Anuj Mehta: From Harvard and corporate America to India’s real estate sector

(May 30, 2026) Studying at institutions like Harvard, building experience across global corporations and financial institutions, and eventually returning to India to create long-term impact, Anuj Mehta’s journey reflects a new generation of Indian business leaders shaped by international exposure yet deeply invested in India’s growth story. From working with organisations like GE, Accenture and Piramal Capital to leading Mumbai-based Dhuleva Group as co-founder and CEO, he has combined global learning with disciplined execution, financial acumen and a long-term vision for building meaningful businesses in India.

MBA classes at Harvard University may have ended long ago for Anuj Mehta, but the lessons he learnt there continue to shape both his personal and professional life.

After studying and working at some of the world’s leading institutions abroad, Anuj eventually returned to India with a global perspective, structured thinking, and deep financial expertise — qualities he now brings to the country’s evolving real estate and financial landscape.

Decision-making, thinking under pressure, defending ideas, challenging assumptions, and looking at problems from multiple perspectives — he imbibed them all at Harvard. More importantly, the experience taught him why networks, exposure, and ambition are so critical to long-term success.

Today, as the CEO and Director of Dhuleva Group — a prominent Mumbai-based real estate and financial conglomerate — Anuj combines international exposure with governance and financial discipline to build organisations grounded in structured growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.

“One of the important lessons Harvard taught me was humility. You realise there will always be someone smarter, faster, or more experienced than you. So the real growth comes from staying curious and continuously learning,” smiles Anuj, in a chat with The Global Indian.

Mumbaikar

Born and brought up in Mumbai in a business-oriented family, Anuj’s early life was simple and disciplined. “My father was involved in business, and from a young age I saw the value of hard work, consistency, and financial discipline.”

Anuj says he wasn’t someone who had everything figured out early in life. “I was curious, observant, and always willing to learn.” Academically, he was fairly strong, especially in analytical subjects. He was always inclined towards understanding how systems work, which initially pushed him towards engineering. “I enjoyed problem-solving more than theory,” says Anuj, adding that some of his biggest learnings came from observing people, business conversations, and understanding responsibility early in life.

Off to the US

Driven by curiosity and a desire to understand systems at a deeper level, Anuj eventually moved to the United States for higher education and studied engineering at Purdue University.

After completing engineering in the US, he worked with GE and later with Accenture. “Those years gave me exposure to systems, operations, and structured thinking. But somewhere, I always knew I wanted to build something more entrepreneurial and long term.” Later, Anuj pursued his MBA at Harvard.

Describing his education at the premier institution as one of the most defining experiences of his life — not because of the degree alone, but because of the people and environment — Anuj says the classroom discussions were incredibly powerful because every person brought a different real-world experience to the table.

When you sit in a classroom at Harvard, you’re not just studying with students. You’re surrounded by future founders, CEOs, investors, policymakers, and people who eventually go on to lead some of the biggest organisations in the world.

Anuj Mehta

What inspired him most, he says, was that everyone came from completely different backgrounds, yet they all thought big. “That environment changes your mindset permanently.”

For Anuj, Harvard was even more meaningful because he reached there after years of struggle — working multiple jobs during engineering, managing finances carefully, and figuring life out independently. “So, I never took the opportunity for granted.” He says it is fascinating to see many of his classmates today leading global companies and emerging as investors, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers across industries and countries.

“Talent may open doors, but discipline, resilience, and the ability to adapt are what truly create long-term success. That was my biggest takeaway from Harvard,” says Anuj, who brings over two decades of leadership experience in the real estate sector.

At Piramal Capital

Before joining Dhuleva Group in 2023, Anuj served as CEO of Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Ltd., part of the Piramal Group, where he led diversified portfolios across housing finance, structured credit, and real estate funding.

“It completely changed my understanding of capital, finance, and scale. At Piramal, the exposure went far beyond just development. It involved understanding structured finance, distressed assets, risk assessment, and large-scale transactions.”

He says that phase was extremely crucial because it shifted his mindset from simply “building projects” to understanding how capital drives industries. During his tenure at Piramal, Anuj strengthened governance frameworks, enhanced risk management practices, and championed capital discipline, driving growth with a balanced, institution-first approach.

Dhuleva Group

Today, at Dhuleva Group, Anuj is applying those learnings toward long-term and disciplined growth. Headquartered in the opulent precincts of South Mumbai, Dhuleva Group has completed a string of large-scale projects in recent years. Anuj is currently focused on completing the group’s ongoing developments.

Among their premium projects are Dhuleva Seven in Babulnath, 232 Dhuleva in Girgaon — a 35-storey skyscraper — Dhuleva Babulnath in Malabar Hill, and Dhuleva 1316. “The core foundation of our projects is anchored in delivering international-standard living spaces.”

He says the focus has always been on long-term value creation, disciplined growth, and thoughtful development. Anuj believes in building patiently, sustainably, and with conviction. From acquisition and planning to delivery and quality assurance, he remains closely involved to ensure transparency, consistency, and uncompromising execution.

Challenges

The journey hasn’t been easy, says Anuj. There were market downturns, difficult business cycles, pressure, uncertainty, and moments when important decisions had to be taken with limited visibility.

“Challenges taught us resilience. Over time, we realised that consistency and clarity matter more than temporary highs,” says the young leader in Mumbai’s realty sector.

At work

His workday is usually a mix of meetings, project reviews, financial discussions, strategy planning, and site visits. The business leader prefers being deeply involved in understanding details, but also believes teams need ownership and accountability. “A large part of leadership today is decision-making and people management,” says the CEO, who firmly believes that while mistakes are inevitable, repeating the same mistakes because of ego is dangerous.

I always evaluate downside risk, remove ego from decision-making, think long term, and stay calm during uncertainty.

Anuj Mehta

Interesting phase

The Dhuleva Group CEO believes India’s real estate market is going through a very interesting phase. “There is far more maturity and consolidation compared to a decade ago. Buyers today value credibility, execution, and trust much more than before.”

Urban growth, infrastructure expansion, and rising aspirations are creating long-term demand, especially in key cities. “Redevelopment, smart urban planning, and organised development will become increasingly important over the next decade.” He says global events — whether wars, oil prices, interest rates, or investor sentiment — indirectly influence markets and borrowing environments. “That’s why I believe discipline and capital structure are extremely important in this business. Markets are cyclical — you cannot build only for good times.”

Brand India

India has scale, talent, entrepreneurship, consumption, and a very young population, says Anuj. “What’s changing now is confidence. Earlier, India was often seen as an emerging opportunity. Today, it is increasingly viewed as a serious global growth engine.”

Sectors like infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, financial services, and real estate are all evolving rapidly.

I believe the next decade belongs to countries that can combine scale with adaptability, and India is positioned very strongly in that regard.

Anuj Mehta

Mentoring

Going forward, Anuj says the focus is to continue building thoughtfully and sustainably through Dhuleva Group. “We want to create developments that are not just commercially successful, but also meaningful from an urban and long-term perspective.”

Personally, he hopes to spend more time mentoring younger entrepreneurs and sharing practical lessons around risk, capital, and structured growth. “I think there’s tremendous value in learning from lived experiences, not just theory.”

Outside work, Anuj enjoys reading about global markets, economic trends, and leadership psychology. He also values travel, conversations, and spending time with family. “Over the years, I’ve realised that balance and perspective become increasingly important.” After years of studying and working across global institutions, Anuj now sees his role as more than simply building projects. For him, it is about contributing meaningfully to India’s long-term urban and economic transformation.

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