Areez Khambatta

Areez Khambatta was the founder chairman of the Rasna Group, whose soft drink concentrate became a familiar name in Indian homes. He was named for the Padma Shri posthumously in 2023 in the field of trade and industry, from Gujarat ^[1].

Building Rasna

Khambatta was born on 22 September 1937 and graduated in chemistry from Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, in 1959 ^[2]. He later took a course in flavour creation at the University of Minnesota and became one of India’s leading flavourists ^[2].

He launched Rasna in 1978 ^[2]. After much testing of Indian flavours, the concentrate caught on almost at once, and the company later added international flavours that sold well abroad ^[2]. Rasna stayed Indian-owned and relied on raw material sourced within India, which gave work to thousands of farmers, suppliers and young people ^[2].

Service beyond business

For 20 years Khambatta was commandant of the Ahmedabad Home Guards, including during periods of communal riots, and he served as a civil defence officer during wartime ^[2]. He led the Ahmedabad Parsee Panchayat for several years, was vice-president of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India, and founded the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthostis ^[2]. He also lectured on entrepreneurship at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India and at business schools ^[2].

Two trusts he founded supported health, education, women’s welfare and old age homes, mainly in rural areas; during the Covid-19 pandemic they ran vaccination camps and gave oxygen equipment and food to hospitals ^[2]. He received the President’s Home Guard and Civil Defence Medal and the National Citizen’s Award for his work in commerce ^[2].