Godrej family splits 127-year-old group: Check out who gets what
The group has been split between two branches of the founding family, with Adi Godrej (82) and his brother Nadir (73) on one side and their cousins Jamshyd Godrej (75) and Smita Godrej Crishna (74) on the other, according to a statement issued by the group.
FollowThe founding family of the 127-year-old Godrej Group, which includes soaps, home appliances, and real estate, has agreed to split the conglomerate, with Adi Godrej and his brother Nadir keeping Godrej Industries, which has five listed companies, and cousins Jamshyd and Smita getting unlisted Godrej & Boyce and its affiliates, as well as a land bank, including prime property in Mumbai.
According to the organization's statement, the group has been divided into two branches of the founding family, with Adi Godrej (82) and his brother Nadir (73) on one side and their cousins Jamshyd Godrej (75) and Smita Godrej Crishna (74) on the other side.
Jamshyd Godrej will serve as chairman and managing director of Godrej Enterprises Group, which includes Godrej & Boyce and its affiliates with operations in areas ranging from aerospace and aviation to defense, furniture, and information technology software. His sister Smita's 42-year-old daughter, Nyrika Holkar, will serve as executive director. Their families would have authority over this arm, which will also own the land bank, which includes 3,400 acres of prime Mumbai property.
The Godrej Industries Group, which comprises the listed firms Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet, and Astec Lifesciences, will be chaired by Nadir Godrej and controlled by Adi, Nadir, and their immediate families.
Pirojsha Godrej, Adi's 42-year-old son, will serve as GIG's executive vice chairperson and follow Nadir as chairwoman in August 2026, according to the announcement. In the announcement, the Godrej family described the separation as "an ownership realignment" of shareholdings in the Godrej enterprises.
Lawyer-turned-serial entrepreneur Ardeshir Godrej and his brother in 1897 succeeded at locksmithing after failed ventures into hand-fashioned medical devices. Ardeshir did not have any children, and so the group was inherited by his younger brother Pirojsha. Pirojsha had four children – Sohrab, Dosa, Burjor and Naval.
To enable the split, the two sides quit the boards of companies in rival camps. So, Adi and Nadir Godrej resigned from the Godrej & Boyce Board, while Jamshyd Godrej left his seat on the boards of GCPL and Godrej Properties.
Real estate worth crores of rupees, largely in excellent land in Mumbai suburbs, will remain with Godrej & Boyce (G&B), and a separate agreement will be drafted to manage ownership rights. It has 3,400 acres of property in Mumbai, including a 3,000-acre tract in Vikhroli, Mumbai. Some estimates place the Vikhroli land's development potential at well beyond Rs 1 lakh crore. It has the potential to develop 1,000 acres, with around 1,750 acres covered in mangroves and serving as a habitat for rare flora and birds.
The Godrej Industries Group (GIG), which comprises the listed firms Godrej Industries, Godrej Consumer Products, Godrej Properties, Godrej Agrovet, and Astec Lifesciences, will be chaired by Nadir Godrej and controlled by Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej, and their immediate families.
“Pirojsha Godrej will be the Executive Vice Chairperson of GIG and will succeed Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson in August 2026,” it said.
