Parimal Nathwani, considered a key figure in Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries- India's most-valued domestic firm- is known to be a close confidante of the Ambani family, and a protege of legendary industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of Reliance.

Who is Parimal Nathwani?

Born on February 1, 1956 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Parimal Nathwani has a bachelor's degree from the University of Mumbai and later earned his doctorate in management from the National Institute of Management in 2006.

Nathwani's political journey started in 2008 when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand as an independent candidate, and later re-elected in 2014. In 2020, the industrialist was elected to the Upper House for a third term on a YSR Congress Party ticket.

How a meeting with Dhirubhai Ambani changed Nathwani's life?

In his brief biography posted on his website, Parimal Nathwani narrates how his first meeting Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani and Mukesh Ambani in 1995 completely changed the course of his life.

Nathwani recalls that before his meeting the Ambanis, he had suffered through failures at the stock market and a disastrous soap agency venture, but Dhirubhai took the embattled entrepreneur under his wing and offered him a fresh start by handing him the responsibility to acquire land for Reliance's largest greenfield refinery at Moti Khavdi in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

The task required delicate negotiation and public skills, but Parimal proved more than capable as he successfully negotiated a peaceful land acquisition of nearly 10,000 acres from local farmers.

"Acquiring 10,000 acres of land with farmers' consent seemed impossible, nevertheless, I pursued. On the one hand, Reliance was required to build infrastructural and ancillary facilities. On the other hand the land had to be acquired before the prices escalated sensing the presence of corporate giant-Reliance. Our efforts paid dividends and we could acquire 10,000 acres along with 400 properties on ownership basis and 1,200 properties on lease," Nathwani recalls.

Parimal Nathwani's relationship with Dhirubhai Ambani and Mukesh Ambani

Parimal Nathwani has often described Dhirubhai Ambani as his mentor and role-model, who taught him vital life lessons including time management, commitment, and self-belief.

Nathwani is recognized as one of the closest confidants of the Ambani family and a key behind the scenes figure in Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), where he serves under Mukesh Ambani as the conglomerate's Director of Corporate Affairs.

Parimal's impressive success in land acquisition for Reliance's Jamnagar refinery opened up more responsibilities for him within the company, and eventually he became a key top management figure, and essentially the face of Reliance in Gujarat.

Apart from his role at Reliance, Parimal Nathwani has served as the resident of Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA), and held positions on the Nathdwara Temple Board and Gujarat's Governor's Social Welfare Fund Board.

Why Nathwani's return to Jharkhand politics is interesting?

Parimal Nathwani started his political career from Jharkhand, winning two successive terms to the Rajya Sabha from the state. Nathwani's extensive experience in the complex mathematics and political management of Rajya Sabha elections is considered to be in his favor.

The history of Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand has always been marked with fears of cross-voting and horse-trading, and is expected to test the unity of the INDIA alliance this time around.

As many as five candidates, including JMM's Baidyanath Ram, Congress's Pranav Jha, Parimal Nathwani and BJP leader Gaurav Vallabh, purchased nomination forms on Saturday, and the contest will become interesting if both Nathwani and Vallabh enter the fray.

In the Jharkhand Assembly, the INDIA bloc has 56 members, comprising 34 from the JMM, 16 from the Congress, four from the RJD and two from CPI(ML) Liberation. The NDA has 24 MLAs - 21 from the BJP and one each from the LJP (Ram Vilas), AJSU Party and JD(U). Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha has one MLA.