Jayadev Galla takes over as Amara Raja group chairman

Tirupati: After founding and nurturing the

Amara Raja

group for over three decades, group chairman Ramachandra N Galla finally called it a day on Friday and handed over the baton to his son Jayadev Galla. The formal transition on the board will, however, take place on Saturday.

The decision on his retirement was taken at the company’s board meeting in June this year, when Galla announced that he would be handing over the reins to vice-chairman Jayadev Galla and that his daughter’s sons Harshavardhana Gourineni and Vikramadithya Gourineni would join the board as executive directors.

The US-based entrepreneur, who returned to India in 1984 to help develop his native Chittoor district, set up his first factory to manufacture industrial batteries at Karakambadi.

Recalling those days, he said the first investment of Rs 6 crore made by the Gallas in the eighties had now grown to Rs 6,000 crore today. Also, starting from a paltry production of 60 million Ah (amp hours) in the first year, it has grown to 2500 million Ah today, he said.

“The automotive battery plant started in 2000 is among the biggest such plants in the world today,” the outgoing chairman said.

While refusing to be drawn into a conversation on pollution-related issues, the senior Galla said the company had always adhered to the highest standards, be it the environment, human resources and working atmosphere to deliver the best in terms of product, service and quality of life.

The new chairman Jayadev Galla said after having made strides in industrial, automobile and tubular batteries (used for home inverters), the group has now added mobility as another core area of focus coupled with energy.

“With enhanced focus on energy and mobility, we are working towards rolling out electric-powered vehicles in various formats,” he said.


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