About Us – Smart Institute

Smart Institute is an initiative of The Shahani Group, which boasts a rich legacy of over 100 years in the education sector, establishing itself as a leading force in shaping academic excellence.

With a distinguished portfolio, the group currently oversees the management of some of Mumbai’s most prestigious colleges, fostering innovation, academic rigor and holistic development.

For the cause of learning, they helped found more than 27 iconic education institutions, including Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, HR College, KC College and National College.

Board Members

Advisory Board

Mr. Niranjan Hiranandani

Co-Founder and Managing Director of Hiranandani Group
Indian billionaire entrepreneur, co-founder, and managing director of Hiranandani Group, engaged in real estate business. He is ranked by Forbes among the 100 richest Indians.

Mr. Devesh Kumar

Founder EIP Financial Services LLP
Seasoned professional having vast experience in the Indian BFSI sector. With over 35 years of expertise in Investment Banking, Equity Research, Corporate Finance, Private Equity and Wealth Management.

Mr. NN Kumar

Former Chairman Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority
Mr. N. N. Kumar is a distinguished Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer who served as the Chairman of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai.

Mr. Ronil Sujan

Ex-MD Rabo Bank, Asia Pacific
Ronil runs his proprietary investment fund, Raaga Holdings out of Singapore. He has over 20 years’ experience across India, Asia and the USA. He was also on the Board and Global Exco of the global JV with NM Rothschilds

SMART Management Team

Dr. Akhil Shahani

Managing Director
Experienced education entrepreneur and leader with roles at Kaizen Private Equity and Global Discovery Schools. Holds an MBA from Kellogg Graduate school of Management and a PhD in Employability from University of Liverpool.

Shreekant Pol

Dean
Academic leader with 30+ years in education, driving curriculum innovation and maintaining academic rigor across programs.

Baiju Mehta

Head Technology & Marketing
Techno-commercial expert with 25+ years of global experience leading digital transformation and product innovation across education, finance, and insurance domains.

Simran Shahani

Strategic Growth Leader
Third-generation education entrepreneur shaping the 'Education-to-employment' vision through innovation, scale, and student-first design.

Sonu Daga

Head Finance
Financial backbone of the organization, with a strong track record in managing budgets, driving cost efficiency, and ensuring compliance in the education sector.