Mr. Sawhney graduated with a Masters in Mechanical Sciences from Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, U.K. and M.B.A with distinction from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He was on the Dean’s list for all terms, came second in the University, and is a life member of Beta Gama Sigma.

Mr. Sawhney is a Past President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). He was President in 1991/92 when Dr. Manmohan Singh was Finance Minister and India started its liberalization, and was instrumental in the change of the Confederation of Engineering Industries to CII. He has served on the Board of various public sector organizations and chaired Government advisory councils on Industry, Energy and Sugar. Mr. Sawhney has recently received the highest civilian award “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur” from President Chirac of the French Republic.

Mr. Sawhney takes a keen interest in education, and was a Governor of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, and the Management Institute at the University of Delhi. He is currently Chairman of the Doon School, Dehra Dun, one of India’s most famous public schools, and is a Companion Member of the Chartered Institute of Management, U.K. He chairs the Board of Trustees of Delhi’s oldest private charitable hospital, and was President of the All India Chess Federation for 12 years. He is the Deputy Chairman of the Evian Group, Switzerland (a Think Tank and a forum for an open multilateral trading system), Chairman, India Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum, Switzerland, Member Indo-French Forum set up by the Governments of India and France, and Chairman, CII Agriculture Council.

Mr Sawhney is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd.