Karan Paul
Karan Paul | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 3, 1969 India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Businessman |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Known for | Chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Group |
| Notable work | Expansion of Apeejay Surrendra Group, acquisition of Typhoo brand, co-owner of Punjab Kings IPL franchise |
Karan Paul (born 3 November 1969) is an Indian entrepreneur and the chairman of the Apeejay Surrendra Group, a well-established family-owned business in India.
Career
Paul began his journey with the Apeejay Surrendra Group in 1992. His early ventures involved managing Apeejay Finance and Apeejay Securities for nearly ten years, which he eventually divested in 2006-07. After dedicating over a decade to the group, he was appointed Chairman in 2004.
He has directed major sectors including Apeejay Tea, Apeejay Shipping, and Apeejay Schools. During his tenure, the group expanded its footprint by acquiring the FMCG brand Typhoo, reaching close to 50 international markets. The company also broadened its portfolio by entering marine clusters and logistics parks, strengthening connections with its shipping business. The real estate arm has grown considerably, acquiring land assets and developing commercial properties throughout India.
Paul holds board positions at Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited, K.P.H. Dream Cricket Private Limited, Apeejay Tea Limited, Apeejay Shipping Limited, Apeejay Infralogistics Private Limited, and Bengal Shipyard Limited.
Board memberships
He has been an active member on executive committees of prominent trade organizations such as CII, FICCI, ICC, Bharat Chamber of Commerce, and Bengal Chamber of Commerce.
Awards
In 2006, Karan Paul was awarded Italy's distinguished Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by Minister Gianni Vernetti in New Delhi. Later in 2012, he received the Karmaveer Puraskaar recognizing his Corporate Citizenship efforts in comprehensive CSR initiatives from the International Confederation of NGOs.
Philanthropy
Among Paul’s notable philanthropic endeavors are:
- The Paul Foundation – Founded in 2001 to provide scholarships supporting advanced education within India and abroad.
- Inclusive Sports – Initiated in 2015 through collaboration with the UK’s English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) to improve disabled athletes’ participation in local sporting events.
- Anand Paul Education Support Programme – Launched in 2009 to assist underprivileged children near Park Street in resuming their education.
- 100 for 100 – Commemorating the Group’s 100th anniversary in 2010 by executing 100 community projects focused on education, environment, arts & culture, institutional capacity building (with emphasis on disability), and health services for women and children.
- Art, Heritage & Culture – Directed restoration efforts for Park Mansions, a heritage building owned by Apeejay featuring residential and commercial spaces.
- Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation – Developed a three-year plan in 2015 aimed at reducing Human-Elephant Conflict on the Group’s tea estates in Assam through partnership with WWF India.
Personal life
An avid sports fan, Karan Paul co-owns the Punjab Kings (PBKS) IPL franchise along with Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, and Mohit Burman. The team is based out of Mohali, Punjab. He also occasionally writes opinion pieces on various subjects.
He is married to Indrani Dasgupta and they have two children: Uma Kismat Paul and Kabir Anand Paul.