Sanjay Mehrotra

Early Life and Education

Childhood in Kanpur and move to New Delhi

Humble beginnings shaped Sanjay Mehrotra’s early years in Kanpur, India, where he was born in 1958. The youngest of four siblings, Mehrotra grew up in a family that later influenced his career path. His father worked as a liaison officer in the cotton industry and made a life-changing decision to move the family to New Delhi when Mehrotra turned 10. This move to India’s capital city gave young Mehrotra educational opportunities that became the foundation of his future success.

Interest in STEM and early schooling

Natural aptitude for mathematics and science showed up early in Mehrotra’s childhood. His father’s and siblings’ support played a vital role to encourage his interest in STEM fields. During his teens, Mehrotra developed his technical interests through mechanical courses in school. He then joined Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, a prestigious New Delhi high school known for high academic standards. This school environment strengthened his analytical abilities and technical curiosity, building a strong base for his future in technology.

Sanjay Mehrotra education trip to the U.S.

Transformative decision came at 18 when Mehrotra started his international education. His father dreamed of seeing his son pursue higher education in the United States—a vision that inspired Mehrotra to apply to American universities. He started his undergraduate studies at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, spending two years developing his tech skills. BITS Pilani gave him valuable tools that helped him excel in the technology sector. His path soon led him west.

Bold transition marked Mehrotra’s transfer from BITS Pilani to the University of California, Berkeley. This move was more than just geographical—it became a defining moment in his education. His choice to leave India and study in America’s growing technology hub helped position him as a pioneer in the semiconductor revolution. Many international students struggle with adjustment, but Mehrotra tackled this challenge with determination and focus on his studies.

Degrees from UC Berkeley and Stanford

Academic excellence defined Mehrotra’s time at UC Berkeley. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. These technical credentials gave him specialized knowledge that led to his breakthrough contributions in flash memory technology.

Continuing education stayed important throughout Mehrotra’s career. He completed Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Executive Education Program in 2009. This mix of technical depth and business knowledge proved valuable in his leadership roles. His educational achievements include:

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley
• Executive Business degree from Stanford University
• Honorary doctorate from Boise State University

Educational foundation from these prestigious institutions gave Mehrotra technical knowledge and innovative thinking. These skills helped him co-found SanDisk and lead Micron Technology. His path from a student in Kanpur to a graduate of America’s top technical universities shows how education can turn potential into achievement.

Founding and Building SanDisk

Co-founding SanDisk in 1988

Entrepreneurial vision drove Sanjay Mehrotra to co-found SanDisk Corporation in 1988. The company became a pioneer in removable flash memory storage. Mehrotra led the company from its startup days until its sale in 2016. His blend of technical knowledge and business sense made SanDisk a pioneer in the digital storage revolution. This venture wasn’t just a business chance – it sparked a tech revolution that changed how people store and access data worldwide.

Key innovations in flash memory

Technological breakthroughs flourished under Mehrotra’s leadership. His portfolio includes more than 70 patents. Many of these patents became the foundation for high-capacity flash memory, now essential in modern computing systems. SanDisk quickly rose as the global leader in flash memory cards. The company built complete solutions from research and manufacturing to product design, consumer branding, and retail distribution. Their product line grew to include flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras, camcorders, digital audio/video players, USB flash drives, embedded memory for mobile devices, and solid-state drives for computers.

Leadership roles and company growth

Strategic progression marked Mehrotra’s career at SanDisk through several key positions:

• Director of Memory Design and Product Engineering
• Vice President of Product Development
• Senior Vice President of Engineering
• Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
• President and CEO (2011-2016)

Mehrotra guided SanDisk to become an industry-leading Fortune 500 company during his time as President and CEO from 2011 to 2016. He spent decades mastering non-volatile semiconductor memory with over 35 years of industry experience. SanDisk grew into a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company that generated more than half its sales outside the United States.

SanDisk’s acquisition by Western Digital

Western Digital completed its acquisition of SanDisk on May 12, 2016. This deal, worth about INR 1603.23 billion, altered the map of storage technology. Each SanDisk common stock share converted to INR 5695.68 in cash and 0.2387 shares of Western Digital common stock.

The merger reshaped the industry. Western Digital’s chief executive Steve Milligan called it a “transformational combination” that created a “media-agnostic leader in storage technology”. The acquisition helped Western Digital diversify beyond traditional hard disk drives as the market moved toward faster and more reliable solid-state drives. Mehrotra noted, “Our combined company will be best positioned to address data storage needs that grow exponentially each year”. His words showed clear foresight about data storage technology’s future.

Leading Micron Technology

Becoming Micron CEO in 2017

Sanjay Mehrotra’s career took a major turn when he became Micron Technology’s President and CEO on May 8, 2017. Mark Durcan’s retirement announcement in February 2017 opened this opportunity. While Idaho residents barely knew him, Mehrotra was already making waves in Silicon Valley. Micron’s board ran a thorough selection process, looking at more than 50 candidates and talking to at least 15 before choosing Mehrotra. He had just retired after an outstanding career at SanDisk when this opportunity came along. The move meant stepping up to manage a much larger operation, as Micron’s revenue was triple that of SanDisk.

Strategic investments and global expansion

Mehrotra’s bold vision shapes Micron’s growth strategy. The company reported record-breaking revenue in fiscal Q3 of June 2025, beating all expectations for revenue, gross margin, and earnings per share. The Trump administration’s backing helped Micron plan a massive INR 16876.09 billion investment in the U.S. This includes INR 12657.07 billion for manufacturing and INR 4219.02 billion for R&D over two decades. The company plans to build another state-of-the-art memory fab in Boise, Idaho, grow its Manassas, Virginia operations, and add advanced packaging capabilities for long-term High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) growth. Mehrotra has restructured Micron’s business units to target key market segments and capitalize on AI opportunities. The company aims to boost domestic memory production from 2% to about 10% by the early 2030s.

Driving innovation in memory manufacturing

Mehrotra’s approach to innovation centers on technical advancement. He stresses that powerful memory and storage play a vital role in enabling AI-driven innovation. Micron focuses on advanced memory manufacturing, particularly High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) development for AI applications. Mehrotra points out that HBM 3E—Micron’s latest high bandwidth memory with leading specifications—needs three times more wafers to produce the same number of bits as standard products. He has always pushed the company to deliver “the products our customers absolutely desire and call the best in class”. Mehrotra believes putting R&D next to manufacturing helps bring new technologies to market faster.

Sanjay Mehrotra salary and leadership style

Mehrotra’s value to Micron shows in his compensation. His 2024 package totaled INR 2536.48 million—18.92% more than 2023. This included INR 119.82 million base salary, INR 2004.04 million in stock awards, and INR 3.89 million in other compensation. His initial 2017 package had a INR 101.26 million yearly base salary plus INR 151.88 million in board performance bonuses. Stock compensation included INR 388.15 million for fiscal year ending August 2017, at least INR 843.80 million for fiscal 2018, and a INR 759.42 million new-hire award.

Mehrotra’s passionate leadership sets him apart. He motivates Micron’s 35,000 employees with a clear message: “We have great talent. We have great technology. The world needs us, and we have worldwide reach. The future is ours. But we are not meeting our potential”. Team spirit and getting things done matter most to him. “Focus on team is very important. Having a team, surround yourself with really smart people, good people that drive collaboration together,” he often says. His leadership combines deep technical knowledge with sharp business sense, balancing new ideas with practical results.

Recognitions and Industry Impact

Major awards and honors

Prestigious accolades mark Sanjay Mehrotra’s career path. He got the IEEE Reynold B. Johnson Data Storage Device Technology Award with SanDisk co-founders in 2006. The award recognized their “leadership in the development and commercialization of Flash electrically erasable programmable read-only memory-based data storage products”. His career combines technical achievement and community service. The Entrepreneur’s Foundation of Silicon Valley named him “CEO of the Year” in 2013. That same year, UC Berkeley honored him with the “Distinguished Alumni Award in Electrical Engineering”. The American India Foundation praised his charitable work in 2015. The American Red Cross Silicon Valley also named him “Philanthropic CEO of the Year”.

Contributions to semiconductor industry

Industry transformation shapes Mehrotra’s legacy in semiconductors. He won the semiconductor industry’s highest honor – the 2023 Semiconductor Industry Association’s Robert N. Noyce Award. This award celebrates his work in semiconductor technology and public policy. The award recognizes people who help build the semiconductor industry into “one of the most innovative, influential, and important sectors in the world”. His work includes many publications about nonvolatile memory design and flash memory systems. The Flash Memory Summit gave him their 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award. This award celebrates his role in “co-founding SanDisk, advancing the architecture that enabled the industry and market for flash memory, and leadership of Micron Technology”.

Membership in National Academy of Engineering

Engineering distinction arrived in 2022 with Mehrotra’s entry into the National Academy of Engineering—a top professional honor. This honor shows how his technical work has shaped modern computing. His membership puts him with elite engineers whose breakthroughs have changed industries and improved lives worldwide. The Academy praised his core work in nonvolatile memory design and architecture that made multilevel cell NAND flash products possible.

Sanjay Mehrotra net worth and influence

Financial success matches Mehrotra’s technical achievements. His net worth reaches an estimated INR 12319.55 million as of June 2025. His wealth comes from his shares in major companies. He owns about 1,054,675 Micron Technology shares worth over INR 11306.98 million. He also holds 73,011 Cavium Inc. shares worth over INR 506.28 million and 48,807 SanDisk Corp. shares worth over INR 337.52 million. His influence reaches beyond business into education. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from Boise State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and BITS Pilani. The Indian Institute of Management Mumbai also gave him their Lakshya Business Visionary Award in 2023.

Philanthropy and Personal Life

Support for STEM education and diversity

Educational champion reflects Sanjay Mehrotra’s approach to philanthropy, especially when it comes to helping disadvantaged youth. The American India Foundation recognized him for “personal philanthropic efforts and for leading SanDisk’s programs to advance educational opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds” in March 2015. The American Red Cross Silicon Valley also named him ‘Philanthropic CEO of the Year’ that same year. His commitment to education became tangible in April 2014 when he and UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering dean Shankar Sastry opened the SanDisk Computing Lab. The lab was funded by an INR 84.38 million donation. The investment also helped renovate Cory Hall, which houses the College’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences.

Micron Foundation and community work

Global impact shines through the Micron Foundation’s work under Mehrotra’s leadership. The foundation gave over INR 928.18 million to causes in 35 locations worldwide in 2023, touching more than 2.3 million lives. The foundation’s focus on STEM education stands out, supporting students from kindergarten through doctoral programs. Micron’s employees showed remarkable charitable spirit in 2023:

• 81.5% of team members contributed money or time to 2,532 unique causes
• More than 34,000 team members gave 200,000 volunteer hours
• Employees donated INR 236.27 million, matched by INR 210.95 million in additional funds

Mutually beneficial alliances are the life-blood of Mehrotra’s philanthropic vision. The Micron Foundation granted USD 408,000 to UNICEF India in 2023 to boost STEM learning for vulnerable children in Karnataka and Telangana. The program pays special attention to supporting girls. UNICEF plans to reach more than 20,000 students by March 2025 through this partnership.

Sanjay Mehrotra wife and family life

Family priorities stay at Mehrotra’s heart despite his busy career. He and his wife Sangeeta’s main home is in Silicon Valley, with a second home in Half Moon Bay along the Pacific Coast. While his family comes first, he admits his deep connection to Micron: “I do tend to be one of those that is a little bit 24/7 thinking about Micron”. His engineering legacy lives on through his daughters, both Stanford engineering graduates now working in Silicon Valley—one at Facebook and another at Digit, a financial-technology startup.

Board memberships and advisory roles

Strategic influence flows through Mehrotra’s board positions. He serves on the boards of directors for Micron Technology, CDW, and the Semiconductor Industry Association as of 2024. His community work mirrors his professional values of diversity and inclusion. Micron achieved complete global pay equity for all underrepresented groups and 50% female representation on its board under his leadership. His lighter side shows up at work too—when a colleague’s daughter accidentally texted him about shopping plans, “Sanjay replied seconds later with his shopping list”.

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