KBC's first-ever crorepati is now a hotshot CEO; here's what Harshvardhan Nawathe is up to after 25 years
Now CEO of JSW Foundation, Harshvardhan Nawathe has held key leadership roles in corporate social responsibility.
Kaun Banega Crorepati has been one the most successful shows on the Indian television for over 25 years now. Hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, the popularity of the show has not waned, even as it minted scores of fresh crorepatis over the years. But the first among them was the bright and young Harshvardhan Nawathe. He became the first crorepati of the show during it's inaugural season in 2000 when he was about 27. Now 52, Harshvardhan has made quite the life for himself and it now CEO of a reputed organisation.
What is he upto now?
In December last year, Harshvardhan became the CEO of JSW Foundation, the social development arm of the JSW Group, as per HR Today. He looks after the organization's strategic direction, overseeing social initiatives across India. Before this role, he was still with JSW Foundation as their Chief Operating Officer (COO) since May 2023.
Before JSW Foundation, he led CSR and sustainability initiatives at NatWest Group as the Director and Head of Sustainable Banking Performance, Frameworks, Giving and Governance.
At Welspun Group, he took on key leadership roles, serving as Vice President – Group CSR and Chief Operating Officer of Welspun Foundation, where he developed innovative social responsibility strategies.
Previously, he spearheaded group-level CSR programs at Mahindra Group as Head Group CSR, ensuring alignment with sustainable development goals. His work also extended to Naandi Foundation, where he oversaw large-scale projects focused on education and water accessibility across India.
How KBC changed his life
Harshvardhan recently also returned to KBC for a special episode and recounted how the show changed his life. In a 2021 interview, he spoke to Hindustan Times about the same. "Post the show, I got recognition and financial security. Obviously, the popularity changes the way people look at you. Meeting people and being recognised at various platforms has been wonderful.” He admits that he was aware that the euphoria would die down as well and things would become normal.
Nawathe added, “One has to be clear about the direction you want to take in life to be successful in life. During the initial few months, I lived a life of a rock star. There would people waiting for autographs in my building complex. One couldn’t move around easily and needed some security. So for a long time, I got police protection.”
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