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Maja Daruwala Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

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

Quick Info

Date of birth24 September 1945

Age78 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceCoonoor, Tamil Nadu

ProfessionAdvocate, Human Rights Activist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseDhun Daruwala

FamilyFather: Sam Manekshaw; Mother: Silloo Manekshaw; Sons: Raoul Sam, Jehan Sam

Maja Daruwala Biography

Maja Daruwala is an Indian barrister, advocate and long-standing human rights activist who has held leadership roles with national and international civil‑

Early life and background

Maja Daruwala was born Maya Manekshaw on 24 September 1945 in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. She is the younger daughter of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and Silloo Manekshaw. Her formative schooling took place at The Lawrence School, Sanawar.

She went on to study law in the United Kingdom, reading for an LLB at the University of London and taking her barrister qualification at Lincoln’s Inn, London. Before beginning her legal and advocacy career she spent a period working with the then British Overseas Airways Corporation.

Career

Daruwala trained and practised as a barrister and had a brief period of practice at the Supreme Court of India. She later moved into philanthropic and policy work, joining the Ford Foundation as a program officer for South Asia where she concentrated on systemic reforms.

From September 1996 she served as Executive Director at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a role that anchored much of her work on civil liberties, access to justice, and public institutions. Her professional focus includes rule of law issues, gender equality, and reforms to strengthen transparency and accountability.

Beyond CHRI, Daruwala has held governance and advisory roles across a range of civil society and philanthropic organisations. She has been a trustee of Oxfam in Great Britain, has chaired the Minority Rights Group in London, and served on boards such as the Open Society Justice Initiative and the International Women’s Health Coalition. She has also worked with the International Record Management Trust, NAMATI, the Public Affairs Centre in Bangalore, and multiple research or action groups based in India.

Daruwala has contributed to rights‑based law reform internationally and acted as an external adviser on governance and anti‑corruption strategy for the World Bank Group. In India she served as a senior advisor to Tata Trusts and has been involved in producing comparative assessments of justice systems; she was Convenor and Chief Editor of the India Justice Reports in 2019 and 2020.

Public profile

Throughout her career Daruwala has been active on issues that bridge law, policy and public welfare: promoting access to information and justice, advocating for women’s health and reproductive rights, and working on media and civil liberties. She has lived and worked in several countries including England, Singapore and Sri Lanka while maintaining a long engagement with India‑focused reform efforts.

Her board memberships and advisory roles span organisations dealing with governance, minority rights, health, and access to justice. She has been recognised in lists that celebrate women’s leadership and public contribution.

Personal life

Maja Daruwala is married to Dhun Daruwala, a pilot. They have two sons: Raoul Sam, described as a businessman based in the United States, and Jehan Sam, a theatre artist. Her sister is Sherry Batliwala. Daruwala’s interests include writing columns and articles on topics related to her work.

Latest updates

As of the information provided, Daruwala chaired and edited the India Justice Reports for 2019 and 2020 and continues to be associated with multiple civil society organisations and foundations. Her ongoing roles reflect sustained engagement with justice system assessment, governance reform, and rights‑based advocacy.
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Recent Work

India Justice Report (Convenor and Chief Editor)

Led and edited comparative assessments of India’s justice systems for 2019 and 2020.

2019-2020
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Career Highlights

  1. Executive Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (from September 1996)
  2. Program Officer for South Asia, Ford Foundation
  3. Convenor and Chief Editor, India Justice Reports (2019, 2020)
  4. Board and trustee roles with Oxfam GB, Open Society Justice Initiative, International Women’s Health Coalition, Minority Rights Group (London)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Maja Daruwala born?

24 September 1945

What is Maja Daruwala known for?

Advocate, Human Rights Activist

What is Maja Daruwala’s marital status?

Married

Who is Maja Daruwala married to?

Dhun Daruwala