Jagdish Narain Sapru the grandson of eminent lawyer, political, and social leader Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru, was the former chairman of ITC Limited, BOC

BOC

BOC may refer toBanks:* Bank of Canada, Canada's central bank* Bank of China, a major state-owned bank in the People's Republic of China* Bank of Ceylon, a major government-owned commercial bank* Bank of Cyprus, a major cypriot financial institution...

 India, DIC India (Formerly Coates of India), Nicco Park

Nicco park

Nicco park is an amusement park in Salt Lake City, Kolkata.This park has a variety of fascinating and interesting rides including Asia's largest wooden roller coaster. Other notable rides include Kolkata's longest cable car ride and India's first "4D" movie experience...

, and the Indian Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of commerce

A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...

. He was also the president of the Tollygunge Club

Tollygunge Club

The Tollygunge Club, popularly called the Tolly, is a country club with, among other facilities, a 18-hole course located in Tollygunge in South Kolkata. The course has a yardage of 6520/5686 and Par: 71....

, a prestigious golf club in Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

. Sapru was voted as one of the 'CEOs who Rock' by Asia Africa Intelligence Wire in 2003 and was also an honorary fellow of the All India Management Association.

Early life

Jagdish Narain Sapru was born on November 16, 1933 in Allahabad

Allahabad

Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...

 (in the India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

) to a Kashmiri

Kashmiri people

The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...

 Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 family. He was educated at the Allahabad University

Allahabad University

Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...

 where he achieved an M.A.

Master of Arts (postgraduate)

A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

 in Economics

Economics

Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...

.

ITC

Sapru joined ITC as a 'sales pupil' in 1955. In the mid '60s, he was posted in Calcutta (now Kolkatta), and eventually made his permanent home there. He joined the board in 1974, and became chairman in 1983, succeeding Ajit Narain Haksar. In his tenure as chairman, Sapru was responsible for ITC diversifying into the agriculture sector. He retired from ITC in 1991.

Family life

Sapru is survived by his wife Gita, two sons, Nirukt and Rakesh, daughters-in-law Abha and Sonya, and three grandchildren Abhirukt, Mihika and Sarojini. He was a keen golfer and cricketer.