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Pallonji Mistry Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1 June 1929

Age93 (at time of death)

BirthplaceBombay (now Mumbai), Bombay Presidency, British India

ProfessionBusinessman

NationalityIrish (2003-2022); previously British Indian (1929-1947) and Indian (1947-2003)

Marital statusMarried

SpousePat Perin Dubash

FamilyFather: Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry; Children: Shapoor Mistry, Cyrus Mistry (deceased), Laila Rustom Jehangir, Aloo Noel Tata

Net worth$15 billion (approx., as of 2022, Forbes)

Pallonji Mistry Biography

Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry (1 June 1929 – 28 June 2022) was an Irish businessman born in Bombay who led the Shapoorji Pallonji group. Over a long career in建

Early life and background

Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry was born on 1 June 1929 in Bombay (now Mumbai), then part of the Bombay Presidency in British India. He was raised in a Gujarati Parsi family that practised Zoroastrianism. He attended The Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai and later graduated from Imperial College, London.

Career

Mistry joined his father’s construction business, Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Ltd, in 1947 and later became a director of the company. Under his leadership the family concern expanded beyond construction into a diversified group known as the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group. The firm built a number of prominent structures and completed projects outside India, including a palace for the Sultan of Oman, and was involved in construction of major Indian landmarks such as the Reserve Bank of India building, the Bombay Stock Exchange building, the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and Brabourne Stadium.

Over the years Mistry held directorships and leadership roles across several companies and sectors. He served on the boards of institutions that included Union Bank of India, the W. H. Brady Group of Companies, The Associated Cement Companies (ACC) Ltd., and Tata Sons. He also served as chairman of ACC Ltd. The SP Group under his chairmanship acquired businesses such as Eureka Forbes and established new ventures including Sovereign Pharma Private Limited. He held directorships in multiple group companies through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, including appointments at Shapoorji Pallonji Finance Limited, Sterling Investment Corporation Private Limited, Afcons Infrastructure Limited and others.

In recognition of his contributions to industry, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2016.

Public profile

Mistry was sometimes known by the sobriquet "Phantom of Bombay House," reflecting his low-profile public persona despite controlling a large business empire. He became an Irish citizen in 2003; previously his nationality had been British Indian at birth and later Indian. He was described as consuming alcohol occasionally in coverage of his life.

His family played a prominent role in business affairs. Pallonji married Pat Perin Dubash, who is an Irish citizen and an interior decorator. The couple had four children: two sons, Shapoor Mistry (who became chairman of the SP Group) and Cyrus Mistry (who served as chairman of Tata Sons and is deceased), and two daughters, Laila Rustom Jehangir (a former director of Kavisha Holdings Private Limited) and Aloo Noel Tata (wife of Noel Tata). His father, Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry, founded Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Ltd.

The Mistry family’s holdings included significant real estate and other assets. Noted properties included a large stud farm and a substantial house in Pune, a very large mansion in Mumbai, and multiple residences built in Dubai, London and Surrey.

Later years and disputes

Pallonji stepped back from day-to-day leadership of the SP Group in 2012, citing age-related health reasons, and appointed his elder son Shapoor as chairman. In the years that followed the family’s relationship with Tata Sons became strained after Cyrus Mistry’s removal as chairman of Tata Sons. The dispute involved legal and corporate actions over the SP Group’s stake in Tata Sons and attempts to raise funds by mortgaging those shares. The Supreme Court issued a judgment in September 2020 that affected that course of action, and the SP Group subsequently announced its intention to discontinue its partnership with Tata Sons.

Philanthropy

Pallonji and his wife established an old age home at The B. D. Petit Parsee Hospital in Mumbai in 2006, reflecting an interest in charitable work focused on elder care.

Death

Pallonji Mistry died on 28 June 2022 in Mumbai at the age of 93. Reports described his death as due to natural causes.

Latest updates

At the time of his death, Pallonji Mistry remained a figure associated with the long history of the Shapoorji Pallonji group, its construction legacy, diversified business interests and a high-profile family involvement in India’s corporate landscape.
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Recent Work

Chairman (until 2012) and Group leadership roles at Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group

Led the expansion and diversification of the family business; oversaw acquisitions such as Eureka Forbes and establishment of new ventures including Sovereign Pharma.

2012
Padma Bhushan recipient

Awarded India’s third-highest civilian award by the Government of India.

2016
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Ltd in 1947 and rose to lead the SP Group
  2. Oversaw construction of major Indian landmarks and international projects
  3. Served on boards including Tata Sons and chaired ACC Ltd.
  4. Received the Padma Bhushan in 2016
  5. Founded an old age home at The B. D. Petit Parsee Hospital in 2006
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Net Worth

$15 billion (approx., as of 2022, Forbes)

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 Pallonji Mistry born?

1 June 1929

What is Pallonji Mistry known for?

Businessman

What is Pallonji Mistry’s marital status?

Married

Who is Pallonji Mistry married to?

Pat Perin Dubash

What is Pallonji Mistry’s net worth?

$15 billion (approx., as of 2022, Forbes)