In a significant move to Maharashtra’s economic transformation efforts, finance veteran Anish Damania has been appointed as the Honorary Advisor to MITRA (Maharashtra Institution for Transformation), a state government think-tank spearheading initiatives in manufacturing, technology, infrastructure and finance.
Damania, the Managing Director at JM Financial and former CEO of IDFC Securities, brings over 25 years of expertise in capital markets and investments.
His role will focus on attracting local and global investments, positioning Maharashtra as a hub for advanced manufacturing in defence, aerospace, robotics and more, while aligning with national goals like NITI Aayog’s plans and facilitating FDI. This appointment aligns with the state’s ambition to achieve a USD 1 trillion economy under the Viksit Bharat vision.
Adding a layer of public interest, Damania is the husband of Anjali Damania, a prominent anti-corruption crusader and former convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Maharashtra. Anjali gained national attention for exposing irrigation scams and advocating transparency, though her activism remains separate from her husband’s professional endeavours.
While her activism has often clashed with political establishments, Anish’s advisory position underscores a blend of private sector expertise and public service ethos.
Anish Damania will be working closely with Praveen Pardeshi, driving force of MITRA as its head, a retired 1985-batch IAS officer and trusted advisor to Fadnavis, whose extensive experience in disaster recovery, World Bank negotiations and governance reforms has shaped the think-tank’s roadmap for economic expansion.
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