Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta

Some Lesser Known Facts About Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta

• Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the iconic home-grown beverage brand Rasna. He was also the former chairman of the Rasna Foundation and Areez Khambatta Benevolent Trust.

• He grew up in a well-to-do family in Karachi, Punjab Province, British India (now in Punjab Province, Pakistan).

• At the age of two, Areez visited India for the first time. He then made several visits to India with his family before settling down in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

• When he was six or seven years old, he attended various ‘housie’ sessions, fun sessions arranged by Parsis of Karachi, with his mother.

• Areez had an arranged marriage with a Pune girl named Persis Khambatta. In an interview, Persis disclosed that she always wished to have an arranged marriage. Further talking about Areez, she said, “He was the first person I met and fell in love with.” Areez added, “I had already seen and rejected about 50 girls by then.”

• He began his career with a company named Jaffe in 1976. He worked there for around two years and then resigned from his position in the firm. After parting ways with Jaffe, Areez joined the Rasna Group, a beverage brand established by his father in 1976. His father created Rasna as an alternative to soft drink products sold at high costs.

• During the first year of his leadership at the firm, the brand crossed a turnover of a crore. During an interview, while talking about the initial days at the Rasna Group, Khambatta said,
  

  We had almost 500 people per shift, hand packing the drink and when the demand increased, we had to start the third shift.”

• According to Areez, the USP of his brand was to provide his products at every nook and corner of the country at affordable prices.

  

• Areez initiated the ‘I love you Rasna’ campaign during the 80s, which ruled the advertisement segment on the national broadcaster Doordarshan channel between the 80s and the 90s.

• The chairmanship of the Rasna Foundation was passed on to his son, Piruz Khambatt, in 1997.

• Rasna Group has been awarded with several awards like the prestigious Superior Taste Award 2008 instituted by The International Taste and Quality Institute, Belgium Cannes Lions London, Monde Selection Award, Master Brand The World Brand Congress Award, and ITQI superior taste and quality award.

• As of 2022, the brand has a presence in around 60 countries and is one of the market leaders in soft drink concentrate manufacturers. In India, the brand has 9 manufacturing plants and a strong distribution network with 26 depots, 200 super stockists, 5000 stockists, and around 1.8 million retail outlets.

• Khambatta is also the former chairman of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthostis (WAPIZ), President of Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat, and Vice President of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman’s of India.

• An active philanthropist, Areez immensely contributed to societal development through social service. He began several projects at Areez Khambatta Benevolent Trust and Rasna Foundation which were related to health care, education, and scholarships.

• Many media houses referred to him as the lion of Ahmedabad and Doyen of the Parsi community. ^[5]Facebook – Jiyo Parsi

• He also worked as the Commandant of Ahmedabad Home Guards & Civil Defence for around 20 years.

• Areez Pirojshaw Khambatta passed away due to a cardiac arrest in Ahmedabad on 19 November 2022. ^[6]The Times of India He was severely ill for the past few years. Sharing the news of his death among the people, Rasna Group released an official statement on 21 November 2022 saying,
  

  With profound sorrow and grief, we announce the sad passing away of Areez Khambatta – the founder chairman of Rasna Group, chairman of Areez Khambatta Benevolent Trust and Rasna Foundation – to his heavenly abode on November 19, 2022. Khambatta has contributed immensely to Indian industry, business, and most importantly societal development through social service.”

  On the same day, the Uthamna of the departed soul was held at around 3.40 pm at Parsi Agiyari Khamasa Gate, Ahmedabad.