteria are met—was found to be the cause of the $570 million that was lost from the Binance exchange. On Friday, Zhou acknowledged that approximately 400,000 coins, valued at approximately $1.5 billion, had been stolen. After Bitcoin and Tether—a so-called stablecoin whose value is based on the US dollar—Ethereum is the third most traded cryptocurrency.
Donald Trump’s TRUMP
Donald Trump claims he “doesn’t know much” about cryptocurrencies, which has led to criticism of his recent introduction of his own digital currency. After making an appearance on his social media channels, the digital currency known as TRUMP swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies, but its value has subsequently dropped dramatically.
It draws attention to security issues in the digital currency market, which was hoped for a boost in confidence following Mr. Trump’s coin debut. Elon Musk, his adviser and the multibillionaire owner of Tesla, has previously promoted Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency exchange Mt. Gox declared bankruptcy in 2014 after a security flaw allowed $350 million (£210 million) worth of digital currency to be stolen. Another significant cryptocurrency theft occurred in 2019 when hackers took $41 million worth of Bitcoin from the Binance exchange.
According to reports, the Center’s soon-to-be-notified electric vehicle (EV) policy will require foreign automakers to allocate just 5% of their overall foreign investment in the nation to the development of charging infrastructure. The measure is intended to guarantee that EV manufacturers invest more in vehicle manufacturing rather than charging infrastructure, according to draft regulations obtained by Reuters.
Therefore, the extra money spent by foreign automakers will not be considered an investment in the nation if they spend more than the 5% criterion. According to the 47-page draft paper dated January 2025, expenditures made on charging infrastructure will be taken into account up to (a) 5% of the promised investment. For those who are unaware, the government essentially gave international EV giants like Tesla a free pass when it introduced the EV policy last year. Under the new proposed regulations, global automakers who invest at least $500 million (INR 4,150 crore) in the construction of an Indian unit can import EVs with import charges of only 15% to 20%, as opposed to the existing 110%.
What New Rules State?
According to recent media reports, EV manufacturers cannot get around the anticipated EV regulations by only investing in charging infrastructure. In order to increase manufacturing in the nation, they will need to invest more money in manufacturing. The call is being taken because the government wants businesses to focus on production rather than just charging networks, according to a media report.
However, the Centre is now discussing the draft guidelines with EV manufacturers and other interested parties. The guidelines should be finalised by the end of next month. In order to qualify for reduced import charges on up to 8,000 electric vehicles annually, the new regulations also require EV manufacturers to generate a minimum turnover of $577 million by the end of their fourth year of business, according to the report. Businesses must reach the $866 million minimum barrier by the fifth year of existence. A penalty of 1% to 3% of the income deficit would be imposed on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that do not exceed the turnover requirement, according to the proposed regulations.
Tesla is all Set to Explore Indian Market
This coincides with preparations to re-enter India being initiated by Elon Musk’s Tesla. According to reports earlier this week, the US-based EV company has decided on two showroom locations in Mumbai and Delhi NCR. The EV manufacturer is also seeking to hire skilled workers to strengthen its attempt to re-enter India.
In the upcoming months, the business is reportedly getting ready to sell a few thousand electric vehicles to India. According to rumours, the corporation is negotiating the establishment of a plant in states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. To entice the corporation to the state, the Andhra Pradesh government has also provided incentives including “ready” land tracts. In addition to Tesla, other international automakers including Hyundai and Toyota Motor are considering plans to produce EVs in the nation at both their new and current factories.
On 21 February, as the standoff between the striking workers and management approached its fifteenth day, Samsung India claimed that a group of workers attempted to disrupt operations at its Sriperumbudur plant, and now the company has asked the Tamil Nadu government for assistance in ensuring smooth operations. Maintaining a stable and safe work environment for all employees is Samsung’s top goal, the company said in an official statement. Today, several employees attempted to illegally disrupt operations and industrial peace once more.
The business has a zero-tolerance policy for any unlawful actions taken by employees that jeopardise workplace harmony and industrial stability. After three union officials were suspended, at least 600 members of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) went on strike on the grounds of the Samsung India Electronics plant in Sriperumbudur. The South Korean company has been urged by the union to lift the suspension. The police had already requested that the workers leave the area where they were on strike.
Reason for the Strike
Some employees have been demonstrating against the earlier suspension of three of their Samsung India Workers Union officials who were supported by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). In the meanwhile, the company has asked the government for assistance in upholding discipline. According to the organisation, it is crucial that all employees follow its policies, and those who do not will face disciplinary action following the proper procedures.
The company has encouraged the state authorities to ensure worker safety, uphold discipline, and facilitate commercial operations, even as the brand’s production continues unabated. The South Korean behemoth’s $12 billion in revenue in India is largely derived from the Sriperumbudur facility, which produces washing machines, televisions, and refrigerators.
Not a New Scenario for Sriperumbudur Facility
Historically a centre for the production of electronics and automobiles, Sriperumbudur has seen labour unrest many times. The current conflict comes after a 37-day walkout that caused some production disruptions at Samsung last year. CITU appears to be trying to amplify the controversy. It had called for a one-day walkout at all of Tamil Nadu’s industrial units in the Kancheepuram area on February 20. A group of workers connected to the CITU union allegedly attempted to halt production on the morning of 21 February.
“In flagrant violation of the Factories Act, Samsung began production using temporary workers who were not included on the company’s muster rolls. We halted the production process ourselves because the state labour department is not acting on the company’s illegal practices in spite of several complaints,” stated A. Soundararajan, the state president of the CITU. Workers reportedly protested on the shop floor for almost five hours starting at 8 a.m. The demonstrators were then driven out of the building by the police.
According to a news agency, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has outlined a bold strategy for the state’s startup ecosystem, aiming to generate 1 lakh jobs through 15,000 new businesses by 2026. In his opening remarks at the Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS) in Kochi, he stated that the state wants to launch 15,000 new businesses and generate one lakh jobs by 2026.
Kerala has shown tremendous progress, according to Vijayan, with 6,200 businesses established in the previous eight years, drawing INR 5,800 Cr in investments and generating 62,000 jobs. The plan expands upon Kerala’s burgeoning entrepreneurial scene. The government allotted INR 90.52 Cr for the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in the February 2024 state budget, of which INR 20 Cr was set aside for a Technology Innovation Zone in Kochi and other funds for young entrepreneurship initiatives.
State Showing Great interest in Startup Ecosystem
The state has always demonstrated its dedication to the development of startups. In October 2024, KSUM, which was founded as the startup nodal agency, invested INR 15 Cr in Transition VC, which focuses on the energy transition. In order to help local retail enterprises compete with e-commerce platforms, it intends to increase their use of technology and current management strategies. KSUM will also establish work pods aimed at businesses from other states.
Kerala is among the top performers, along with Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, in DPIIT’s States’ Startup Ranking 2022, demonstrating the national recognition of Kerala’s efforts. By recently putting up a comprehensive AVGC-XR program that seeks to generate 50,000 jobs by 2029, the state is also broadening its focus. Over 4,000 firms were launched in Kerala between 2016 and 2021, bringing in $551 million in venture capital investments through 110 funding transactions, according to media statistics.
Financial Backing to Startups
According to Vijayan, the government is adamant that a lack of funding shouldn’t prevent a creative and amazing idea from becoming a commercial success. Startups can get interest-free loans from KSUM. A corpus of INR 750 crore would be made available for venture finance. It is also expected that financial institutions like Kerala Bank, KSIDC, KFC, and KSFE will provide venture capital totalling INR 250 crore.
The administration is committed to carrying out its plans to support the state’s young entrepreneurs, according to Industries Minister P. Rajeev. According to Rajeev, the Kerala government is concentrating on the semiconductor industry and is in discussions with Belgian businesses. The state’s nodal agency for entrepreneurship development and incubation operations was established in 2006 and is called KSUM.
Andy R. Jassy is an American business executive who is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Amazon. Before being appointed by Jeff Bezos and the Board of Amazon in the fourth quarter of 2020, Jassy was the SVP and CEO of Amazon Web Services from 2003 to 2021. Andy has emerged as a pivotal figure, especially in the domain of online retail and cloud computing. Being Jeff Bezos’ right-hand man for more than two decades, it is time to meet the man who helped shape the future of internet infrastructure.
Jassy is the son of Everett and Margery Jassy of Scarsdale, New York of Jewish Hungarian ancestry. His father was a senior partner at the corporate law firm Dewey Ballantine and was the Chairman of the management committee. Jassy grew up in Scarsdale and attended Scarsdale High School where he was a part of the soccer and tennis teams.
Andy went to Harvard University and graduated cum laude in government. He was also the advertising manager of The Harvard Crimson and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. In 1989, he wrote a piece in The Crimson about continuing ads from Eastern Airlines even though they were going through labor dispute problems.
Andy Jassy – Personal Life
In 1997, Andy married Elana Rochelle Caplan, at a Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, California. She is a fashion designer for Eddie Bauer and a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. Their wedding was officiated by New York reform Rabbi James Brandt, Elana’s cousin.
Both Andy’s and Elana’s fathers were senior partners at Dewey Ballantine, and that is how they were introduced. Andy and Elana have two children and live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle. They purchased their 10,000 sqft house in 2009 for $3.1 million, and a 5500 sq ft house in Santa Monica for $6.7 million. Andy is also the Chairman of Rainier Prep, the charter school in Seattle.
Andy Jassy – Career Highlights
After completing his graduation and prior to starting his MBA program, Andy worked as a project manager for MBI for five years. Post this, he and an MBI colleague started a company, but sadly it closed down.
In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager. In 2003, along with Jeff Bezos, they came up with the idea of creating a cloud computing platform that later became Amazon Web Services, when launched in 2006. It was headed by Jassy, with a team of 57 people.
In 2016, Jassy was named as the Person of the Year by the Financial Times, and a month later he was promoted from Senior VP to Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Web Services (AWS). He also earned over $36.6 million in that year itself.
Andy is a member of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), set up in 2018 and issued the final report in 2021. In January 2021, Bezos designated Jassy as his successor and the transition would happen in July 2021. After becoming the CEO of Amazon, Andy received a ten-year pay package of a total of $212.7 million. But the majority of his package is in stocks and investments for 10 years.
In 2024, Andy emphasized the company’s focus was to be on Artificial Intelligence. The company announced plans for 2025 with investments of up to $75 billion, with most of them directed towards AWS and generative AI.
As the CEO of Amazon, Andy has focused more on accelerating the brand’s digital transformation, investing in AI, and improving the overall customer experience.
Digital transformation:
He was one of the pioneers (along with Jeff Bezos) of cloud computing and transformed Amazon from a simple online bookstore into a global computing powerhouse.
He was the mastermind to lead Amazon through a shift in digital transformation.
Artificial Intelligence
Emphasized the focus of Amazon on Artificial Intelligence.
Pledged over $4 million to Anthropic.
Announced their plans to spend more than $75 billion in 2025 with most of its investments directed towards generative AI and AWS.
Customer Experience
Delivering at a faster rate to Prime members, with more than 7 billion products delivered on the same or the next day in 2023
Increased the total items delivered the same day or overnight by nearly 70% in 2023
As the CEO of Amazon, Andy emphasized the importance of learning, authenticity, and accountability in his leadership style. He also encourages leaders to challenge others and deliver on their commitments.
He is also an ardent follower of the Leadership Principles of Amazon, and it affects how he leads:
Ownership is the most important quality of leadership and does not only mean taking charge of your team and responsibilities.
‘You are Right, A Lot.’ but this does not mean that your idea will always be right. The key is to get the right people to offer feedback and think about the best answer for the customer or their business. It doesn’t matter whose idea it is, but what matters is getting a solution that works for everyone.
Andy believes in the concept of truth-seeking. Compromising with one another to make each other feel better does not help get the truth. At Amazon, all employees are empowered to speak up if they think something is going wrong.
Amazon believes that its leaders need to be strategic but must be able to Dive Deep to find the solution. Andy leads as per this style because he believes that leaders should not only be able to fill up whiteboards with ideas but to get into the details.
He also believes that Amazon employees need to keep learning and finding ways to improve themselves. They must be curious about any new avenues and possibilities and explore them.
Ramesh Damani established himself as a market expert who brings together astute investment decisions and visionary market strategies. Since joining the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1989, he has built his reputation through the identification of mispriced assets and their transformation into profitable investments. The investor Ramesh Damani stands out because he uses his long-view perspective together with trend prediction skills to demonstrate how knowledge can unite with intuition and discipline in stock market investing.
Damani built a career that started with his father’s stock market insights to pioneer investments in Infosys and CMC and emerging businesses, showing his ability to predict future trends and stay persistent. We will examine the life story of Ramesh Damani through his professional work and investment decisions to understand how they transformed wealth generation methods and permanently shaped the Indian stock exchange sector.
Ramesh Damani: Biography
Name
Ramesh Damani
Born
August 26, 1995
Home Town
Hyderabad
Alma Mater
HR College, Mumbai & California State University, Northridge
The life of Ramesh Damani represents a unique combination of family advantages and personal drive alongside fortunate circumstances. Unlike typical investor narratives of those who started from poverty, Damani grew up in a financially secure family that already practiced stock market activities. Through his father’s twenty-year investment experience, Ramesh received a secure lifestyle that included top-tier educational opportunities.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree at HR College in Mumbai before moving on to study for an MBA at California State University in the USA. Stock markets held no appeal for Ramesh despite his father’s lengthy experience in that field. His professional ambitions pointed toward a field that existed entirely outside his father’s investment trading activities.
However, fate had other plans. His father wanted his only son to return home to India so he could introduce him to investment practices. His father made a strategic wager after Ramesh repeatedly refused to return to India.
He sent his son $10,000 with a proposition: The money passed to him needed to be invested through stocks. Ramesh needed to double the money his father sent him before it became his permanent possession. The money belonged to him completely if he lost it. Ramesh accepted the challenge with hesitation before starting to invest. He lost all $10,000 he had invested during the six-month period despite being in a bull market at that time.
Ramesh viewed the situation differently than his father, who lost faith in his trading abilities. His financial loss served as a direct challenge to his abilities because he held both an MBA degree from a respected university and extensive educational credentials. His ego suffered, but he chose to devote himself completely to stock market research so he could prove his trading abilities.
Ramesh Damani started his exceptional investment career at this turning point through the combination of his investigative spirit and strong drive to succeed.
Ramesh Damani: Career
Ramesh Damani’s professional path showcases both his market intelligence and his ability to predict industry patterns. After earning his Master’s degree from California State University Northridge, he joined the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1989 to pursue a career in broking. His genuine love for business discovery and extended-term investments in promising companies became his signature approach from an early stage in his career.
Through his successful father, the stock market became a fundamental concept that Damani learned. He developed his investment approach differently than his father, who sold stocks right after making a profit. In a previous interview, Damani explained how his father generated family income but failed to create lasting wealth. Damani developed his wealth creation strategy after realizing that he should focus on finding underpriced assets that he could watch grow into valuable investments.
How to Prepare for Bull Market by Ramesh Damani
A Turning Point in the Harshad Mehta Era
The Harshad Mehta bull market of 1989-1990 enabled Damani to produce substantial returns that resulted in client profits reaching 100% for numerous investors. He understood investing in his own assets would bring him better returns after receiving only a small 1% brokerage fee from his initial deals. After the bubble collapsed, Damani started constructing his own investment portfolio.
The Infosys & CMC Masterstroke
In 1993, Damani invested Rs. 10 lakh across Infosys and CMC during their initial public offerings. His experience working as a coder in the U.S. allowed him to predict how Infosys would use India’s low-cost workforce to deliver global IT services. His investment grew a hundred times over by 1999, which solidified his position as a brilliant investor who predicted market leaders before others did.
Early Bets on Emerging Sectors
During the early 2000s, Ramesh Damani recognized the Indian liquor industry as an underappreciated sector that he believed would experience significant appreciation. He later stated that the entire Indian liquor business was available for purchase through a Rs 500-odd crore investment. His investments within this sector produced significant profits because the industry expanded rapidly.
Damani discovered investment potential across both private-sector businesses and public-sector companies. When he invested in Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) and Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML) during their early stages, he saw companies with solid fundamentals and growth potential. His achievements were followed by an acknowledgment that he should have put greater financial weight behind these promising prospects.
A Career Built on Vision
Through extensive research and long-term perspectives, Ramesh Damani developed an investment method that detects market trends before they reach mass acceptance. His investment career stands out because of his willingness to make brave choices, including his early support of Infosys during their startup phase and his discovery of future growth potential in liquor and public sector businesses.
Ramesh Damani stands today as one of India’s most accomplished investors because he translated his combination of expert knowledge and patient decision-making with intuitive insight into remarkable financial success. Through his remarkable story, investors across generations find continuous inspiration to build wealth through stock market investments.
Ramesh Damani: Investments
As one of India’s most prominent investors, Ramesh Damani demonstrates his market understanding and long-term investment mindset through strategic investments in high-potential companies. His investment strategy includes established blue-chip stocks alongside promising niche players because he believes this approach supports his goal of long-term wealth growth.
CMC & Infosys
During the 1990s, Damani invested early in CMC and Infosys, which helped establish his reputation throughout the Indian stock market. His first investment of Rs. 10 lakh in these IT giants generated exponential value growth that reached 100 times its initial value during that period. His strategic investment established his reputation as a visionary investor while paving the way for future business triumphs.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE).
The Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) stake in Damani’s portfolio stands out as his most substantial holding, worth Rs. 75.3 Crores. The defense-oriented shipbuilding company demonstrates strong fundamental characteristics and shows potential for long-term growth. The Rs. 276 Crores value of Damani’s GRSE stake demonstrates his belief that the company will succeed by meeting India’s expanding defense requirements. The company conducts its operations through shipbuilding engineering and engine production segments to deliver critical assets, which include warships, deck machinery, and marine pumps. With a market cap of Rs. 16,721.16 crore and an impressive one-year return of 133.69%, GRSE stands as a robust addition to Damani’s portfolio.
Vadivarhe Speciality Chemicals Ltd
The strategic sector expansion of Damani continues through his Rs. 92.6 Lakhs investment in Vadivarhe Speciality Chemicals Ltd. Vadivarhe Speciality Chemicals Ltd operates as an Indian manufacturer that produces organic, inorganic, and bio-chemicals together with bulk drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The company’s market capitalization stands at Rs. 47.99 crore while delivering a 47.11% one-year return despite its moderate stock price movements.
Goldiam International Ltd
The investment portfolio of Damani includes Goldiam International Ltd, which functions as a leading exporter of high-quality jewelry. Goldiam International Ltd maintains its Rs. 31.9 Crore holding value while running its worldwide operations primarily through U.S. and European markets. The business demonstrates market stability through its steady one-year return of 24.30% despite the stock price dropping 13.52% in the last month.
Panama Petrochem Ltd
Through Panama Petrochem Ltd, Damani maintains ownership in a company that specializes in petroleum product production for the printing, textile, and pharmaceutical industries. Panama Petrochem holds a market capitalization of Rs. 2,100.64 crore while maintaining a valuation of Rs. 29.8 Crore. Panama Petrochem Ltd shows signs of steady growth despite experiencing short-term stock challenges that produced a -7.67% monthly return rate but delivered an 18.32% return in one year.
Ramesh Damani is a well-known Indian investor, stock market expert, and value investor.
What is Ramesh Damani known for?
He is known for his long-term investment approach, identifying undervalued companies with high growth potential, and his insightful commentary on the Indian stock market.
What kind of companies does Ramesh Damani invest in?
He typically invests in small and mid-cap companies with strong fundamentals, good management, and potential for future growth.
Kavit Palicha is an investment strategist and advisor working for the Jafar Family Office as the Chief Investment Officer. He currently lives and works in the United Arab Emirates but was previously working as a private banker in Dubai. He is now the Investment Director of the Jafar Family Office where he specializes in investment strategies, investment advisory, and investment management. He is also one of the initial stakeholders in his son’s eGrocery startup that has become wildly popular in the India market- Zepto. What started as a simple idea, is now a million-dollar business, and if the IPO is released in 2025, it will mark a major achievement.
Kavit Palicha – Biography
Name
Kavit Palicha
Born
Mumbai
Nationality
Indian
Education
University of Mumbai (B.S) , London Business School
There is not much information regarding his early life before moving to the United Arab Emirates. But, he completed his Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science from the University of Mumbai from 1991-1996. He then started working in small companies in Mumbai. In January 2001 he shifted to Dubai, United Arab Emirates to take over as the Head of Operations for Rasmala. He worked in Rasmala for over 7 years from 2001-2008, as the Head of Operations. After this, he shifted to Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd. as a private banker. During this time he completed his degree from London Business School.
Kavit Palicha – Career Highlights
Kavit had a humble start in his career in India, but later he moved to the United Arab Emirates. He joined Rasmala and worked in the company for 7 years (from 2001-2008) and slowly moved up to become the Head of Operations. He then shifted to become a Private Banker for Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd.. Here he worked for more than 12 years and left the company after becoming an executive director. During this time he also completed his degree from London Business School which helped fast-forward his career in investment management and investment advisory.
After this Kavit joined the Jafar Family Office as the Investment Director. Here he worked for 4 years from 2020 to 2024, and was invested in investment strategies, investment advisory, and investment management.
But Kavit is not only into investment strategizing, he is also involved in:
Kavit Palicha’s son Aadit Palicha is one of the co-founders of Zepto, the eGrocery brand. The idea for Zepto came to them in 2020 when they moved back to Mumbai during the COVID-19 pandemic. But during quarantine, they faced issues buying groceries as it took 6-7 days to deliver. They founded Zepto in 2021 in Mumbai. After just one month the startup’s valuation reached $200 million. Within 5 months it reached $570 million and received funding from multiple investors such as Glade Brook Capital and Y Combinator. They also found multiple angel investors such as Silicon Valley, Nexus Venture, and Global Founders. In 2022 Zepto surpassed INR 7300 Crore and included multiple cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, and Gurgaon. The company raised $665 million in 2024 and started planning to issue an IPO by evaluating it to $3.6 billion. Kavit is one of the stakeholders in Zepto and one of the first investors in his son’s dream eGrocery startup.
Kavit maintains a low public profile but is highly committed to his professional life in the financial sector to help highlight his multifaceted contributions. He is married to Urvashia Palicha, the Chief Executive officer of Search Point, a recruitment firm in the Middle East that specializes in the placement of Finance, Technology, and Banking professionals. He has two sons – Aadit and Ishaan. Aadit is one of the co-founders of the online grocery store Zepto, one of the fastest-growing eGrocery brands in India. Kavit is a stakeholder in Zepto.
Kavit Palicha is a prominent figure in the financial world, known for his investment acumen and focus on future-oriented ventures. He is the father of Aadit Palicha, the co-founder of Zepto, and is also a stakeholder in the company.
What is Kavit Palicha’s area of expertise?
He has expertise in finance, investments, and identifying emerging trends and technologies.
What kind of companies does Kavit Palicha invest in?
He likely invests in companies at various stages, from startups with high growth potential to established companies adapting to future trends.
They say couples should never work together. But Varun and Ghazal Alagh have proved that wrong, big time! From launching Mamaearth in 2016 to turning it into a household name, this duo did not just build a brand; they built an empire. And when Honasa Consumer Ltd., the parent company, went public, it was proof of their vision and persistence.
But Varun Alagh’s entrepreneurial journey does not stop at Mamaearth. With his keen business acumen, he has stepped into the world of investments, backing promising startups and emerging businesses. His strategy? Spotting innovation early and fuelling growth.
So, what kind of companies has he bet on? What industries excite him the most?
In this article, let’s explore Varun Alagh’s investment portfolio and discover his strategic bets.
Varun Alagh is a seasoned entrepreneur and business leader. He is the Co-Founder, Chief Dad, and CEO of Honasa Consumer Ltd., the parent company of Mamaearth, a brand he launched in 2016 with his wife, Ghazal Alagh. Under their leadership, Mamaearth became one of India’s fastest-growing personal care brands and went public in 2023.
Before starting his own venture, Varun gained extensive experience in brand management and marketing. He worked at global companies like Coca-Cola, Diageo, and Hindustan Unilever, handling brands such as Coca-Cola, Smirnoff, and Rexona. His expertise spans marketing strategy, business growth, and product innovation.
Academically, Varun holds a PGDBM in Finance & Marketing from XLRI Jamshedpur and a BE in Electrical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering.
Today, beyond Mamaearth, he is actively investing in promising companies, and supporting innovative businesses.
Varun Alagh has invested in many companies across different industries like consumer goods, fintech, and edtech. His investments show his interest in supporting new and growing businesses. As he continues to invest, it will be exciting to see how these companies develop in the future.
Varun Alagh is the Co-Founder, Chief Dad, and CEO of Honasa Consumer Ltd., the parent company of Mamaearth, a brand he launched in 2016 with his wife, Ghazal Alagh.
What are the companies Varun Alagh has invested in?
Some of the prominent Varun Alagh invested companies include Mokobara, BeastLife, Supertails, Boba Bhai, Shiprocket, Pristyn Care, and more.
One name that carries excellence in corporate and philanthropic contributions is Azim Premji. The man who transformed this small vegetable oil company into the largest IT service firm in the world was formerly the Chairman of Wipro Limited. Besides, he is widely known as a philanthropic giver and has been a contributing factor to making him one of the most effective change-makers in India. His life is the story of innovation, hard work, and love, a legend for any entrepreneur and humanitarian worldwide.
Earlier, he was popularly known as the Czar of the Indian IT industry; he managed Wipro for nearly four decades in the growth phases of diversification, where he allowed the brand to emerge as one of the world’s leaders in the global software space.
By 2010, Asiaweek elected him the world’s 20 most powerful man. He was featured on the list of Time magazine not once but twice: first in 2004 and secondly in 2011 in a list of its 100 most influential people in the world. By 2024 Forbes India ranked him as India’s 19th richest leader with over $32.2 billion worth.
Azim Premji – Biography
Name
Azim Hashim Premji
Birthplace
Bombay (now Mumbai), India
Nationality
Indian
Born
24th July 1945
Education
Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University (completed via correspondence)
Occupation
Entrepreneur, Founder and Chairman of Wipro
Wife
Yaseen Premji
Children
Rishad Premji, Tariq Premji
Known For
Chairman Emeritus of Wipro Limited, Founder of Azim Premji Foundation
Azim Premji, from a well-established Nizari Ismaili Shia Muslim background, was born on July 24, 1945 in Bombay, India. His father, Muhammad Hashim Premji, was known as another celebrity businessman: The Rice King of Burma. He was the founder of Western India Vegetable Products Ltd, then renamed Wipro. He inherited the entrepreneurship spirit from his father and, in fact, proved it by assuming the family business at the age of 21. His father unexpectedly died.
Premji joined Stanford to pursue engineering courses. However, his father passed away in 1966 forcing him to head the family enterprise back in India. He later cleared his degree in Electrical Engineering via correspondence courses he was undertaking for himself.
Early Leadership: Premji led Wipro from a small company producing hydrogenated cooking fats to a diversified conglomerate to become the top IT services organization in the world. In the 1970s, an emerging IT sector was seen by Premji, which had enough potential and Wipro turned toward technology and software services.
Growth and Global Success: Wipro became synonymous with innovation and quality in the IT industry. Wipro’s sharp strategic vision helped Premji achieve his dream when the company got listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2000-an important milestone marking the global aspiration of the company. As of the day he stepped down as chairman in 2019, Wipro has had operations in over 60 countries and over 170,000 workers.
Business Philosophy: Premji supported ethical business practices, customer-focused strategies, and commitment to excellence. He believed in managing a culture of learning and innovation by empowering employees, hence contributing significantly toward the sustained growth of Wipro.
Azim Premji is known as one of the most important philanthropists in the world and has received numerous awards and recognitions for them. Some of his philanthropic roles are:
Azim Premji Foundation: His journey in philanthropy is as significant as his corporate successes. In 2001, he founded the not-for-profit organization Azim Premji Foundation aimed at improving rural children’s education in India. December 2010; vowed to invest USD billion towards better schooling in India by transferring the equity shares holding in Wipro Ltd. The worth is 213 million equity shares, Azim Premji Trust. One of the biggest donations in Indian history.
He committed another 34% of his individual holding in Wipro in March 2019. His share, as of date worth $7.5 billion, will make the contribution from the founder to the tune of $21 billion. To respond to the requirements generated by the COVID-19 scenario, the foundation and its partners, the National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, upgraded the testing infrastructure in May 2020.
Azim Premji Foundation
Commitment to the Giving Pledge: He also became the first Indian in 2013 to enroll in the Giving Pledge created by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, pledging at least half his wealth to give. So far, he has donated over $21 billion to his foundation which places him among the most generous philanthropists alive. He is the third non-American after David Sainsbury and Richard Branson in this club.
EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List: Azim Premji tops the list of “India’s most generous” leaders released by Hurun India and EdelGive in November 2020. He is known to have donated INR 79.04 billion, for the financial year 2019-20, mainly towards improving education. He again donated INR9713 crore in the financial 2021.
Azim Premji – Awards and Recognition
Ranked one of the “Greatest Entrepreneurs” by Business Week for Wipro
Manipal Academy of Higher Education, (2000) Honorary Doctorate Awarded
Business Week (2004): Ranked in “Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time”.
Time Magazine, (2004 & 2011): Named to 100 most influential people in the world.
Awardee of National Institute of Industrial Engineering 2006 Lakshya Business Visionary
Padma Bhushan, 2005: for distinguished service to trade and commerce.
Honorary Doctoral Degree from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 2009, for distinguished philanthropic efforts.
Padma Vibhushan, India’s second most prestigious civilian honor (2011) For exceptional service to the nation
Lifetime Achievement Award from Forbes India Philanthropy Awards 2012
Asian Business Leaders Award 2013 for excellence in corporate social responsibility.
Mysore University, 2015: Honorary doctorate
India Today Magazine (2017): Ranked him 9th in India’s most powerful 50 people
Knight, Legion d’Honneur of France (2018): highest French civilian award conferred by French Govt
Featured on “Heroes of Philanthropy list of 20 altruists” in Asia-Pacific region – Forbes Magazine 2019. Additionally, he features in the lists of the World’s most charitable philanthropists outside of the USA.
Azim Premji – Personal Life
Azim Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji, who is also a well-renowned writer and philanthropist. He and Yasmeen have two children, Rishad and Tariq. Rishad Premji today is the executive chairman of Wipro, just like his father before him.
Premji is a man of simple living and dislikes ostentation. This is one reason why he still flies economy class and drives an ordinary car even though he is one of the richest men in India. He is the epitome of humility and responsibility.
Facts About Azim Premji
Azim Premji took over Wipro at the age of 21 when his father died suddenly. Then, Wipro was mainly a company dealing in vegetable oils and soaps. Under his vision, it turned into a global IT giant.
Although he is one of India’s richest individuals, Premji is a thrift. He saved money by employing such simple austerity measures as sticking paper clips into documents instead of staples and reserving office furniture for reuse.
The Azim Premji Foundation alone has given away more than 66% of its wealth to charity. It thus makes him the largest philanthropist individual in India and indeed one of the greatest philanthropists in the world.
In 2019, Premji released shares to the tune of $7.5 billion to his foundation, which made him the biggest individual philanthropic giver in that country.
Corporate governance and transparency are highly advocated for by Premji. He believes that long-term profitability in business is guaranteed through adherence to principles that are right and just.
He is credited with pioneering the Indian IT outsourcing model that has enabled the bringing in of global clients into Indian tech companies, and in fact, transformed the way Indian tech businesses function.
He has also made Wipro one of the first companies in India to bring in structured employee training programs and developmental workshops so that their employees are constantly being upskilled.
The Azim Premji Foundation operates with more than 500,000 teachers across India, hoping to improve the quality of government schools.
Premji believes that wealth should not be inherited indiscriminately but rather used to serve the greater good. His foundation’s structure reflects this philosophy.
Premji still has a humble life, from taking a basic Toyota Corolla around to staying at budget hotels.
During his time as a head, Wipro began practicing sustainability, thus it is considered among the earliest Indian businesses that embraced an intent toward utilizing renewable sources and non-environmentally friendly businesses.
Premji is reported to mentor young entrepreneurs and help them understand what ethical business and long-term sustainability mean.
Under the leadership of Azim Premji, Wipro has entered the digital age with all its emerging trends like cloud computing, AI, and data analytics, even ahead of their going mainstream.
Azim Premji’s Legacy
The life story of Azim Premji exemplified the power of vision, tenacity, and compassion. A global giant due to his inspiring leadership at Wipro, with a philanthropy touch, Premji has transformed millions of lives. Not only an ethical practitioner but also a tireless champion for social responsibility, and innovation, a whole generation of entrepreneurs and social changemakers has been inspired by Premji.
His legacy in business and philanthropy together underlines the transformative potential of wealth when it is accompanied by a sense of responsibility toward society.
Nitin Konde
