Actor and businessman Juhi Chawla often counted among the richest Bollywood stars. While much of the discussion surrounding his wealth revolves around his former stake in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the roots of the Mehta family’s wealth go back over a century and are tied to an interesting chapter in Gujarat’s history. According to the Hurun Rich List, his estimated net worth is around Rs 7,790 crore. Her husband, businessman Jay Mehta, is associated with the Mehta Group, a business empire reportedly worth around Rs 17,500 crore. Few know that Juhi Chawla’s in-laws used to lend money to the Gujarat Government. Few know that after Gujarat was carved out of the erstwhile Bombay State in 1960, the newly formed state was reportedly facing a severe financial crisis. According to Satishbhai Vithalani, chairman of the Lohana International Business Forum, the government even struggled to pay salaries in its early years.Speaking on Sagar Kathrotia’s podcast, Vithalani said, “Nanji Kalidas Mehta is from Porbandar. He struggled a lot before reaching Uganda and eventually built a huge business empire there, including sugar factories and many other businesses. After the separation of Gujarat and Maharashtra, the Gujarat government faced financial difficulties in its early years.He further admitted, “There is a payment crisis, and as far as we know, the government has borrowed money from Nanji Kalidas Mehta to meet its debts. This is a big deal.”Nanji Kalidas Mehta, the grandfather of Juhi Chawla’s husband Jay Mehta, was born in Porbandar and moved to East Africa at the age of 13. Starting with small jobs, he gradually built a business empire that spanned sugar, cement, textiles, real estate, infrastructure and other sectors across Africa and India.Today, that legacy is carried forward by the Mehta family, including Jay Mehta, whose business interests span many industries.
