Early Life and Education
Anu Aga was born on August 3, 1942, in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a Parsi Zoroastrian family. She graduated with a B.A. in Economics from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, and went on to earn a post-graduate degree in medical and psychiatric social work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Her academic journey included a Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed her to study in the United States for four months.
Rise to Success
Anu's career took a significant turn in 1985 when she joined Thermax, an energy and environment engineering business, initially working in human resources from 1991 to 1996. After the death of her husband, Rohinton Aga, she took over as Chairperson of Thermax in 1996. Under her leadership, Thermax saw substantial growth. She retired from the role in 2004, handing over the reins to her daughter, Meher Pudumjee.
Key Business Strategies
Anu Aga's leadership at Thermax was marked by a focus on corporate governance and social responsibility. She emphasized research and development, encouraging innovation within the organization, which helped Thermax become a leader in the energy sector. She was instrumental in transforming the company into a global player in energy and environmental projects.
Philanthropy
Post her tenure at Thermax, Anu Aga has been deeply involved in social work, particularly in education. She co-founded Teach For India in 2008, an organization that recruits young people to teach in schools for low-income kids. Additionally, she has been actively involved with Akanksha, a non-governmental organization that supports the educational needs of children from underprivileged communities. She is also the Chairperson of Teach For India.