Contributing To Growth

Saroj Kumar Poddar, Chairman, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals, is also the Chairman of Adventz Group that boasts a turnover of about $3 billion. Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals accounts for nearly 13 per cent of the total urea produced in the country. For more than two decades the company has contributed to the food security of the country with responsibility. 

Its three hi-tech nitrogenous fertiliser (urea) plants are located at Gadepan in Kota district of Rajasthan. The three plants have an installed annual production capacity of about 3.4 million MT of urea and contribute a major chunk of the urea consumed in leading agri states in India. These plants were commissioned in 1994, 1999 and 2019, respectively. These plants use state-of-the-art technology from Denmark, Italy, United States and Japan.

The Adventz Group under the leadership of Poddar has promoted various seminal projects including joint ventures with leading international corporations. The most notable of these ventures are Hettich India (a joint venture with the Hettich Group of Germany), Texmaco UGL Rail (a joint venture with the United Group of Australia) and MCA Phosphates (a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan). 

Poddar was also instrumental in promoting Gillette India (a venture with the Gillette Company of USA), of which he was founder-chairman since 1984 before relinquishing the position in December 2013.

Art and Culture

A recipient of the Rashtriya Samman from the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Poddar is a keen collector of contemporary Indian art and involved in the promotion and development of art, culture and sports. Poddar and his family promote young cricketers to go abroad for training and practice. They are currently involved in setting up a museum in Delhi with the theme ‘India through the ages’. The museum will be named K.K. Birla Academy in the fond memory of K.K. Birla. The project will be fully funded by the family and is to be commissioned in the coming years.

As President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and International Chamber of Commerce in India, Poddar has been appointed by Government of India on Board of Trade -- the highest body on trade -- and on the board of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.