Anu Aga
Anu Aga | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 3, 1942 Bombay, India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist, politician |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for | Chairperson of Thermax (1996–2004), Chairperson of Teach For India, Rajya Sabha member |
Anu Aga (born 3 August 1942) is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist who served as the chairperson of Thermax, a company specializing in energy and environmental engineering, from 1996 until 2004. In 2007, Forbes magazine recognized her among the eight wealthiest women in India and included her in the list of the 40 richest Indians by net worth. She was honored with the Mumbai Women of the Decade Achievers Award by ALL Ladies League, the female division of ASSOCHAM.
Following her retirement from Thermax, Aga dedicated herself to social causes and was bestowed with the Padma Shri in Social Work by the Government of India in 2010. She currently holds the position of Chairperson at Teach For India. In 2012, she received a nomination to the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Parliament of India, by then-President Pratibha Patil.
As per Forbes' October 9, 2024 ranking of India's top 100 wealthiest individuals, Anu Aga is placed 67th with a net worth estimated at $4.7 billion.
Early life and education
Born into a Parsi Zoroastrian family in Bombay on 3 August 1942, Anu Aga completed her undergraduate degree in economics at St Xavier's College, Mumbai. She pursued postgraduate studies in medical and psychiatric social work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Additionally, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship which enabled her to undertake four months of study in the United States.
Personal life
Anu was married to Rohinton Aga, an alumnus of Harvard Business School. The couple had two children: Meher and Kurush. Rohinton passed away in 1996, followed by the untimely death of Kurush at age 25 a little over a year later. Presently, Anu Aga resides in Pune, Maharashtra.
Her daughter Meher Pudumjee took over as Chairperson of Thermax in 2004. Meher earned a postgraduate qualification in chemical engineering from Imperial College London and joined Thermax in 1990. She is actively involved with the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Family Business Forum as well as Young Indians (YI).
Career
Anu Aga commenced her professional journey at Thermax in 1985 and managed its human resources department from 1991 to 1996. After her husband's demise, she assumed leadership as Chairperson until retiring in 2004 when her daughter Meher Pudumjee succeeded her as chairperson and vice-chairperson. Anu continues to serve on Thermax’s board while engaging extensively in social welfare activities.
During her tenure as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, she contributed to several important committees including Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice (2012–2014, continuing thereafter), Parliamentary Forum on Children (2012–2014), Empowerment of Women (2012–2013), and Commerce (2012).
Awards
- Mumbai Women of the Decade Achievers Award
- Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar (BMVP) – Edition 2019 recognizing business leadership and philanthropy
- Padma Shri award conferred in 2010
- Lifetime Achievement Award presented by MAEER's MIT group, Pune in 2015
External links
- Anu Aga – Director Profile Thermax India.