Rajiv K. Luthra was a distinguished Indian professional and philanthropist who co-founded the esteemed law firm Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India in 1989.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Rajiv K. Luthra was also a Chartered Accountant and a lawyer who passed away on May 10, 2023, in Delhi. Luthra was born on August 1, 1957 in New Delhi, India. Luthra’s father, Anirudhar Krishan Luthra, served in the Indian Air Force, and his mother was named Ved Luthra. His wife, Gayatri Luthra, is an entrepreneur, and they had two daughters named Sanaa Krishan Luthra and Arshia Krishan Luthra.
EDUCATION
Rajiv K. Luthra attended The Air Force School, Subroto Park, St. Xavier’s High School, and the Methodist High School. He was a House Captain for four years at Air Force Bal Bharati School (AFBBS) in Delhi before leaving the school. Luthra passed the Chartered Accountant’s examination and pursued several articleships. He worked in his father’s firm for seven years before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in law at Delhi University. Luthra completed various law courses at the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
CAREER
After completing his LLB, Luthra co-founded Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India, a prominent law firm in New Delhi, with Mohit Saraf. The firm provided tax and financial asset management services to renowned industrialists and businessmen. A US-based company contracted Luthra’s firm to provide advisory services and assist them in conducting business in China. The firm played a crucial role in the merger of Coca-Cola and Parle Bisleri in 1993 and the merger of Sun Pharma and Ranbaxy in 2015, a project valued at $4 billion.
In 2018, Luthra terminated Mohit Saraf’s appointment due to a feud over partnership stakes, and Saraf filed a lawsuit against Luthra’s dismissal in the Delhi High Court. In 2021, Justices R. S. Endlaw and Sanjeev Narula of the High Court delivered their verdict in Saraf’s favour, asking Luthra to pay Rs. 52 Crores in addition to Rs. 25 Crores as bank guarantee. In July 2022, the firm faced another setback when its litigation department resigned and joined DSK Legal. As of 2023, the law firm has over 350 employees and branches in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Luthra played a significant role in drafting and submitting an amendment to the Copyright Act of 1957. He will be remembered for his contributions to the legal profession and his philanthropic efforts.
