Ramesh Chauhan on Founder Exits

Firstpost reports that the 82-year-old Ramesh Chauhan was in 2022 in the process of divesting Bisleri International to Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) for an estimated Rs 6,000-7,000 crore. After owning the brand for more than 50 years — having bought it back in 1969 for Rs 4 lakh — the deal represented a near-complete exit from the category Chauhan had built.

Chauhan told the Economic Times his reasons for the sale were poor health and the lack of a successor. His daughter Jayanti, although active at Bisleri for years and credited with restructuring HR, sales and marketing at the Delhi and Mumbai offices and modernizing factory automation, had decided not to take over the business. Her refusal sent shock waves through corporate India and left Chauhan with no family successor —.

Chauhan is quoted saying the sale decision was 'painful' but he chose Tata Consumer because they would 'nurture and take care of it even better'. He added that since he had no intention of running the company he would not keep a minority stake, choosing instead to invest the proceeds in environmental and charitable causes.