Devita Saraf

2022-03-13T09:22:00Z

103.233.65.36:

{{Multiple issues|
{{Autobiography|date=March 2021}}
{{Peacock|date=March 2021}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Devita Saraf
| native_name =
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| image =Devita Saraf 01.jpg
| image_size =
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|6|25}}
| birth_name = Devita Saraf
| birth_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
| nationality =[[India]]n
| other_names =
| ethnicity = 
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = {{plainlist|
*[[H.R. College of Commerce and Economics]], [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
*[[University of Southern California]]}}
| occupation = Chairman and CEO, Vu Televisions
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| influences =
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| spouse =
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| children =
| parents = Rajkumar Saraf<br> Vijayrani Saraf
| relatives =
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| website = {{URL|http://www.devitasaraf.com}}
| footnotes =
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}}
'''Devita Saraf''' is the founder, chairman and CEO of [[Vu Televisions]].

== Early life ==
Saraf was born in [[Mumbai|Mumbai, India]]. Her father, Rajkumar Saraf, was chairman of Zenith Computers. She attended [[Queen Mary School, Mumbai]]<ref>{{Cite book|title = Business Czarinas|last = Chary|first = S.N.|publisher = Bloomsbury India|year = 2015|isbn = 9789382951179|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ncpKCAAAQBAJ&q=%22devita+saraf%22&pg=PT90}}</ref> She later attended the [[H.R. College of Commerce and Economics]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrcollege.edu/web/images/Newsletter_October_HR_2014.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924031515/http://www.hrcollege.edu/web/images/Newsletter_October_HR_2014.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-24 }}</ref> and the [[University of Southern California]], where she received a BA in business administration.<ref name="Luxury" />

== Career ==
She founded the company at the age of 24 after completing her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the [[University of Southern California]]. She has also studied management of technology at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] and game theory and strategic thinking at the [[London School of Economics]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Devita Saraf |url=https://www.entrepreneurindia.com/shepreneur/devita.php |website=Entrepreneur India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ann Thomas |first1=Preethi |title=A go-getter |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/education/edex/2013/sep/30/A-go-getter-519753.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=30 September 2013}}</ref> She is also pursuing the OPM program at [[Harvard Business School]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Devita Saraf Official Site |url=https://www.devitasaraf.com/}}</ref>

=== Zenith ===
Saraf started her career at age 16,<ref name=":0" /> under the guidance of her father at Zenith Computers and was named as director of marketing when she was 21.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://exhibitmag.com/devita-saraf-ceo-vu-technologies/ |title=Devita Saraf, CEO Vu Technologies|work=Exhibit Magazine |access-date=2012-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721085237/http://exhibitmag.com/devita-saraf-ceo-vu-technologies/ |archive-date=21 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/On+the+radar/1/25344.html |title=On the radar: Simply Mumbai|work=India Today|date=2009-01-16 |access-date=2012-07-28}}</ref> In 2006 Saraf went from being the head of marketing to CEO.<ref>{{cite news|title = Devita Saraf moves from head of marketing to CEO|url = http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-03-10/news/27599636_1_brand-equity-vu-technologies-marketing|work= The Times of India|access-date = 2015-11-23}}</ref>

===Vu Technologies===
At age 24, Saraf started Vu Technologies, which sells high-end{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} LED TVs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url = https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1196495321.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183338/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1196495321.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2 February 2016|title = She Likes to Hone Her Skills on the Cutting Edge|date = 17 January 2007|work = Hindustan Times|access-date = 12 January 2016|via = HighBeam Research|url-access=subscription }}</ref> While Zenith was mass technology focused, Vu sells innovative luxury items.<ref name="InterviewVideo">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-32174402|title='Keep company lean' says electronics CEO Devita Saraf|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37929092.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183338/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-37929092.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2 February 2016|title = Off the Old Block, off Course ; Had Enough of Business Family Scions Who Follow in Their Parents' Footsteps? Business Today Finds Some Who Blaze Their Own Trails|last1 = Sen|first1 = Sunny|date = 24 May 2015|work = Business Today|access-date = 12 January 2016|via = HighBeam Research|last2 = Sinha|first2 = Suveen|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Vu came out with a 4K HD Iconium Series televisions in October 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconindia.com/gadget/news/VU-Unveils-the-New-Iconium-Series-with-4K-UHD-SMART-LED-nid-188338.html|title=VU Unveils the New Iconium Series with 4K UHD SMART LED|author=SiliconIndia|work=siliconindia}}</ref> In October 2014, the [[Bombay High Court]] sealed the premises of the [[Andheri]]-based office of Vu Technologies after it fraudulently showed 200 employees in their affidavit but only 32 were found on premises in a visit and in the [[muster roll]] for September–October 2014.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/bombay-hc-raps-vu-technologies-for-false-statements-in-affidavit-114101400347_1.html | title=Bombay HC raps Vu Technologies for false statements in affidavit | work=[[Business Standard]] | date=15 October 2014 | access-date=24 December 2015 | author=N Sundaresha Subramanian}}</ref>

===Others===
Saraf has been a National Co-Chair and Executive Committee Member in the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ([[FICCI]]) Young Leaders Forum.<ref name="Luxury">{{cite web|url=http://www.afternoondc.in/womens-world/business-of-luxury/article_25749 |title=Business of Luxury |publisher=Afternoondc.in |date=2011-05-26 |access-date=2012-07-28}}</ref> She was also the founder and Chair of the Young Bombay Forum which was part of Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/leading-ladies/1/86594.html |title=Leading ladies : Woman - India Today |publisher=Indiatoday.intoday.in |date=2010-03-04 |access-date=2012-07-28}}</ref> She is the member of Mensa, an international society for people with high IQ.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Saumit |title=Meet the fashionable Mensan! |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-meet-the-fashionable-mensan-1147156 |publisher=dnaindia.com |date=23 January 2008}}</ref>

She was also a columnist for ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://thesaturnherald.com/devita-saraf-gadget-woman-from-india/|title = Devita Saraf: Gadget woman from India|date = 7 April 2015|website = The Saturn Herald|access-date = 12 January 2016}}{{failed verification|date=April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-2176561311.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160202183338/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-2176561311.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2 February 2016|title = Lights, Camera, Ideas at TEDx Mumbai|last = Chaudhuri|first = Arcopol|date = 31 October 2010|work = DNA, Sunday|access-date = 12 January 2016|via = HighBeam Research|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 2017, Saraf bought a full page ad in the ''Times of India'' newspaper, where she congratulated [[Donald Trump]] on becoming President of the United States. The ad attracted mixed reviews on social media.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/who-is-devita-saraf-why-is-she-trending-on-twitter-heres-what-you-need-to-know-donald-trump-4484139/|title=Who is Devita Saraf? Why is she trending on Twitter? Here's what you need to know|date=2017-01-20|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-06-29|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Vu Televisions' CEO welcomes 'President' Donald Trump with full-page ad, gets trolled|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/vu-televisions-ceo-welcomes-president-donald-trump-with-full-page-ad-gets-trolled/story-drovTcwFAvvZqZlSpqMjuO.html|access-date=30 June 2017|work=Hindustan Times|date=20 January 2017|language=en}}</ref>

==Controversy==
The high court of [[Bombay]] (now Mumbai), in a case brought by [[BNY Mellon|The Bank of New York Mellon]], convicted Saraf, her father, and the promoters of Zenith Infotech of siphoning company funds to personnel accounts and has directed the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction Government of India (BIFR) to act in accordance with its regulations.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=The Bank of New York Mellon, London vs Zenith Infotech Limited |pinpoint= Para 34 |court= THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY |date=2015-07-30 |url=http://indiankanoon.org/doc/160521604/ |accessdate=2015-12-16 |quote=In view thereof, though I have expressed my view viz. that the Promoters of the Company are absolutely dishonest and have siphoned away the funds of the Company in the manner set out in detail hereinabove and are responsible for the state of affairs of the Company prevalent as of date, I leave it to the BIFR to decide whether the Reference filed by the Company should be registered and/or further entertained.}}</ref>

The [[Securities and Exchange Board of India]] (SEBI) accused Zenith Infotech Limited and its six promoters of fraudulent removal of funds to personnel accounts without notice to shareholders, and as of 25 March 2013, SEBI prevented the promoters from accessing the securities market or trading in securities in any manner. The named six promoters included by SEBI are Saraf; her father Rajkumar Saraf; Akash Kumar Saraf; Vijayrani Saraf; VU Technologies; and Zenith Technologies.<ref>{{cite news |first= Mahesh |last= Sharma |title= How $33M was siphoned from India's Zenith Infotech |url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-33m-was-siphoned-from-indias-zenith-infotech/ |work=ZD net|location= Mumbai |date=2013-04-10 |access-date=2015-12-16 }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite news |first= Samie |last= Modak |title= Sebi bars Zenith Infotech promoters |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/sebi-bars-zenith-infotech-promoters-113032500466_1.html |work=Business Standard|location= Mumbai |date=2013-03-25 |access-date=2015-12-16 }}</ref>

==Books==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title
|-
| 2012 || Business Czarinas – S. N. Chary<ref>{{cite news |last1=Narayanan |first1=K S |title=Business Czarinas |url=http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/business-czarinas/114/48603/ |publisher=thesundayindian.com |date=27 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="Business Czarinas">{{cite book |last1=Chary |first1=S. N. |title=Business Czarinas |date=30 April 2015 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing India Pvt. Ltd. |location=London |isbn=9789382951179 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Business_Czarinas/ncpKCAAAQBAJ}}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || Most Powerful Women in India – Prem Ahluwalia<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ahluwalia |first1=Prem |title=India's Most Powerful Women |publisher=Indian Books and Periodicals |edition=2016 |url=https://www.ibpbooks.com/indias-most-powerful-women/p/19214}}</ref>
|-
| 2018 || Daughters of Legacy – Rinku Paul<ref>{{cite news |last1=Narayanan |first1=Chitra |title=Daughters to the fore |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/books/daughters-to-the-fore/article24961893.ece |publisher=thehindubusinessline.com |date=16 September 2018}}</ref>
|}

==Speaker==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Event
|-
| 2013 || [[Wharton India Economic Forum|Wharton-India Economic Forum]] – Philadelphia, PA, USA<ref>{{cite news |title=Post Budget reaction-VU Technologies(The Luxury Television and Display Brand) |url=https://www.itvoice.in/post-budget-reaction-vu-technologiesthe-luxury-television-and-display-brand |publisher=itvoice.in}}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || Tomorrow's India Summit – Seoul, Korea<ref>{{cite news |title=Global Social India Foundation concludes Tomorrow's India Global Summit in Seoul |url=http://www.businessworld.in/article/Lavanya-Nalli-The-Nine-Yard-Tale/03-04-2020-188170 |publisher=The SME Times News Bureau |date=7 October 2016}}</ref>
|-
| 2016 || Istanbul Talks: Entrepreneurship Summit – Istanbul, Turkey<ref>{{cite web |title=Devita Saraf |url=http://www.istanbultalks.com.tr/inspired/en/speaker/devita-saraf/ |website=istanbultalks.com.tr |access-date=1 March 2021 |archive-date=19 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419034943/http://www.istanbultalks.com.tr/inspired/en/speaker/devita-saraf/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| 2018 || TEDxGateway – Mumbai, India<ref>{{cite web |title=Devita Saraf At TEDxGateway 2018 – 'Technology Is The Greatest Leveller' |url=https://indiaeducationdiary.in/devita-saraf-tedxgateway-2018-technology-greatest-leveller/ |publisher=India Education Diary |date=24 April 2020}}</ref>

|-
| 2020 || Fortune Next 500 Summit – Mumbai, India<ref>{{cite web |title=Recognising India's largest midsize companies at the Fortune India Next 500 summit- West |url=https://www.fortuneindia.com/events/recognising-indias-largest-midsize-companies-at-the-fortune-india-next-500-summit-west/103531 |website=fortuneindia.com |publisher=Fortune India}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saraf, Devita}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian women chief executives]]
[[Category:Marshall School of Business alumni]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Indian chief executives]]
[[Category:Mensans]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Businesswomen from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesswomen]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:1981 births]]

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Devita Saraf