Meet Santrupt Misra, Ex-HR head of Aditya Birla Group and richest candidate in Odisha’s politics

Santrupt Misra was nominated as the candidate for the Cuttack seat in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 by Biju Janata Dal (BJD). At 58 years old, Misra is the wealthiest candidate contesting from Odisha, which will hold elections in four phases to elect 21 Members of Parliament. As per his election affidavit filed on Friday, Misra’s total assets are valued at approximately Rs 461 crore. 

Santrupt Misra's assets  

Misra's assets consist of Rs 408 crore in movable assets and Rs 53 crore in immovable assets. The majority of his wealth is tied up in investments, including mutual funds, alternate investment funds, bonds, and shares, which total Rs 308 crore. Additionally, Misra holds approximately Rs 4 crore in bank deposits, including 100 pounds (around Rs 10,521) in a bank in London. 

Misra owns flats in both Hyderabad and Mumbai, along with a collection of luxury cars valued at over Rs 2.3 crore. Additionally, his wife holds movable assets worth Rs 11.72 crore. 

In terms of education, Misra holds two Post Graduate degrees and two PhDs, one from India and the other from the UK. He joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in February of this year, following a distinguished career spanning nearly 30 years with the Aditya Birla Group. Misra was the head of the Group's Human Resource Department until he voluntarily retired in December 2023. He began his career with the Aditya Birla Group in 1996, having previously worked at Hindustan Unilever, and was one of the first members of Kumar Mangalam Birla’s top leadership team. 
 
Throughout his career, Misra climbed the corporate ladder, eventually becoming the CEO of Birla Carbon, the Director of Aditya Birla Chemicals, and the Director of Group Human Resources for the Aditya Birla Group. In the upcoming elections, he will face off against Bhartruhari Mahtab, a six-term MP who joined the BJP after the BJD denied him a ticket for the May 25 elections.