Jalaj Dani (Ashwin Dani’s Son) Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jalaj Dani

• Jalaj Dani is an Indian businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the second-generation scion of one of the founding families of Asian Paints Ltd and the son of business tycoon Ashwin Dani. He was the public face of Asian Paints for 18 years during which he worked in various capacities, including being responsible for Supply Chain and Chemicals Business and spearheading the Human Resources, Corporate Quality and Safety Functions at the group level. He resigned from Asian Paints in 2017 and became its co-promoter. He is the Chairman of Addverb Technologies and IIM Trichy and an Independent Director of HDFC and Havells.

• He was born into a Hindu Jain family. His grandfather, Suryakant Dani, hailed from Kapadvanj, Kheda, Gujarat. Suryakant later moved to Mumbai, where co-founded Asian Paints, along with his three friends Champaklal Choksey, Chimanlal Choksi, and Arvind Vakil in February 1942. ^[3]Forbes India

• His father, Ashwin Dani (1944–2023), was a billionaire, businessman, and the non-executive chairman of Asian Paints Ltd, India’s largest paint company. Ashwin ranked #49 on Forbes India’s The 100 Richest Indians 2013 list for a net worth of $1310 million. ^[4]Forbes India He passed away after a brief illness on 28 September 2023. On the date of his death, his net worth was $7.8 billion.  ^[5]Forbes

• His mother, Ina Dani, is a keen yoga practitioner and a disciple of well-known yoga teacher B. K. S. Iyengar. She used to teach prenatal yoga to expectant mothers at the Iyengar Yoga Centre. The centre was set up by Ashwin and Ina at their residential building Home Villa in 1998. She has also served as managing trustee to Guruji Iyengar’s Light on Yoga Research Trust (LOYRT).

• His brother Malav A. Dani is a businessman and entrepreneur. He is a Non-executive Director and Chairman of CSR Committee at Asian Paints. Apart from that, he is also a Managing Director of Hitech Corporation Limited, a BSE-listed plastic and packaging company.

• His brother Hasit Dani is also a businessman and a board member of Asian Paints.

• His wife, Vita Dani, is the Chairperson of the 11evenSports. Apart from that, Vita is a co-owner of the Chennaiyin FC soccer club, along with actor Abhishek Bachchan and former India cricket captain MS Dhoni. The team competes in the Indian Super League. She is also a promoter of the professional table tennis league Ultimate Table Tennis.

• Jalaj Ashwin began his career by joining the board of Asian Paints Ltd.

• In 1998, he was recognised as ‘Stars 2000’ – Potential Leaders in the New Millennium by the Business India Magazine.

• In June 1999, he stepped down as director of the board and took up the role of Vice President, International.

• In 2002, under Jalaj’s leadership as the Head of international operations, Asian Paints emerged as a significant global player in the decorative paints industry after acquiring controlling stakes in Berger International Limited. Following this success, Jalaj was appointed as the Chairman of Berger International.

• In April 2004, he became International President at Asian Paints and subsequently spearheaded a series of international acquisitions during his eight-year tenure.

• In April 2012, he was promoted to the position of President of HR, International & Chemicals in the company.
  

  Jalaj Dani (left), President, International Operations, Asian Paints exchanging a MoU with S. S. Rawat, Principal Secretary (Industries) in Hyderabad in 2015

• By June 2015, he was President of HR, Supply Chain & Chemicals.

• In 2017, Jalaj stepped down from his leadership position at Asian Paints and became a co-promoter of the company.

• In February 2018, he joined the board of Addverb Technologies Private Limited, India’s largest Robotics company specializing in warehouse automation and robotics.

• In September 2020, he became the Chairman of Addverb Technologies.

• In March 2018, he assumed the role of President at the Sports, Physical Education, Fitness and Leisure Skill Council (SPEFL-SC).

• He also serves as a Chairman Invitee and Board Member of Fourth Frontier Technologies Private Limited, a startup responsible for developing the world’s first and only wearable Smart Heart Monitor that offers continuous ECG monitoring and real-time heart health feedback.

• Jalaj chaired the Paints and Coatings Sector Skill Council (PCSC) from its inception in 2015 until September 2017.

• He held the position of President at The Indian Paint Association (IPA) from 2015 to 2017.

• Jalaj actively participates in various industry organizations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Young President’s Organisation (YPO), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and other Business Councils in various capacities.
  

  Jalaj Dani, Co-Chairman of CII National Committee on Sports and Sanjay Gupta, Chairman of CII National Committee on Sports addressing the Members during the first meeting of the CII National Committee on Sports 2017-18 in Mumbai

• Additionally, he serves as a Trustee of Tribhuvandas Foundation, which was established by Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, the founding Chairman of the Kheda District Milk Producers Cooperative Union (now known as AMUL).

• In November 2018, he took on the role of President at the Sportscom Industry Confederation, a non-profit organization.

• Furthermore, he has invested in several startup companies, including Skillmatics (Grasper Global Pvt Ltd, engaged in educational products and children’s games), Smart Express Pvt Ltd (focused on logistics), and Surge Technologies, a US-based startup specializing in innovative tech-enabled fitness and sports equipment designed to enhance the quality of workouts for fitness enthusiasts.

• The Dani family is known for their commitment to constructive philanthropy, which involves empowering individuals and communities through transformative initiatives such as comprehensive education and the promotion of well-being through physical literacy and sports, among other activities. In the early 2010s, Jalaj and Vita Dani initiated a partnership with Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal, an 80-year-old foundation, to provide affordable education to the residents of Kapadvanj, the hometown of the Dani family. This foundation manages 13 educational institutions, many of which are named in honour of Suryakant Dani.

• Subsequently, the husband-wife duo established the Dani Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation with the goal of creating a self-sustaining society. The foundation collaborates with five organizations: Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal, Annamrita Trust, ELMS Sports Foundation, Project Mumbai, and Pratham. Additionally, it introduced the Sports for Transformation fellowship, which enables sports professionals to collaborate with educators. Annamrita Trust focuses on implementing the government’s mid-day meal program in schools, while Pratham strives to enhance the quality of education for disadvantaged children. The Dani Foundation also lends support to Project Mumbai, a distinctive model of public-private-people partnership that addresses various issues, ranging from health and environment to governance and education, to improve the city of Mumbai. Furthermore, the Dani Foundation serves as the promoter of the ELMS Sports Foundation, which focuses on elevating sports, particularly at the grassroots level, with the aim of helping the country excel in global sporting events and win medals.

• Jalaj Dani’s wife, Vita Dani, is the niece of Indian entrepreneur Dhirubhai Ambani. Her brothers, Hital Meswani and Nikhil Meswani, hold positions on the board of directors at Reliance Industries.

• According to the Shareholding Pattern as of 30 September 2022, he holds 16,00,200 fully paid-up equity shares at Asian Paints. ^[6]Asian Paints