Ashish Dhawan is an Indian private equity investor and philanthropist. After a career in private equity in India, he transitioned to full-time philanthropy with a focus on education and public policy.
| Name | Ashish Dhawan |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | Private equity investing; philanthropy in education and policy |
| Field | Finance, philanthropy |
Dhawan built his career in the Indian private equity industry before shifting his focus to the social sector. He is widely identified with efforts to strengthen higher education and to support independent research institutions in India.
Dhawan was a co-founder of ChrysCapital, one of the early India-focused private equity firms. The firm became known for investments across sectors of the Indian economy. He stepped back from active investment management to dedicate his time to philanthropy.
Dhawan has been associated with the founding and support of institutions in the higher education and policy space in India. He is a co-founder of Ashoka University, a private liberal arts university located in Sonipat, Haryana, established on the principle of collective philanthropy by founders and donors.
He has also been associated with the Central Square Foundation, an organisation working on improving school education outcomes in India, particularly in foundational literacy and numeracy.
Dhawan is regarded as a notable figure in India's "new philanthropy" movement, in which entrepreneurs and investors commit substantial personal resources and management time to long-term institution building, especially in education and public policy.