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Anu Aga Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth3 August 1942

Age82 Years

BirthplaceMatunga, Mumbai

ProfessionEntrepreneur

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidow

SpouseRohinton Dhunjishaw Aga

FamilyDaughter Meher Pudumjee; son Kurush (deceased)

Anu Aga Biography

Anu Aga is an Indian entrepreneur, former chairperson of Thermax, social worker and education philanthropist. Widowed after her husband Rohinton Aga's 1996

Early life and background

Arnavaz Rohinton Aga, known as Anu Aga, was born on 3 August 1942 in Matunga, Mumbai. She grew up in a Parsi family and completed a B.A. in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, followed by postgraduate studies in medical and psychiatric social work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Her early years included work at a Child Guidance Clinic before marriage and family life.

Career

Anu Aga became closely connected to the company founded by her father, which evolved from Wanson India into Thermax. The business originally supplied hospital equipment and later expanded into boiler manufacturing and broader energy and environment engineering. After her father retired, her husband Rohinton Aga took leadership of the firm; Anu joined the company’s human resources function and built experience in people management as Thermax grew.

Following Rohinton Aga’s death in 1996, the Thermax board selected Anu to lead the company. She moved from HR into the chairperson’s role at a time when Thermax faced heavy financial and operational challenges after going public in 1995 and coping with a sharp downturn in share value. She engaged external consultants and led a restructuring program that included changes to the board, refocusing the business on core activities, pruning nonessential investments and staff reductions where necessary. Under her stewardship Thermax recovered and grew; she retired as chairperson in 2004 and passed leadership to her daughter, Meher Pudumjee.

Public profile

Anu Aga has been recognized for both business leadership and social contribution. Her awards include the Padma Shri in 2010 for social work, and multiple honors for leadership and philanthropy from industry and educational institutions. After retiring from Thermax she dedicated much of her time and resources to education-focused philanthropy. She has been closely associated with organizations such as Akanksha and Teach For India, and played a role in the Thermax Social Initiative Foundation, which supports government primary schools and outreach to underprivileged children.

Throughout her public life she has spoken about learning on the job, hiring skills when necessary and demonstrating the wisdom required of leaders. Her approach to difficult decisions during the company’s turnaround—consulting outside advisers and reconstituting the board—was noted as central to the recovery process.

Personal life and outlook

Anu married Rohinton Dhunjishaw Aga on 3 May 1965. The couple had two children: Meher, who later became chairperson of Thermax, and a son, Kurush, who died in a car accident. Rohinton Aga died in 1996. These personal losses came in close succession and profoundly shaped her life.

She practices Vipassana meditation and yoga, and has described meditation as an important source of resilience during times of grief and responsibility. Although born into the Zoroastrian community and attending the fire temple at times, she has described herself as not overtly religious and emphasizes personal reflection and acceptance when making sense of life’s hardships.

Latest updates

Since stepping down from corporate leadership, Anu Aga has focused on philanthropy in education and on personal wellness practices such as walking, cycling and yoga. The Thermax Social Initiative Foundation and partnerships with NGOs have continued to be central to her post-retirement work.

Public image

Anu Aga is widely regarded as an influential corporate leader who moved from human resources into top executive leadership under extraordinary personal and business pressure. Her story is often cited as an example of resilience, pragmatic leadership and a commitment to social impact through education.
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Recent Work

Chairperson of Thermax (retired 2004)

Led Thermax through restructuring after 1996 leadership change and retired in 2004, handing over to her daughter Meher Pudumjee.

2004
Philanthropic work with Teach For India and Akanksha

Post-retirement focus on education philanthropy, involvement with Thermax Social Initiative Foundation and support for NGOs working with underprivileged children.

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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Thermax’s human resources team and later became chairperson following her husband’s death in 1996
  2. Led a major restructuring of Thermax, refocusing the business and engaging external consultants
  3. Retired as Thermax chairperson in 2004 and handed leadership to her daughter Meher Pudumjee
  4. Recipient of the Padma Shri in 2010 for social work
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Anu Aga born?

3 August 1942

What is Anu Aga known for?

Entrepreneur

What is Anu Aga’s marital status?

Widow

Who is Anu Aga married to?

Rohinton Dhunjishaw Aga