Sanjay Danchand Ghodawat
Founder & Chairman
Sanjay Ghodawat Group (SGG) | Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Janam Bhumi:
Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Dharma Bhumi:
Didwana, Rajasthan
Karma Bhumi:
Jaysingpur, Maharashtra
Mastering the Art of Stimulus, Response, & Growth
The ‘Sanjay’ Factor: “Dream Big, Be Bold, Go Beyond.”
THE MAN
In the gentle rhythm of Maharashtra’s countryside, where temple bells echo with the chirping of sparrows and the scent of fresh jaggery mingles with the monsoon breeze, a boy once walked the dusty lanes of Jaysingpur with wonder in his eyes and grit in his stride. That boy was Sanjay Danchand Ghodawat—the youngest of three sons in a family rooted in values, vision, and understated strength.
Raised in a modest household enriched with warmth and discipline, Sanjay’s early education at Mallu High School shaped his intellect and instincts. But his real life lessons came from the alleys of Jaysingpur, where community, compassion, and cultural pride nurtured his soul. From humble playfields to ambitious boardrooms, his journey has echoed their essence, helping him rise through collaboration, grow through service, and lead with heart.
THE JOURNEY
Great journeys seldom begin in comfort—they emerge from chaos, courage, and conviction. In the 1990s, as India danced with globalisation and deregulation, Sanjay stepped into the entrepreneurial battlefield, armed with zeal and the lessons from the setbacks he had faced. Inspired by great leaders, he draws courage and vision from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and admires Alexander the Great for his boldness and strategic genius.
When his first ventures—in textiles, salt, and marble—were met with resistance and market volatility, Sanjay treated each obstacle as a sign from the universe, nudging him closer to a purpose larger than profit.
The Sanjay Ghodawat Group (SGG) is a diversified conglomerate with operations spanning various high-value business verticals, including aviation, consumer products, education, energy, real estate, and retail. Where others saw fragmented sectors, Sanjay envisioned interconnected impact. His approach blended precision, purpose, and patriotism, channelling local strengths into global solutions.
His clean-green campuses predated Swachh Bharat, reflecting a lifelong devotion to sustainability. Star Air airline advanced the UDAN scheme, linking tier-2 and tier-3 cities to the nation’s heartbeat. The schools and colleges established by Sanjay cultivated not just skills, but also service-oriented leadership. Every venture was guided by a higher calling: to elevate society and empower the next generation.
THE SPIRIT WITHIN
A devout Jain and proud Indian, Sanjay’s vegetarianism is a thread that runs through his lifestyle, leadership, and legacy. From fully vegetarian campuses to India’s first vegetarian airline, his ethos blends personal faith with public practice. His inner compass remains aligned with the timeless ideals of Dharma, compassion, and humility; it also drives his philanthropic work.
Over the past three decades, he has transformed lives through the Sanjay Ghodawat Foundation (SGF) and the Sou. Sushila Danchand Ghodawat Charitable Trust, across rural Maharashtra and Karnataka, through education, healthcare, environment, and disaster relief. Beginning with the establishment of the Shree Gangabai Khivraj Ghodawat Kanya Mahavidyalaya in 1995, his initiatives expanded to supporting the Lions Club Visually Disabled School in Miraj and running the Acharya Shree Tulsi Blood Bank. As part of the pandemic relief efforts, SGF ran a bed-care centre at its educational campus hostels, treating nearly 30,000 patients and distributing over 500,000 food packets. A true patriot, he has also donated to Pulwama martyrs’ families and to drought‑affected farmers.
THE LEGACY
Raised by a mother whose quiet fortitude shaped his compassion, and a father whose steady wisdom anchored his ethics, Sanjay inherited not only values but a vision, where wealth served a purpose greater than accumulation. The sense of purpose he brings to his work and philanthropy is mirrored in his home, where legacy is nurtured just as fiercely.
His wife, Neeta, is his guiding force, supporting his vision from the beginning. Their son, Shrenik, now leads the Sanjay Ghodawat Group, carrying forward the family’s entrepreneurial spirit, while their daughter, Shreya, is a sustainability strategist and a vegan entrepreneur. She also hosts a podcast, ‘Sustainable Tea with Shreya’, dedicated to promoting vegan lifestyle. Humility, purpose, spirituality, and service have been passed down through generations of the Ghodawat family and remain the foundation of everything they do.
This is by design and choice. Sanjay espouses Austrian neurologist Viktor Frankl’s views, “Between the stimulus and the response, there is a space. In that space is the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.”
Sanjay’s responses to life’s many stimuli are his true legacy and an inspiration to everyone who wishes to succeed in life.
MAPPING THE INDIA WITHIN
Bharat: Then and Now
“For me, Bharat isn’t just where I was born—it’s the rhythm of my heart. I’ve seen its evolution from temple towns and dusty playgrounds to vibrant cities and tech corridors. Through every change, I’ve held onto the belief that progress must honour the past while paving the future.”
Bharatiya Values that Travelled
“Wherever I go—be it a summit abroad or a small-town school inauguration—I carry my values with me. Cleanliness, resilience, and compassion aren’t just business principles; they’re my spiritual tools. These Bharatiya ideals have shaped every institution I’ve built and every relationship I’ve nurtured.”
Generations Abroad: A New Bharatiya Identity
“My children embody a new generation of Bharatiya thinkers. They lead with purpose, learn with humility, and carry forward what I treasure most—integrity. The Bharatiya identity, in our family, isn’t nostalgic. It’s a living philosophy that blends tradition with innovation.”
Pride, Progress, and the Spirit Of Bharat
“I believe in a Bharat that shines not just in skyscrapers, but in spirit. Our strength lies in our diversity, in our roots, and in our quiet courage. Progress must be inclusive—an uplifting of every corner, every citizen, every forgotten ambition.”
Dreams for the Youth and Future of Bharat
“My dream for Bharat is bold and beautiful. I want a land where infrastructure empowers, education liberates, and community heals. Where dreams aren’t measured in money, but in meaning. That’s the Bharat I work for, and the future I believe in.”
BACK TO THE FUTURE – IN FIVE MOMENTS
Food Cravings
THEN
When we were growing up, street food was an occasional indulgence.
NOW
I still prefer home-cooked food, but the youth seem more obsessed with eating out.
Sport Spirit
THEN
We would play outdoors, building both stamina and a sense of community.
NOW
A fitness routine that involves using my personal gym every day. But today’s screen-glued generation is losing both health and connection.
Music Tastes
THEN
Nothing beats the golden age of Kishore Kumar, and The Beatles.
NOW
I still enjoy listening to them and have little interest in tech-driven music.
Holiday Life
THEN
Childhood holidays meant big family gatherings and festive bonding.
NOW
Life is fragmented, and travel mostly means commercial trips.
Leisure Habits
THEN
Those were the days of comics, magazines, and mindful reading.
NOW
For me, it’s aviation, watches, and reading—but I do notice a decline in the culture of reading.
AKA
Khivraj Ghodawat Charitable Trust | Sanjay Danchand Ghodawat Founder & Chairman | Founder Sanjay Ghodawat Group | Chairman Sanjay Ghodawat Group | Business Leader Sanjay Ghodawat
