WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — Raj Gupta, former CEO of specialty chemical giant Rohm and Haas, has built a remarkable legacy across business, philanthropy, and public service. In a wide-ranging interview with Diya TV’s Ravi Kapur during the inaugural India Conference at Johns Hopkins University’s newly launched Gupta-Klinsky India Institute, Gupta reflected on his journey from India to the top of the U.S. corporate world—and how he’s now focused on giving back.
“I arrived in Ithaca in January 1968 with $8 in my pocket,” Gupta said, recalling how his journey from IIT Bombay to Cornell University began with uncertainty and ambition. Initially planning to return to India as a professor, Gupta instead pivoted to the corporate world.
That decision set him on a path to success. After completing his MBA at Drexel University while working, Gupta joined Rohm and Haas in 1971. Over 39 years, he held 13 different positions under 17 bosses, ultimately rising to CEO, becoming one of the first Indian Americans to lead what was then a Fortune 500 company. During his tenure, he oversaw the company’s $20 billion sale to Dow Chemical in 2009, one of the largest cash deals of its time. Despite the economic uncertainty of the 2008 financial crisis, Gupta negotiated a 75% premium on the company’s trading value, with no closing conditions—an insistence that ensured the deal went through even as markets faltered.
But Gupta’s impact didn’t stop with corporate success. “After retirement, I wasn’t ready to call it a day,” he said. He joined New Mountain Capital, a private equity firm managing $60 billion, drawn by its values of long-term growth and social responsibility. He also served on the boards of Vanguard, Hewlett-Packard, DuPont, Tyco, and several private companies.
Through his career, Gupta developed a reputation as a talent-builder. “Out of the top 35 people at Rohm and Haas, 27 became CEOs globally,” he said, emphasizing his passion for mentoring and leadership development.
Gupta’s approach to business prioritizes stakeholders, not just shareholders. “Long-term value creation only happens when you take care of employees, customers, and communities,” he said. “It’s not just about short-term profits.” He credits his own rise to the alignment between his values and Rohm and Haas’ culture.
Now, philanthropy takes center stage in Gupta’s life. He and his wife, Kamla, founded the Ujala Foundation in 2009, with initiatives spanning education, governance, and public health. In the U.S., the foundation has funded fellowships at Cornell and Drexel, and a professorship in infectious disease at Johns Hopkins. In India, Gupta is investing in high-impact health programs like tuberculosis elimination and STEM initiatives for women.
Gupta also spearheaded the creation of the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins, which aims to expand the university’s 100-year history of engagement in India. With more than 160 faculty already involved in India-based projects and over $300 million invested, the institute will now unify efforts in health care, AI, and public policy. “Our three focus areas are TB elimination, elevating women in STEM, and leveraging AI to improve health outcomes,” Gupta said. “India offers scale and complexity that can inform global solutions”.
Despite political challenges—India’s recent restrictions on foreign funding, and campus unrest in the U.S.—Gupta remains optimistic. “The need is there, the expertise is there, and the willingness is there. With patience and the right team, we will succeed,” he said.
Gupta’s influence also extends to the next generation. His daughters—Dr. Amita Gupta, a leading figure in global infectious disease research, and Vanita Gupta, former Associate U.S. Attorney General—reflect the values of service and impact he and his wife have long championed. “We never told them what to do,” he said. “We just encouraged them to pursue their passion.”
For those hoping to follow in his footsteps, Gupta’s message is simple: focus on people, purpose, and the long game. “Capital will come. Talent and leadership are what set great organizations apart.”
His memoir, Eight Dollars and a Dream, captures these lessons in full. “It started as a family history for my grandsons,” he said. “But it’s become something many people have found relatable and inspiring.”
