Ashok joined the Board of Directors in 1997. Currently the Chairman of Firstchoice Solutions and the media house ABP Pvt Ltd, Ashok has contributed to many leading companies over his distinguished career.  Ashok is also a member of Parliament.

Ashok received his BS in Chemistry from Jai Hind College, Mumbai, and his Masters and PhD from the University of Illinois, USA.

Over the course of his career, Ashok has held senior positions with Hindustan Lever, ICI India, British Airways, Wipro, Tata AIG Life Insurance Co, Hemogenomics, and Firstsource Solutions.  He also advises the Microsoft Corporation’s operations in India, the Blackstone Group, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.  He has also served on several government committees, including the Science Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister, the Investment Commission, and the National Knowledge Commission to the Prime Minister, among others.

Ashok’s immense contributions have been recognized with many awards over the years. To name a few, he received the Padma Bhushan award for distinguished service to the nation in his field in 1988; two awards for outstanding alumnus achievement from the University of Illinois; the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) from the UK in 2006; the Economic Times Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008; and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor, in 2009.

When he has time to spare, Ashok can often be found on the golf course, and he enjoys listening to both Indian and Western classical music. 

He lives in Mumbai with his wife. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.