Escorts Kubota Chairman and Managing Director Nikhil Nanda has made it clear that family legacy can open doors but cannot guarantee a seat in the boardroom. Speaking on a podcast, Nanda emphasized that his daughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, will not secure a role at the company merely because of her Nanda-Bachchan lineage. Any position within the Rs 31,000-crore engineering and agri-machinery firm must be earned through merit and contribution.
Merit Over Surname
Nanda stated that India is highly perceptive when it comes to assessing the governance pedigree of promoters. He noted that listed companies are constantly judged by investors on governance, credibility, and performance. "Everything eventually gets reflected in the share price," he said. Escorts Kubota, jointly promoted by the Nanda family and Japan's Kubota Corporation, has a market capitalisation of around Rs 31,000 crore. Nanda explained that after him, his children would naturally represent the family's shareholder interests alongside Kubota, but he drew a clear distinction between ownership and operational responsibilities.
Navya's Path
"Navya is now showing willingness to participate more and more into EKL. But just because her last name is Nanda does not give her the right to get a position. She has to earn her position," Nanda asserted. He expressed confidence that Navya would chart her own path, describing her as ambitious and capable. She recently graduated from IIM Ahmedabad and has accompanied him on several visits to Japan, where she interacted with senior leadership at Kubota. According to Nanda, her experience at Meta and exposure to the digital ecosystem could prove valuable as Escorts Kubota increasingly embraces digital marketing and technology-driven operations.
However, the nature of her future role will depend entirely on the value she creates. "For her to do what she will do as a day-to-day operation of EKL is for her to carve her path based on her appreciation and impact. It really is up to her," he said.
Son's Choice and Family Values
Nanda said the same principle applies to his son, Agastya Nanda, who has chosen a career in acting. Recalling a light-hearted family joke, he said, "My son says, 'I became an actor, Navya is going towards tractor'." While Agastya has entered the entertainment industry, Navya appears increasingly interested in business, private equity, family office operations, and the responsibilities attached to the Nanda family's shareholding interests.
Nanda revealed that he has never wanted to impose his ambitions on his children. "My mother always told me, 'Nikhil, let your children do what they love.' So I believe in that," he said.
Lessons from Raj Kapoor
During the conversation, Nanda also reflected on his relationship with his maternal grandfather, legendary filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor. As a child, he said, he knew Kapoor simply as "Nana ji" and only later realised the global scale of his fame. He recalled an incident in the United States when a Russian taxi driver recognised Raj Kapoor's songs and refused to accept payment after learning of Nanda's connection to the iconic actor.
The most enduring lesson from Kapoor came when Nanda was 12 years old and asked his grandfather what he expected from him as a grandson. According to Nanda, Kapoor replied that true wealth and reputation would be earned if, after retirement, a person could step out of a three-wheeler and still be respected and remembered for the impact he had created. Nanda said he has tried to live by that philosophy ever since. Legacy, he suggested, is not about entitlement but about reputation, contribution, and earning the right to carry a family name forward.
