Kushagra Bajaj is the Promoter and Non-Executive Chairman of the $4 billion diversified Bajaj Group with major interests in Sugar, Ethanol, Power and FMCG businesses. In his 40s, he is among India’s youngest and brightest business leaders, widely regarded for his sharp-intellect, uncanny ability to sniff business opportunities, and take calculated risks. Under his stewardship, the group has seen enhanced growth and profitability, expanded business footprint, and combined its position across businesses. As of today, the group has an asset base of over $5 billion and employs 12,000 people.
A scion of the storied Bajaj Family, Kushagra is walking in the footsteps of his predecessors, chiefly his great-grandfather Shri Jamnalal Bajaj, the venerated businessman, philanthropist, and freedom fighter. He carries the Bajaj Family’s quintessential entrepreneurial and philanthropic streaks in equal measure. He’s deeply grounded and steeped in Indian values of trust, transparency and value for human life. A testimony to this is the fact that he has ensured none of his people lost their job or even had their salary cut during the COVID19 pandemic, which proved to be one of the most testing times for the best and most profitable companies.
He has a B.Sc. in Economics, Political Philosophy, and Finance from Carnegie Mellon and M.Sc. in Marketing from the Northwestern University (Chicago). Kushagra’s academic qualifications are matched only by his expansive business pursuits, his altruistic attitude that he brings to business and his eagle-eyed vision. Today, Bajaj Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of both sugar and ethanol, with ethanol being touted as India’s future fuel.
Another testimony to his far sightedness is his conviction about the power business. He got into this segment at an extremely critical juncture and set up, from scratch, what is today the country’s most dependable and most profitable power-generating private company.
With over Rs 40,000 crore, of investments on the ground, Kushagra leads one of the largest investing business groups.
Carrying forward the group’s 100-year-old legacy built on the ideals of trust, transparency, leadership and service to the nation, Kushagra is also counted among India’s leading philanthropists. Along with innovation, education and rural Indian development have been subjects close to his heart. He is a guiding force behind the Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj Trust in Sikar, Rajasthan and Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation in Wardha, Maharashtra and Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh.
