Former chair of The Times Group and Philanthropist
NAME – Indu Jain
PROFESSION– Indian media executive and philanthropist
BORN – 8/09/1936
PLACE OF BIRTH – Faridabad, Uttar Pradesh
FATHER’S NAME – N/A
MOTHER’S NAME –N/A
SPOUSE – Late Ashok Kumar Jain
SIBLINGS – N/A
CHILDREN -3
EDUCATION –N/A
AWARDS – Indu Jain was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2016. She has received the Lifetime Achievement award “for translating excellence in corporate governance into reality” by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
She also received a Lifetime Contribution to Media award from the All India Management Association in 2018 for excellence in leadership and nation building. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indian Congress of Women.
BACKGROUND –
Indu Jain was an Indian media Executive and philanthropist. She was the chairperson of The Times Group, which is India’s largest media group. She was actively involved in philanthropy all her life and did lot of work in development and disaster relief. She was a supporter of women’s rights.
She belonged to the Sahu Jain family and was the widow of Late Ashok Kumar Jain. Following her husband’s death in 1999, she became the chair of The Times Group (formally named Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd). She also wrote spiritual columns for them. She was estimated to be the richest woman in Asia in 2007. Forbes also ranked her as the 317th richest person in the world. She had a net worth of $2.6 Billion before she died.
She has also founded The Times Foundation, which runs Community Services, Times Relief Fund for relief from natural disasters and epidemics. She was also a founder and president of the ladies’ wing of FICCI (FLO). She has authored and published two-volumes of the ‘Encyclopedia of Indian Saints and Sages.’
She died in 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. As a philanthropist she wanted to donate her organs but the covid complications made it difficult.
MAJOR INITIATIVES-
Indu Jain set up The Times Foundation for the Sustainable development and Transformation. She also founded The Times Foundation, which runs Community Services, Times Relief Fund for relief from natural disasters and epidemic and did commendable work in the area.
She was also a founder and president of the ladies’ wing of FICCI (FLO).
She addressed the Millennium Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations.
She also inspired the Oneness Forum, launched in 2003 to promote unity in the world.
RTI– N/A
ACTIVISM TIMELINE –
1999- After her husband’s death, Indu Jain became the chair of The Times Group
1999- She chaired the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust, which is a literary organization founded by her father-in-law in 1994.
2000 She founded The Times Foundation and chaired it, which ran Community Services, Relief Fund for relief from natural disasters etc.
2000- Indu Jain set up the The Times Foundation for the Sustainable development and Transformation
2006- Indu Jain was reported to have a net worth of $2.4 billion and was the 317th-richest person in the world by Forbes.
2006- Indu Jain filed charges against Forbes magazine for breach of privacy.
2012-She authored and publishing an Encyclopedia of Indian Saints and Sages
2017- She became the founder and president of the ladies’ wing of FICCI (FLO)
2016- Indu Jain was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
2018- She received the Lifetime Contribution to Media award from the All India Management Association.
2019- She published the second volume of the Encyclopedia of Indian Saints.
2019- She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India for “translating excellence in corporate governance into reality”
13 May 2021- She died from COVID-19
ARREST/DETENTION– N/A
CONTROVERSIES/CASES –
Indu Jain v. Forbes Incorporated, 2007-
In this case Indu Jain filed a complaint with the courts to stop Forbes magazine from featuring her family in List of Indian Billionaires. She filed for an injunction on the grounds that it breached her Right to privacy. She did not want her wealth and put bit in public domain.
The Court rejected her petition and ruled against her allowing the publication on the grounds that she is a public figure and such articles have been published on public figures previously. The Freedom of Press was upheld in this case stating no infringement on Indu Jain’s Right to Privacy.