Adi Godrej (born 3 April 1942) is an Indian industrialist who headed the Godrej Group, one of India’s oldest business houses, for more than two decades. He joined the family firm in 1963, brought modern management to a business known for locks, soaps and steel cupboards, and after 1991 built Godrej Consumer Products into a multinational with brands across Asia, Africa and Latin America. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Adi Burjorji Godrej |
| Born | 3 April 1942, Bombay (now Mumbai), India |
| Age | 84 |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Known for | Chairman emeritus, Godrej Group |
| Education | St. Xavier’s High School, Mumbai; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., M.S. Management) |
| Spouse | Parmeshwar Godrej (d. 2016) |
| Children | 3 (Tanya Dubash, Nisaba Godrej and Pirojsha Godrej) |
| Honour | Padma Bhushan (2013) |
Early Life
Godrej belongs to a Parsi family. The business was begun in 1897 by Ardeshir Godrej, a lawyer who started making locks, and built up by his brother Pirojsha, Adi’s grandfather; in 1918 the firm made one of the first soaps from vegetable oil rather than animal fat, which mattered in the Swadeshi era. Adi left for the United States at seventeen and studied management at MIT.
Career
He returned in 1963 and joined the soaps business. He introduced professional managers alongside family members, cost and process controls and new product lines. Godrej became a leading maker of hair dye, soaps, household insecticides, refrigerators and animal feed, and moved into property on the family’s large landholding at Vikhroli in Mumbai.
When the economy opened he ended joint ventures with Procter & Gamble and others and chose to compete directly. From 2005 Godrej Consumer Products bought companies in Britain, South Africa, Indonesia, Argentina, Nigeria and elsewhere, following a “3 by 3” plan of three categories on three continents. Godrej Properties and Godrej Agrovet were listed on the stock market.
He was president of the Confederation of Indian Industry in 2012–13 and chairman of the Indian School of Business.
He handed over as chairman of Godrej Industries to his brother Nadir in 2021; his daughter Nisaba chairs Godrej Consumer Products and his son Pirojsha leads the property business. In 2024 the family agreed to divide the group: Adi and Nadir kept the listed companies, and their cousins Jamshyd and Smita took the unlisted Godrej & Boyce.
Personal Life
His wife, Parmeshwar, a well-known socialite and campaigner on AIDS, died in 2016. He is a keen sportsman who took up water-skiing and horse riding.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Adi Godrej born?
Adi Godrej was born on 3 April 1942 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India and is 84 years old.
What is Adi Godrej known for?
Known for: Chairman emeritus, Godrej Group.
Featured image: Adi Godrej (left), then president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid at an energy security conference, New Delhi. Photo by Ministry of External Affairs, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
