Mumbai: The Indian retail and FMCG industry is mourning the loss of one of its stalwarts. Prrasana Shah, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer – Grocery Retail at Reliance Retail, passed away recently, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, leadership, and excellence that spanned over three decades.
Prrasana was a key figure in the growth story of Reliance Retail, having been part of its founding leadership team since 2006. Over the last 18 years, he played a pivotal role in shaping the grocery retail business, driving innovation in merchandising, and building a robust nationwide network. From pioneering local food sourcing models to introducing fresh tender coconut water and premiumising product lines, his contributions were instrumental in transforming the customer experience across Reliance stores.
Expressing grief in a LinkedIn post, Neil George, Managing Director of Abbott India, wrote: “Prrasana was a real torch bearer of the amazing growth that Reliance Retail had achieved in India over the last several years… He was extremely knowledgeable of the Indian shopper and was a man of humility and someone who always kept his word. Om Shanti. You will be terribly missed – Prrasana Ji.”
Prior to his tenure at Reliance, Prrasana had an illustrious 14-year career with GCMMF (Amul), where he rose to become one of the youngest members of its Apex Steering Council. As Business Head of Amul’s Frozen division, he built a Rs. 1,000 crore FMCG business from scratch, expanding its reach to over 500 cities and 100,000 retail outlets.
He also had a brief stint as Business Head at Adani Agri Fresh Limited, where he managed the company’s end-to-end operations across sales, marketing, and supply chain.
A passionate leader known for his entrepreneurial drive and turnaround capabilities, Prrasana was celebrated for his ability to build high-performance teams and launch sustainable business models. He was the architect behind Reliance Dairy Foods Ltd (RDFL) in its early years and led several business divisions including Dairy, Frozen, Food, and Home & Personal Care.
A recipient of multiple awards during his time at Amul, including Kaizen King and Young Innovator, Prrasana was also a visiting faculty at IRMA and underwent international training in Japan, Denmark, and the UK.
He is remembered by industry peers and colleagues as a man of integrity, deep consumer insight, and unwavering commitment.
