PERSONAL INFORMATION
Full Name: Ajay Gopikrishna Piramal
Profession: Businessman
Famous For: Being Chairman of Piramal Group & Shriram Group
Date of Birth: 3 August 1955 (Wednesday)
Age (as of 2024): 69 Years
Birthplace: Bagar, Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan, India
Zodiac sign/Sun sign: Leo
Nationality: Indian
Hometown: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Religion: Hinduism
Caste/Ethnicity: Marwari
Food Habit: Vegetarian
Marriage Date: Year 1976
EDUCATION
School: Not Known
College/University: • Jai Hind College, Mumbai (B.Sc. (Hons.)) • Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (MMS) • Harvard Business School, Boston, USA (AMP)
Educational Qualification(s): • B.Sc. (Hons.) • Master of Business Administration (MBA) • Advanced Management Programme (AMP)
PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Height (approx.): in centimeters – 185 cm in meters – 1.85 m in feet inches – 6’ 1”
Weight (approx.): in kilograms – 90 kg in pounds – 198 lbs
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Salt & Pepper
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
Marital Status: Married
Affair/Girlfriend: Swati Piramal (Businesswoman, Doctor)
Wife/Spouse: Swati Piramal (m. 1976-present)
Children: Son – Anand Piramal (Businessman) Daughter – Nandini Piramal (Businesswoman)
Parents: Father – Gopikrishna Piramal (Businessman) Mother – Lalita Piramal
Siblings: Brothers – Dilip Piramal (Elder, Businessman), Ashok Piramal (Elder, Businessman – Died in 1984) Sister – None
Favourite Personalities: Jamsetji Tata, Bill Gates , Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Awards/Honours: 1999 : ‘CEO of the Year Award’ by World Strategy Forum 2001 : Rotary International (District 3140) Certificate of Appreciation and ‘Four Way Test Award’ 2004 : ‘Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year’ in the Healthcare & Life Sciences category 2004 : ‘Global Leaders of Tomorrow’ by the World Economic Forum 2006 : ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award of UK Trade & Investment Council 2008 : ‘India Innovator of the Year’ Award by CNBC TV18 2010 : ‘Kriyasheel Global Achievers’ Award 2014 : ‘Distinguished Family of the Year’ by Forbes Philanthropy Awards 2014 : Conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Philosophy (D. Phil) by Amity University 2016 : ‘Corporate Citizen of the Year’ Award by AIMA Managing India Awards 2017 : ‘Asia Business Leader of the Year’ Award
MONEY FACTOR
Assets/Properties: A villa in Green Woods, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra
Net Worth (as in 2018): $4.6 billion
OTHER INFORMATION
Address: ‘Piramal House’ in Worli, Mumbai
Hobbies: Wildlife Photography, Collecting Art, Reading, Writing
Favourite Book: Bhagavad Gita
Favourite Painter(s): V.S. Gaitonde, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza and F.N. Souza
Favourite Sport: Polo
INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Ajay Piramal’s journey began in a family steeped in the rich traditions of the Marwari textile business, with deep roots tracing back to Rajasthan. His grandfather, Seth Piramal Chaturbhuj Makharia, was a remarkable figure who transformed his fortunes from modest beginnings, establishing a thriving business empire in 1920 after relocating to Jhunjhunu’s Bagar town following World War I. Known for his significant philanthropic contributions in the 1920s, his grandfather’s legacy is honored in Bagar, where he is so esteemed that a postal stamp has been issued in his name. Originally bearing the surname “Makhariya,” the family adopted the name “Piramal,” a decision made by Ajay’s father, which has since continued as a proud family tradition.
The entrepreneurial spirit of the Piramal family was palpable, particularly as his grandfather acquired the iconic Morarjee Mills, India’s first registered cotton mill. This legacy was furthered by Ajay’s father, Gopikrishna Piramal, who succeeded Unit 2 of the mill. Ajay’s own professional path took a pivotal turn when, after completing his MBA at the young age of 22—during which he met and fell in love with Swati, a Gujarati doctor—he joined his family’s textile and cutting tools business. He worked alongside his two elder brothers, Dilip and Ashok, until their father’s untimely passing in 1979 led to a separation in their ventures. Dilip went on to create VIP Industries and Blowplast, while tragedy struck again when Ashok lost his battle with cancer in 1984, thrusting Ajay into the leadership role at Piramal Enterprises and Morarjee Mills. However, the challenges of a significant strike in Mumbai’s textile industry soon pushed Ajay to explore alternative avenues.
In the same year, Ajay made a strategic investment, acquiring Gujarat Glass, which proved to be a wise decision. Yet, it was in 1988 that he made a transformative leap by entering the pharmaceuticals and healthcare sector with the acquisition of Nicholas Laboratories for ₹16 crore, renaming it Nicholas Piramal. Despite their lack of experience in this new domain, Ajay and his team dedicated themselves to learning the intricacies of the industry, implementing best practices, and offering competitively priced, locally developed drugs. Their relentless efforts paid off as they quickly positioned themselves to compete with industry giants such as GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. By 1993, recognizing the potential for growth, he strategically split the company into pharmaceuticals and real estate, acquiring Roche Products for ₹20 crore and launching Crossroads, one of India’s first shopping malls.
Ajay continued to expand his empire with notable acquisitions and partnerships, including a significant takeover of Boehringer Mannheim in 1996, which bolstered his branded generics portfolio. His joint venture with Reckitt & Colman in 1997 further strengthened his sales capabilities. By 2001, at age 36, Ajay sought to refine his business acumen by enrolling in Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Programme. His strategic decisions reached new heights with the acquisition of Rhône-Poulenc in 2000 for ₹236 crore, marking one of his largest deals. Following this, the purchase of The Glass Group in 2005 and his personal investment to rejuvenate it showcased his commitment to transforming enterprises. Ajay’s philosophy is deeply influenced by the teachings of the “Bhagavad Gita,” inspiring him to co-author “The Light Has Come to Me” in 2006, which offers valuable management insights.
The year 2009 marked a significant milestone as he acquired Minrad for ₹188 crore, enhancing his footprint in the interventional pain management sector. Around the same time, he founded the Piramal Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to healthcare, education, and youth empowerment, which garnered recognition with the ‘Corporate Trailblazer’ award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2010, Ajay completed one of his most lucrative transactions by selling his domestic formulations business to Abbott Labs for an impressive $3.8 billion. However, by early 2011, with substantial capital at his disposal but limited investment opportunities due to a turbulent business climate in India, he faced challenging times. Yet, his resilience was evident when he ventured into housing finance with Piramal Finance Limited in 2017.
Ajay’s legacy is not solely defined by his business accomplishments; it is also a family affair. His son Anand serves as executive director of Piramal Realty, while his daughter Nandini oversees human resources within the Piramal Group, a global conglomerate encompassing Piramal Enterprises Ltd, Piramal Glass, Piramal Realty, and the Piramal Foundation. Notably, the Piramal family has enjoyed a longstanding friendship with the Ambani family since the 1980s, culminating in Anand’s engagement to Isha Ambani in 2018, further intertwining their prominent leg
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Note: All biographical information compiled from publicly available sources.