Sanjiv Goenka (born 29 January 1961) is an Indian industrialist and the chairman of the Kolkata-based RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, whose businesses include the power utility CESC, the music label Saregama, the retailer Spencer’s and the outsourcing firm Firstsource. He is also the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants cricket team and the principal owner of the football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Sanjiv Goenka |
| Born | 29 January 1961, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India |
| Age | 65 |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Known for | Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group; owner, Lucknow Super Giants |
| Education | St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata (B.Com., 1981) |
| Father | Rama Prasad Goenka |
| Spouse | Preeti Goenka |
| Children | 2 (Shashwat and Avarna) |
Early Life
Goenka is the younger son of R. P. Goenka, who was called India’s “takeover king” for the string of companies he bought in the 1980s, among them CEAT tyres, the Gramophone Company of India and the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation. Sanjiv joined the family’s RPG Enterprises after graduating.
Career
The businesses were divided between the two brothers around 2010, with Harsh Goenka keeping the RPG name and Sanjiv forming the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group in 2011. CESC, which has supplied Kolkata’s electricity since 1899, is its largest company; he turned it around and added power plants and distribution franchises in other states. The group also owns the carbon black maker PCBL and packaged-food and ayurveda businesses. Saregama, which holds one of India’s largest catalogues of old film music, found a new market with the Carvaan music player.
His company owned the Rising Pune Supergiant IPL team in 2016 and 2017, reaching the final in the second year. In October 2021 it bid 7,090 crore rupees for the new Lucknow franchise, the highest price paid for an IPL team at the time. A video of him speaking sharply to captain KL Rahul after a heavy defeat in May 2024 was widely criticised; Rishabh Pant was bought as captain for a record 27 crore rupees that November. In football, his club merged with Mohun Bagan in 2020, and the team has won the Indian Super League. The group also owns teams in South Africa’s and England’s franchise cricket leagues.
He was the youngest president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, in 2001–02, and has chaired the board of IIT Kharagpur.
Personal Life
He is married to Preeti Goenka. Their son, Shashwat, is vice-chairman of the group and leads the retail and consumer businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Sanjiv Goenka born?
Sanjiv Goenka was born on 29 January 1961 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India and is 65 years old.
What is Sanjiv Goenka known for?
Known for: Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group; owner, Lucknow Super Giants.
Featured image: Sanjiv Goenka speaks at the St. Gallen Symposium, Switzerland, 2010. Photo by St. Gallen Symposium, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
