Jaiprakash Gaur (born 1930) is an Indian entrepreneur. He founded and, until his retirement in 2010, was the chairman of Jaypee Group, a conglomerate with a heavy emphasis on engineering and construction (particularly for infrastructure and power projects), cement, and hydropower production. In 2012 he was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 70th-richest person in India, with an estimated net worth of US$855 million.
Early life
Gaur was born in a
Gaur Brahmins family of the village Chitta near
Bulandshahr in present
Uttar Pradesh.
His father was an agricultural inspector in the British government and worked as a serviceman in Beej Godam, Pakki Sarai at
Anupshahr. He completed his secondary education at LDAV Inter College, Anupshahr. After graduating as a civil engineer from the
IIT Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee), he worked as a junior engineer in the Uttar Pradesh State Irrigation Department.
Career
After graduation, Gaur joined the state government's irrigation department as a junior engineer.
Subsequently he started his own venture as a civil contractor.
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Sardar Sarovar Dam – India’s largest dam with 7.2 million cu.m. of chilled concrete; larger by 75% in terms of volume than Bhakra Nangal Dam
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Tehri Dam - Asia's largest rockfill dam
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Nathpa Jhakri (powerhouse) - The largest underground powerhouse in India
In 2010 he was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 48th-richest person in India, with an estimated wealth of US$1.5 billion.[
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Awards and honours
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2005 "Distinguished Alumni Award" by Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (erstwhile University of Roorkee), in recognition of his contribution in the field of corporate development/administration/entrepreneurship
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2005 "Lifetime Achievement Award" by Builders' Association of India, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Indian construction industry
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2005 "Udyog Ratna" award by the Progress Harmony Development (PHD) Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in recognition of his contribution to the economic development of Madhya Pradesh
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2008 "Entrepreneur of Year Award", by Ernst & Young, for his exceptional contribution to the infrastructure and construction sector
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2010 "Lifetime Achievement Award" by Merchants' Chamber of Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, for creating new milestones in infrastructure development and for his achievement in corporate social responsibility
