Son Of The Soil

The third generation of late Bhavarlal Jain’s family is shaping the vision of the founder of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. Meet Athang Jain, the 25-year-old scion of the family, who has stepped in to head the company’s new subsidiary food division.

- Meera Acharekar

ATHANG JAIN WAS INTRODUCED TO THE world of business quite early in life. Those years were spent around his grandfather, the late Bhavarlal Jain, who was the founder-chairman of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. He says, “As a child, I would accompany my grandfather on his morning walks around the 100-acre research and development farms in Jalgaon, while he discussed the philosophy behind his business.” The values he imparted remain deeply instilled in the young scion, who at the age of 25 is heading Jain FarmFresh Foods, a subsidiary of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd.

Growing-up years

Jain’s ancestors hail from the town of Agoloi in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Severe drought conditions forced them to move to Vakod in Maharashtra, where they began to earn their livelihood through farming and trading. Athang’s grandfather, Bhavarlal Jain, later shifted to Jalgaon to start Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd, which initially manufactured PVC pipes. Today, it is a diversified entity with a turnover in excess of one billion dollars. Over time, his sons and grandson have joined the family business, taking it to new heights.

Athang Jain studied in Jalgaon till class seven. He completed his schooling from Rishi Valley High School in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The educational institute gave students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities and encouraged them to become conscientious citizens of India. After school, the youngster’s interest in economics and statistics led him to pursue an undergraduate degree at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. He proceeded to the renowned London School of Economics, where he completed his postgraduate studies in management and strategy.