New Delhi: Vasundhara Oswal, the daughter of billionaire Pankaj Oswal of Indian descent, was detained in Uganda for three weeks last year on unfounded allegations of kidnapping and murdering a former employee of her father, who was subsequently discovered alive in Tanzania. She was arrested on October 1 and was granted bail on October 21.
At the age of 26, Ms. Oswal was held in a high-security facility alongside individuals convicted of serious crimes, including murder and human trafficking.
Who is Vasundhara Oswal?
Vasundhara Oswal is the offspring of prominent business figures Pankaj and Radhika Oswal, who are the proprietors of the Oswal Group Global, a multibillion-dollar enterprise. She resides in Villa Vari, one of the most luxurious residences globally, valued at over $200 million, situated with a view of Mt. Blanc in Switzerland. The property was crafted by the esteemed interior designer Jeffrey Wilkes.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance with Honours from a distinguished university in Switzerland.
In 2020, she made history by joining the board of PRO Industries as its first female leader. Currently, she holds the position of Executive Director (Finance) at PRO Industries, where she is responsible for investment strategies and plant development. Additionally, she serves as the Director General of Axis Minerals, which operates one of the largest bauxite mining projects in Guinea, containing 884 million tons of bauxite. Under her guidance, both PRO Industries and Axis Minerals have successfully executed significant expansion initiatives, reduced their debt, and implemented sustainability programs.
She successfully implemented a commercially viable Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) program at PRO Industries, achieving complete wastewater recycling. Additionally, she established a CO2 capture facility that supplies CO2 to the beverage industry, which aligns with her environmental and sustainability objectives. Her leadership extends to social initiatives, such as the installation of drinking water facilities and the construction of roads in East Africa for disadvantaged communities.
She has been honored with several awards, including the title of Inspiring Woman of the Year by The Economic Times and the Global Youth Icon Award in 2023. Furthermore, she was featured in Femina India in the same year.
In an interview with the news agency PTI on Friday, Vasundhara Oswal described her imprisonment as a “gross violation of human rights,” claiming she was deprived of food, water, and access to restroom facilities.
“My parents were compelled to bribe police officers through lawyers to provide me with food, water, and essential items,” she stated.
She also alleged that the Ugandan police conducted a search of her property without a warrant and pressured her into making a statement without legal counsel. Despite having submitted a police bond and the supposedly deceased employee being located alive on October 10, she remained in custody until her eventual release.
