Ms. Avantika Saraogi

Executive Director, Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML)

Ms. Avantika Saraogi is the Executive Director of Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML), a fourth-generation leader who officially joined the board on 1 January 2024 after years of contributing to the company’s agricultural and strategic divisions. A Cum Laude graduate of Scripps College, California, she initially carved her own professional path as a successful restaurateur in Kolkata before returning to the family business, where she spent over four years as Promoter and Business Lead for New Initiatives.

Deeply inspired by the legacy of her grandmother, Padma Shri Meenakshi Saraogi, Avantika has modernized BCML by championing “sugarcane as the new oil” a vision that priorities sustainability and circular economy principles. Her most ambitious project to date is the establishment of Balrampur Bioyug, India’s first industrial-scale PLA (Polylactic Acid) bioplastics facility, representing a ₹2,850 crore investment aimed at replacing single-use plastics.

Beyond industrial innovation, she is recognized for her hands-on approach to cane development, working directly with over 5.5 lakh farmers to introduce high-yield varieties and mechanized farming tools that have reportedly increased grower incomes by over 50%. Her leadership has earned her prestigious accolades, including being featured in Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 list (2025) as a Green Innovator and the Hurun India U35 list. Outside the boardroom, she is a fine art photographer and an avid horse-rider.