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Ashok Khade Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1 June 1955

Age71 years

BirthplacePed, Sangli district, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionEntrepreneur

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

FamilySon - Ajit Ashok Khade (Director at DAS Offshore Limited); siblings include Datta (elder, deceased 2019), Suresh (younger), and two sisters

Ashok Khade Biography

Early life and background Ashok Khade was born on 1 June 1955 in the village of Ped in Sangli district, Maharashtra. He grew up in a Dalit family of six children and experienced deep economic hardship.

Early life and background
Ashok Khade was born on 1 June 1955 in the village of Ped in Sangli district, Maharashtra. He grew up in a Dalit family of six children and experienced deep economic hardship. His parents worked as daily wage labourers; his father also worked as a cobbler in Mumbai. The family lived in a mud house and frequently struggled to secure enough food. Khade has recounted formative memories from childhood that shaped his determination to pursue education despite severe constraints.

He completed his schooling after winning a place at a charity-run school in a nearby town. Even while facing caste-based discrimination—such as restrictions at the village well and temple—he performed well academically. Noted for neat handwriting and perseverance, Khade topped his Class 10 Sanskrit exam in spite of limited exposure to the language at home. A treasured possession from this period is a simple green fountain pen he used in his SSC exam, which he has described as highly meaningful to him.

After finishing school he moved to Mumbai to live with an uncle. Family responsibilities interrupted his studies at one point, but he later completed a diploma in Mechanical Engineering. His first paid technical role was a trainee position earning a modest monthly wage.

Career
Khade began his formal industrial career in 1975 when he joined Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders as an apprentice draftsman. Over about 15 years with the shipyard, he received several promotions and ultimately worked as an executive in the quality control department. During the 1980s he was assigned to a multi-year submarine project in West Germany, an experience that exposed him to advanced technology and international workplace practices.

Family circumstances in 1992—prompted by the death of an uncle and the resulting dependents—led Khade and his brothers to change course and start a business. In 1993 Ashok and his brothers Suresh and Datta founded DAS Offshore Engineering, a firm focused on fabrication for the offshore oil and gas sector. The company name reflects the initials of the three founding brothers.

DAS Offshore's first significant contract came from Mazagon Dock when a contractor withdrew from a project; the firm secured a Rs. 1.82 crore job. Over time the company expanded its scope, taking on large projects for clients such as ONGC and Larsen & Toubro, including offshore platforms, jackets, and subsea pipelines. By 2011 DAS Offshore reported a turnover above USD 32 million and employed more than 4,500 people.

Public profile
Khade has received several awards and honours over his career, including the ABP Majha Sanman Puraskar, Udyog Ratna (2011), IBN Prerna Award (2014), BEA Award (2015), and the Padma Shri in 2026. He is described in public records as an entrepreneur and is known to maintain a connection to his roots in Maharashtra.

Beyond business, Khade has expressed an interest in philanthropy and community development. He purchased farmland in his native village, renovated a temple that had previously excluded Dalits, and made donations to his community. He has also expressed intentions to establish educational and healthcare institutions near his fabrication yard, including a school, a hospital, and an engineering college.

Personal life
Ashok Khade is married and has a son, Ajit Ashok Khade, who serves as a director at DAS Offshore Limited. He is one of several siblings: elder brother Datta (also an entrepreneur, who passed away in 2019), younger brother Suresh (entrepreneur), and two sisters. His parents worked in low-paid labouring occupations, and those early family responsibilities influenced his career choices. Khade's personal appearance has been described with black eyes and salt-and-pepper hair.

Latest updates
In 2026 Ashok Khade was awarded the Padma Shri, recognizing his contributions. Public accounts updated in July 2026 reference his continuing connection to DAS Offshore Engineering and his philanthropic interests in Maharashtra.

Khade's life story is often framed as an arc from poverty and discrimination to leadership in the engineering and fabrication sector, underscored by a desire to give back to the communities that shaped him.

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Recent Work

DAS Offshore Engineering

Co-founder and leader of an offshore fabrication firm that delivered major projects for ONGC, Larsen & Toubro and others; reported turnover above USD 32 million and over 4,500 employees in 2011.

1993–present
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders as an apprentice draftsman in 1975 and rose to executive in quality control
  2. Sent to West Germany in the 1980s for a submarine project
  3. Co-founded DAS Offshore Engineering in 1993 with his brothers
  4. Secured major contracts for offshore platforms, jackets and subsea pipelines
  5. Received awards including Udyog Ratna (2011), IBN Prerna Award (2014), BEA Award (2015) and Padma Shri (2026)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ashok Khade born?

Ashok Khade was born on 1 June 1955.

What is Ashok Khade known for?

Ashok Khade is known for entrepreneur.

What is Ashok Khade’s marital status?

Ashok Khade's marital status is listed as Married.