Coming from humble beginnings, Rajinder Gupta became one of Punjab’s wealthiest men and made a mark in politics by serving in key government positions in several administrations. Now, the industrialist, the founder of the Trident Group, is set to enter the Rajya Sabha after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday named him its candidate for the coming bypoll to the Upper House of Parliament.
Gupta’s selection is widely seen as the AAP’s strategic move to strengthen regional representation amid concerns about the perceived growing influence of its central leadership in Punjab politics. The bypoll was necessitated after sitting MP Sanjeev Arora won the Ludhiana West Assembly poll earlier this year and was subsequently inducted into the Bhagwant Mann Cabinet.
Born in Bathinda to cotton dealer Nohar Chand, the 66-year-old Gupta, whose net worth is estimated at over Rs 10,000 crore, entered the fertiliser business in 1985 through Abhishek Industries. He diversified into textiles six years later by setting up a spinning mill that went on to form the foundation of the Trident Group.
Known for maintaining “friendly relations” with successive governments cutting across party lines, Gupta served as vice-chairman of the Punjab State Planning Board between 2012 and 2022 under both the Congress (2012–2017) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP (2017–2022) governments. Former chief ministers Captain Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal often cited Gupta’s success story in their public speeches.
After the AAP came to power in 2022, Gupta was appointed vice-chairman of the Punjab State Economic Policy and Planning Board. This August, he also took over as chairman of the Sri Kali Devi Advisory Committee, a popular religious institution.
Gupta has previously served as chairperson of FICCI’s advisory council for Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh, and as chairman of the board of governors of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. He has also had a stint in sports administration, having served as the president of the Punjab Cricket Association.
In 2007, Gupta was awarded the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian honour, and also received the “Vastra Ratna” award from the Textile Export Promotion Council. He has been featured in Forbes’ list of India’s notable entrepreneurs.
Headquartered in Ludhiana, the Trident Group is a major textile and paper manufacturer specialising in towels, yarn, bed and bath linen, and wheat-straw-based paper. With manufacturing units in Barnala (Punjab) and Budhni (Madhya Pradesh), the Group has diversified into textiles, paper, chemicals, and power, exporting to over 150 countries.
The land acquisition for its Barnala unit faced a hurdle in 2006 following strong opposition from the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan). The issue was resolved two years later after Parkash Singh Badal, the then CM, intervened.
In 2022, Gupta stepped down as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Trident Group, citing health reasons, and is currently Chairman Emeritus. Through the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, he has been involved in various projects, including education, healthcare, sanitation, women’s empowerment, and rural development.
The Trident Group also made headlines during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when it increased employees’ salaries, a move that stood out at a time when several companies resorted to pay cuts or layoffs.
