Sajjan Jindal is an Indian industrialist. He is the chairman and managing director of JSW (Jindal South West) Group. Sajjan Jindal’s group of companies focuses on the production of steel, mining, energy, sports, infrastructure, and software among others. In 2014, Sajjan Jindal won the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.
Wiki/Biography
Sajjan Jindal was born on Saturday, 5 December 1959 (age 64 years; as of 2023) in Hisar, Haryana, India. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Sajjan Jindal attended a boarding school in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. Sajjan did his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the Ramaiah Institute of Technology (formerly known as M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology) in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Sajjan is also an alumnus of Bangalore University in Bangalore, Karnataka.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 11″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Religion
Sajjan Jindal follows Hinduism.
Sajjan and Sangita Jindal offering their prayers at a temple
Family
Parents & Siblings
Sajjan Jindal’s father, the Late Om Prakash Jindal was a businessman and chairman of the Jindal Organisation. O. P. Jindal served as the Minister of Power to the Government of Haryana in 2005. O. P. Jindal passed away on 31 March 2005 in a helicopter crash. Sajjan Jindal’s mother, Savitri Devi Jindal is a businesswoman and politician in the Indian National Congress. Savitri took over as chairperson of the Jindal Organisation after the death of her husband. In 2016, Savitri was named the richest woman in India.
Savitri Jindal, mother of Sajjan Jindal, sitting next to a picture of her late husband Om Prakash Jindal
Sajjan Jindal has eight siblings. Naveen Jindal is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, chancellor of O. P. Jindal Global University, and an industrialist. Prithviraj Jindal is the non-executive chairman of Jindal SAW Limited. Ratan Jindal is the chairman of Jindal Stainless Limited. Seema Jindal Jajodia is a health coach and the owner of Nourish Organics. Sajjan’s other siblings include Sarika Jhunjhunwala, Urmila Bhuwalka, and Nirmala Goel.
Sajjan Jindal (extreme right) with his father, Om Prakash Jindal (centre, sitting) and his brothers
Sajjan Jindal (fourth from right) with all of his siblings
Wife & Children
Sajjan Jindal is married to Sangita Jindal. Sangita is a businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the chairperson of the JSW Foundation. The couple got married in 1984 and had two daughters and a son. Their son, Parth Jindal is a businessman and philanthropist. He works for the JSW Group. Tarini Jindal Hunda has run Muse Boutique, a designer fashion store, and is the managing director of JSW Realty. Tanvi Jindal Shete has worked as the director of the JSW Foundation and the managing trustee of the Jindal Education Trust among other roles.
Sajjan Jindal with Sangita Jindal
Sajjan Jindal’s children, Parth Jindal (centre), Tarini Jindal Handa (left) and Tanvi Jindal Shete (right)
Career
Sajjan Jindal, who is chairman and managing director of the JSW Group, started his career in 1982, Sajjan Jindal when he joined the OP Jindal Group after graduating as a mechanical engineer from Bengaluru. Within a year, he moved to Mumbai to oversee operations in the western region. In 1983–1984 Sajjan Jindal’s father, Om Prakash Jindal, asked him to rebuild operations at two facilities near Mumbai. Sajjan Jindal stated that this venture helped him with learning leadership skills. In 1989, Sajjan Jindal promoted Jindal Iron and Steel Company Limited (JISCO) and focused on making cold-rolled and galvanized sheet products. In 1995, Sajjan Jindal combined the manufacturing progress by promoting Jindal Vijaynagar Steel Limited (JVSL), JSW Energy Limited (JSWEL), Jindal Praxair Oxygen Limited (JPOCL), and Vijaynagar Minerals Private Limited (VMPL). 2005 marked the the formation of JSW Steel, which Sajjan did by consolidating Jindal’s steel companies, JISCO, and JVSL. Before he died in 2005, his father O. P. Jindal had devised a “division of business” framework. This involved giving equal shares of the existing Jindal Group to his children: Prithviraj, Sajjan, Ratan, and Naveen Jindal.
Sajjan Jindal (extreme right) with his father, Om Prakash Jindal (centre, sitting) and his brothers
Additionally, O. P. Jindal ensured cross-holdings in the individual businesses owned by each of his sons, fostering a collaborative and interlinked structure. In 2008, Sajjan Jindal assumed the presidency of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) during its 87th annual general meeting. His involvement extended to civil society organizations. In 2014, Sajjan Jindal played an important role in the formation of the Indian Steel Association. Sajjan has served as a member of the Advisory Committee for TERI School of Advanced Studies, a council member for the Indian Institute of Metals and Krea University, and a board member for the Indian Institute of Management Indore. Sajjan Jindal was the chairman of the World Steel Association from 2021-22. In 2023, Sajjan Jindal was nominated as the chairperson of the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati.
Controversies
Illicit Ore Mining Case
Officials from JSW Steel, including Chairman Sajjan Jindal and CEO Vinod Nowal, were accused by India’s federal police agency in a case related to illicit iron ore mining in Karnataka.
Sajjan Jindal (left) with Vinod Nowal
This development was due to an order from the Supreme Court in 2012, where the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was instructed to investigate JSW and other companies for alleged involvement in making donations, purchasing land at inflated prices, and offering bribes to state officials. The list of accused individuals also included former Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediurappa and his family members. The Supreme Court’s interim ban on mining in Karnataka, citing irregularities in certain mines, had impacted production at JSW Steel’s key 10-million-tonnes-per-year Vijayanagar plant. JSW Steel put out a statement on the matter,
The conclusions drawn by the said authorities leading to the charge-sheet are without basis. The company always abides by law of the country and would present its case before the court. The Company has full faith in the judiciary that justice will be done.”
In 2016, a special CBI court acquitted Sajjan Jindal and others involved in the case.
Visa Violation
Sajjan Jindal allegedly violated the terms of his visa during a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Murree, a hill station near Islamabad, apparently to avoid media attention. Reports from Pakistani media suggest that Jindal’s visa, numbered 769903 and issued on 25 April 2017, permitted visits only to Islamabad and Lahore, as per the visa regime between India and Pakistan. The meeting occurred while there was high tension between India and Pakistan over the death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistan military court. Indian officials, however, did not make any comment. Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam, confirmed the meeting at her father’s private residence in Murree, but she downplayed its relevance, describing Jindal as an old friend of the Prime Minister, and that the meeting was one between two old friends.
Sajjan Jindal (extreme right) with Nawaz Sharif (extreme left)
Uttaravilli Bhaskara Rao vs Sajjan Jindal on 21 July 2022
Uttaravilli Bhaskara Rao (the petitioner), who used to be the junior manager at Sajjan Jindal’s company, JSW Steel Limited, was issued an order stating that his employment was being terminated. Uttaravilli approached the Karnataka High Court to seek relief in the form of reinstatement, promotion with back wages, full benefits, police protection, cancellation of an illegal inquiry, compensation, and a CBI investigation, against the Vice President of JSW Steel Limited (a private company and respondent of the case). Uttaravalli claimed to have information of harm, illegal activities, and constitutional violations by those working at JSW Steel Limited and requested police protection and CBI investigations. Uttaravilli remained absent during the next hearings. The Court instructed Uttaravilli to provide reasoning regarding maintainability under Article 226 of the Constitution (powers of the High Court to order issues or writs). The Court concluded that private employment contracts fall under contractual obligations, and Article 226 is not maintainable for such cases. The court mentioned that the petitioner failed to satisfy the court regarding maintainability. Despite several hearing dates, Uttaravilli did not appear to argue for maintainability. The court expressed concern over the petition’s extended duration, spanning a decade. Finally, the court found that the petition was not maintainable under Article 226, as the respondent company is a private entity without government control. The court dismissed the petition, allowing the petitioner to pursue appropriate remedies through the appropriate forum if desired.
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Sajjan Jindal won the Willy Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award, for contributions made to the steel industry, in June 2009.
- Sajjan Jindal was awarded the National Metallurgist Award: Industry from the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, 2014.
- Sajjan Jindal received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar from former President Pranab Mukherjee at the National Sports and Adventure Awards function in 2014.
- Sajjan Jindal was awarded the Parmarth Seva Ratna Award for his community service through the JSW Foundation in 2016.
Sajjan Jindal being presented with the Parmarth Seva Ratna Award
- Sajjan Jindal won the IIM (Indian Institute of Metals) – J. R. D. Tata Award for Excellence in Corporate Leadership in Metallurgical Industry in 2017.
- Sajjan Jindal was named CEO of the Year award by Business Standard in 2018.
- Sajjan Jindal won the Best CEO award from Business Today Magazine in 2019.
- Sajjan Jindal won the Outstanding Business Leader of the Year Award at the CNBC IBLA (India Business Leader Awards) in 2019.
- Sajjan Jindal was honoured as Businessman of the Year at the Maharashtrian of the Year Awards, 2020.
Sajjan Jindal with his Businessman of the Year award at the Maharashtrian of the Year Awards
- Sajjan Jindal won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2022.
Sajjan Jindal (left) with the 2022 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Car Collection
Sajjan Jindal drives an Audi Electric car.
Salary
As of 2022, Sajjan Jindal makes a salary of Rs 134.80 crore.
Facts/Trivia
- Sajjan Jindal is referred to as India’s Man of Steel.
- Sajjan Jindal is very focused on his fitness and health. He works out every single morning. Sajjan Jindal has ensured that his steel plants have every sports facility.
Sajjan Jindal at the gym
- In 2017, the Jindal family was named Asia’s richest family, and their net worth was calculated to be 7.68 billion dollars.
- In an interview, Sajjan Jindal stated that he is passionate about cars and aims to build an electric car in India. Further, he said,
I’m very passionate about cars, and that’s been my childhood passion. I’ve been really wanting to build a car project for a long time. I think now is the time to build a very high-quality car in India which could be similar to a Tesla. That’s what I’m really working on. We are still in our early days. Idea is to make a car from India that will be for India but will be for a global market as well. So, we would want the car to be made in the country for Indians but also such a technology that should sell in Europe and Japan as well.”
- Sajjan Jindal states that he was very interested in sports from a young age. Sajjan Jindal regularly played squash. His son, Parth Jindal, jokingly stated that Sajjan Jindal quit playing squash once Parth started beating him at the game. Sajjan founded the Jindal Squash Academy at Vasind, Maharashtra. In an interview, Sajjan said,
I grew up playing everything, as Hisar had cricket grounds, badminton, squash and tennis courts. At boarding school in Mussoorie, we played hockey and football. Plus, we had courts in our factories, where everybody could come and play. So, not just me, the whole of Hisar was into sports…But I picked up squash because it’s a quick stress-buster, you build stamina and, in 45 minutes flat, you’re done, and refreshed.”
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education