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Indu Jain Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth8 September 1936

Age84 Years At The Time Of Death

BirthplaceFaizabad, United Provinces, British India

ProfessionEntrepreneur and Philanthropist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidowed

SpouseAshok Kumar Jain (died 4 February 1999)

FamilySons: Samir Jain and Vineet Jain; Family: Sahu Jain

Net worth$3.1 billion (Rs. 20,937 crores) as of 2016

Indu Jain Biography

Indu Jain (8 September 1936 – 13 May 2021) was an Indian entrepreneur, media leader and philanthropist who chaired Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (The Times 20

Early life and background

Indu Jain was born on 8 September 1936 in Faizabad, then part of the United Provinces in British India (now in Uttar Pradesh). She belonged to the Sahu Jain family and was widely known by affectionate honorifics such as Mataji and Mummy. Her nationality was Indian and she observed a spiritual outlook that informed much of her public work.

Career

Over the course of her life Indu Jain built a profile as an entrepreneur and philanthropist closely linked to one of India’s largest media families. She served as chairperson of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd, commonly known as the Times Group. In that capacity she also led institutions and initiatives tied to the group’s public-facing charitable activity.

Her public roles extended into organised social and cultural work. She was founder-president of the FICCI Ladies Organisation in 1983 and from 1999 chaired the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust, a literary body established by her in‑laws to promote literature in Indian languages. In 2002 she set up the Times Foundation to support community services, research and relief efforts. She was involved in founding the Oneness Forum in 2003, a platform created to promote global unity and dialogue.

Indu Jain received formal recognition for her contributions. The Government of India honoured her with the Padma Bhushan in January 2016. Other recognitions included a Lifetime Contribution to Media award from the All India Management Association in 2018, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India in 2019 for work related to corporate governance, and earlier awards such as recognition from the Indian Congress of Women in 2000.

Public profile

Indu Jain combined media leadership with spiritual interests. She participated in international forums, including addressing the United Nations at the Millennium World Peace Summit in 2000. She was known to follow spiritual teachers and to attend spiritual events, and she often spoke about life in terms of seeking, presence and purpose.

Her family life was closely tied to the Times Group. She was married to Ashok Kumar Jain, who died in 1999. They had two sons, Samir Jain and Vineet Jain, both of whom held senior leadership positions within the Times Group. Indu Jain’s public stature meant her death prompted condolences from national leaders.

Personal details and death

Indu Jain’s recorded height was approximately 163 cm (5 ft 4 in). Her eye colour was described as black and her hair as salt-and-pepper. She died in Delhi on 13 May 2021 at the age of 84. The reported cause of death was complications related to COVID-19. She had expressed a wish to donate her organs, although that was not possible because of her illness.

Latest updates

Following her passing, Indian leaders publicly acknowledged her contributions to media, culture and philanthropy. Her legacy includes the institutions she led and the charitable and cultural initiatives she helped found, from the Times Foundation to the Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Indu Jain, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Chairperson, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (The Times Group)

Leadership of one of India’s largest media groups; also oversaw related philanthropic and cultural initiatives such as the Times Foundation.

Founder-president, FICCI Ladies Organisation

Led the organisation after founding it in 1983 to engage women in industry and trade forums.

1983
Chairperson, Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust

Led the literary trust from 1999 that promotes literature in Indian languages.

1999
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Career Highlights

  1. Padma Bhushan (Government of India, January 2016)
  2. Lifetime Contribution to Media (All India Management Association, 2018)
  3. Lifetime Achievement Award (Institute of Company Secretaries of India, 2019)
  4. Founder-president of FICCI Ladies Organisation (1983)
  5. Founder of Times Foundation (2002)
  6. Chairperson of Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust (from 1999)
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Net Worth

$3.1 billion (Rs. 20,937 crores) as of 2016

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Indu Jain born?

8 September 1936

What is Indu Jain known for?

Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

What is Indu Jain’s marital status?

Widowed

Who is Indu Jain married to?

Ashok Kumar Jain (died 4 February 1999)

What is Indu Jain’s net worth?

$3.1 billion (Rs. 20,937 crores) as of 2016