Jairaj Kumar Penukonda

Jairaj Kumar is a distinguished maritime professional with over 40 years of experience. He graduated from the Marine Engineering College, Kolkata, and holds a Certificate of Competency as Chief Engineer from the Department of Transport, UK. After starting his career with Great Eastern Shipping and Mobil Shipping Co., he transitioned to shore-based roles, becoming a key figure in the maritime industry. In 1994, Mr. Kumar co-founded Savijana Sea Foods Pvt. Ltd., specializing in chartering foreign fishing vessels. He also co-founded Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL) in 1995, which grew into India’s largest harbour towage operator. Under his leadership as Chairman & Managing Director, OSL expanded rapidly, earning multiple industry awards, including the “Best Contractor Safety Performance” by Reliance Industries and Shell International.
Mr. Kumar was named “Maritime Businessman of the Year” in 2013 and led OSL’s crew in the heroic rescue of MT New Diamond, earning the IMO Certificate of Commendation for bravery.
After selling OSL to Adani Ports, Mr. Kumar became the Managing Trustee of the Hrudaya Foundation, providing free heart surgeries to underprivileged children with Congenital Heart Disease.