Meet Amitabh Bachchan's former CA, who built a ₹28,000 crore pharma giant

Born into a modest farming family in Rajasthan, Premchand Godha grew up in a household where every rupee mattered. His parents urged him to pursue an education that would take him beyond agriculture, leading him to graduate with a commerce degree from the University of Rajasthan before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. 

Godha began his professional practice in 1971. Within a few years, he was handling the personal finances, taxation, and investments of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his family. This close professional relationship soon evolved into an unexpected business venture. 

In 1975, Godha and the Bachchan family made a high-stakes investment by acquiring Ipca Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company that was heavily underperforming and bleeding cash. While external observers saw a failing venture, Godha detected untapped long-term potential.

He officially joined the company's Board of Directors on October 31, 1975, immediately initiating operational overhauls, eliminating systemic inefficiencies, and laying the groundwork for market expansion. 

By March 1983, Godha took full control of the firm's growth trajectory as its Managing Director. At the start of his leadership, the company's revenues were a meager ₹54 lakh. Over the following decades, Godha orchestrated one of the largest turnarounds in the history of the Indian pharmaceutical landscape. 

A critical shift occurred in 1999 when the Bachchan family, facing their own severe financial constraints, decided to sell their stake and completely exit Ipca Laboratories. Godha remained committed, holding his position and continuing to scale the business globally. 

Today, Godha serves as the Executive Chairman of Ipca Laboratories. The company has evolved into a global giant with a market capitalization of approximately ₹28,000 crore and annual revenues hovering around ₹9,000 crore. 

Godha's transition from a regional CA to a global pharma industrialist has secured him a spot on Forbes' billionaire list, with a personal net worth estimated at $1.9 billion (approximately ₹16,000 crore).