Dhanraj Nathwani, a senior Reliance executive, sports administrator, and wildlife enthusiast from Gujarat, filed his nomination papers on Wednesday as the Samajwadi Party candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh.
His father, Parimal Nathwani, is currently serving his fourth term as a Rajya Sabha member representing Jharkhand.
Dhanraj, 40, filed his nomination papers Wednesday in the presence of SP president Akhilesh Yadav.
Voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled for October 16.
Dhanraj thanked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for nominating him as SP candidate for Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, he said. He called it a “new phase of public life.”
Dhanraj has spent over two decades with the Reliance Group, where he is currently a director of Reliance Corporate IT Park Ltd. His executive portfolio spans corporate affairs, finance, procurement, human resources, and corporate social responsibility. He has also overseen Reliance’s operations in Gujarat, including its flagship Jamnagar refinery.
He also serves as president of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) and was involved in developing the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He has also headed the Gujarat State Football Association.
He has also served on the governing body of the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation and the Gujarat State Board for Wildlife.
His father, Parimal Nathwani, who is director of corporate affairs at Reliance Industries Ltd, has been a member of the Upper House since 2008, having previously represented Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
