Ramesh Chandra (entrepreneur)
Ramesh Chandra | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for | Founder of Unitech Group |
| Notable work | Unitech Group |
| Spouse | Pushpa Chandra |
Ramesh Chandra (born 1939) is the entrepreneur behind the Indian real estate enterprise Unitech.
Early life and education
Chandra was born in 1941 in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, to a father employed as a banker. He completed his early education locally before enrolling at IIT Kharagpur, where he earned a degree in structural engineering.
Career
Following his graduation, Chandra had a short tenure with the Bridge and Roof Company based in Kolkata. He then advanced his expertise by studying Structural Engineering at the University of Southampton. Together with four associates, he established United Technical Consultant Private Ltd., a firm specializing in soil investigation services in Delhi.
In 1985, Chandra shifted his focus to real estate and civil construction, concentrating on housing projects for the middle-income segment. His developments spanned locations such as Gurgaon, Uttar Pradesh, and Libya. Under his leadership, Unitech evolved into a publicly listed company, reaching a peak valuation that contributed to Chandra's net worth exceeding $11 billion in 2007. However, the company encountered difficulties following involvement in a telecom-related corruption controversy.
Operational control of Unitech was predominantly transferred to his sons Ajay and Sanjay Chandra, with Sanjay managing Unitech Wireless. In 2011, Sanjay was detained in connection with the 2G spectrum case, and Ramesh Chandra himself was incarcerated in January 2016 on allegations of fraud.
Personal life
Chandra is married to Pushpa Chandra and they have two sons: Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra.