Maja Daruwala is a well-known Indian advocate and human rights activist and the youngest daughter of the late Indian Army Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
Wiki/Biography
Maja Manekshaw Daruwala was born as Maja on Monday, 24 September 1945 in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu (age 78; as of 2023) ·Maya Manekshaw. Her zodiac sign is Libra. Maja Daruwala attended Lawrence School in Sanawar, India. She later obtained a solicitor’s degree from Lincoln’s Inn, London, and an LLB from the University of London.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′6″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Maja Daruwala belongs to the Parsi family.
Parents and siblings
Her father, Sam Manekshaw, was an Indian field marshal, and her mother, Siru Manekshaw, was a social worker. She has a sister named Sherry Batliwala, a retired corporate employee. Sam Manekshaw died in 2008 and Silloo Manekshaw died in 2001.
Sam Manekshaw with wife Silloo and daughters Maja and Sherry
Photos of Shirley Batliwala
husband and children
Maja Manekshaw’s husband is a pilot named Dhun Daruwala. The couple has two sons named Raoul Sam (American businessman) and Jehan Sam (Mumbai theater artist).
Photo of Maja Daruwala’s husband (left) and son Raoul Sam
Photos of Jehan Sam
Profession
After completing her studies, she worked as a stewardess for British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) (now known as British Airways). From 2009 to 2014, Daruwala served as a trustee of the British charity Oxfam. In September 1996, she was appointed Executive Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).
Maja Daruwala while speaking on Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) News Channel
She is actively involved in numerous charity committees including NAMATI, Records Management Trust International, Chairperson of Multiple Action Research Group (MARG), New Delhi and Public Affairs Center (PAC), Bangalore.
Maja Daruwala launches human rights campaign
Maja Daruwala has lived and worked in different parts of the world, including the UK, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Daruvala then practiced law briefly in the Supreme Court of India before joining the Ford Foundation as a South Asia program officer. There she worked primarily on institutional reform. While serving as a senior advisor to the Tata Trusts, India’s largest philanthropic organization, Daruvala played a crucial role in advocating for civil liberties, gender equality, institutional reform, rule of law, and access to information and justice. She subsequently served as convener and editor-in-chief of the India Justice Report in 2019 and 2020.
Maja Daruwala while presenting the India Judicial Report
Maja Daruwala serves on the boards of the Population Foundation of India, the Media Foundation, and the Center for Social Justice, emphasizing women’s health, reproductive rights, media, and civil liberties. She has contributed to rights-based legal reform globally as chair of the Minority Rights Organization in London and as a board member of the Open Society Justice Institute’s Justice Initiative in New York. She also served as external advisor to the World Bank Group on its governance and anti-corruption strategy.
Facts/Trivia
- In her spare time, Maja Daruwala enjoys writing columns and articles. Several universities regularly invite her to participate in their seminars.
Maja Daruwala was invited to the university seminar
- In recognition of Daruwala’s work, Zerbanoo Gifford named Daruwala one of the 200 most dynamic women in the world.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education