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

Dr. Maya Shahani

Chairperson
Serving as a trustee on the HSNC Board, with oversight of 27 renowned educational institutions in Mumbai. Engaged in collaboration with Dr. Tony Nader (Leader of the Global Country for World Peace) and Janet Attwood to receive training in transcendental techniques for promoting world peace.

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.

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

Sanjeev Lall

Ex-Managing Director of DBS
He is an Entrepreneurial strategic leader and proven organization builder – spanning brand, reputation, customers & business, and talent & teams with a successful track record of more than 30 years in Investment Banking, Corporate / Mid-market / SME Banking and Consulting.

Devan Kampani

Managing Director – General Industries, Infra and Industrials
An MBA from New York University, Devan has been a senior member of the JM Financial group over the last 20 years and has worked on many prominent M&A deals. He has a deep interest in education as is also on the advisory board of a well-known international school in Mumbai.

SMART Management Team

Dr. Akhil Shahani

Amit Mozar

Vice President - Marketing
Media and Design professional with 21+ years of practical knowledge and exposure in the key verticals of the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics) industry including post production studio, education, design, marketing and business operations.

Javed Sajawal

Dean of Students
A seasoned Academician and Media professional with over 25 years of dual experience in the Indian Film Industry and Higher Education. A specialist in Media, Advertising, Branding, and Film Histories, he has served as Assistant Writer/Director on major Bollywood films.

Jugnu Dutta

Vice President - Corporate Relations
Holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, UK. With over 18 years of experience across India and Europe in higher education, skilling, employability, retail, hospitality and CSR, he has led strategic partnerships and workforce development initiatives.

Niccon Ghosh

HOD - IT & Infrastructure
Strategic Technology Leader with 18+ years of experience driving digital transformation, enterprise IT infrastructure, project management, automation, AI adoption, and technology innovation across education and corporate sectors.

Rajeev Singh

Vice President - Franchise & COE, Sales and Operations
An MBA graduate in Finance with over 32 years of professional experience, including 20 years in the education sector, brings deep expertise in operations, business development, and startup management. Proven ability to deliver sustainable results.

Rajesh Patel

Business Unit Head - Ask Talent Services
Business leader with extensive experience in driving growth and building strategic partnerships. Responsible for delivering impactful solutions across Recruitment, Corporate Training, Campus Hiring, and Talent Development.

Sagar Chandani

Incubation Director
Startup and entrepreneurship expert with extensive experience guiding entrepreneurs from early-stage ideas to sustainable, high-impact ventures.

Shreekant Pol

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

Simran Shahani

Strategic Growth Leader
Drives strategic growth and operational excellence across the group, championing scaling frameworks, process rigour, and cross-functional execution.

Sonu Daga

HOD - Finance & HR
Brings 13+ years building trusted financial systems, blending governance rigor and nonprofit finance experience into scalable systems people can trust.

Baiju Mehta

HOD - Academics IT & AI
With over 25 years of combined experience in both technical and business domains, including 12 years focused on system integration, project/program management, and pre- and post-sales activities. Successfully led and executed IT projects in multiple international locations such as the USA, UK, Singapore, and UAE. Possesses robust interpersonal, leadership, and relationship management abilities.