Who is Essel Group Chairman Dr Chandra's role model?

100 Years of Essel Group: Multinational conglomerate Essel Group celebrated its 100th anniversary on Thursday, May 21, marking a century of its journey from a domestic business house to a global enterprise. From a humble beginning in 1926 in a small town named Adampur, to a multi-faceted conglomerate with a diverse presence across a gamut of businesses, Essel Group has created a lasting impression across the world. The company now operates across more than 190 countries.

Speaking at a special town hall organised to commemorate the milestone, Essel Group Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra opened up about the personalities who have inspired him over the years. He said his role models have changed with time, ranging from industrialist Jagannath Goenka to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Elon Musk Among Current Role Models

At present, Elon Musk is my role model, Dr Chandra said, adding "a lot of people call him crazy or difficult to deal with, but the way he is moving ahead, he is definitely going to create newer things."

He further said that his admiration for Musk is not linked to wealth, but to his ability to think differently and stay ahead of others through innovation.

It is not because "he is a trillionaire but he is also very innovative. He thinks way ahead of other people and that attracts me towards him," Dr Chandra said.

Also Read: Businesses, Financials and Emotions: Dr Chandra reflects on Essel Group's 100-year journey

A Century of Growth and Transformation

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Subhash Chandra, the visionary founder of the media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), was born in Hisar, Haryana, in 1950. From a young age, he had a keen interest in business and an unwavering desire to succeed. His vision and business acumen have played a key role in shaping India's media landscape.

Also Read: 100 Years of Essel Group: How a start-up mindset powered a century of growth and reinvention

Essel Group’s Journey of Innovation

Commemorating the special occasion, Dr Chandra said, "Essel Group's journey has been one of persistence, resilience, innovation and growth. Our belief that progress must create value for the society and Nation at large has guided the pioneering steps undertaken by the Group across every business dimension. Me and my brothers are extremely proud to mark this momentous milestone of 100 years that has been built by generations of vision and courage to venture into the unknown and truly leave an imprint of a century across every industry."

"Essel Group's journey has evolved alongside our Nation, and I am proud to note that together, we have unlocked economic value and enabled social transformation to drive national progress," he added.

Also Read: Next 100 Years of Essel Group: Conglomerate betting big on digital future, plans to keep attention economy in spotlight

Diversified Presence Across Industries

Over the last century, the group diversified into multiple business sectors, including packaging, home entertainment, amusement park, news, content distribution, infrastructure, real estate, education, technology, lifestyle and more, positively impacting the lives of billions of people across 190+ countries.