President Uhuru Kenyatta has named Narendra Raval as chancellor of Egerton University, succeeding Prof Shem Oyoo Wandiga.
Raval, a Kenyan of Indian descent, built the Devki Group of Companies into East Africa's largest construction materials conglomerate. The firm generates over Sh65 billion annually and employs more than 4,500 people across subsidiaries including Devki Steel Mills, National Cement Companies, and Maisha Mabati Mills.
Born in 1962 in Gujarat, India, Raval migrated to Kenya at age 16 in 1978. He began as a temple teacher before establishing his business empire with wife Neeta Naval. His autobiography, Guru: A Long Walk to Success, details his self-taught approach to industrial leadership.
A 2015 Forbes Africa list ranked Raval among the continent's top 50 richest individuals. He pledged in 2017 to donate half his Sh40 billion net worth to charity, with the remainder for family inheritance.
Despite lacking formal university education, Raval emphasizes education access. A Devki Group tweet noted his early struggles: "He couldn't even afford shoes for school." The billionaire joins corporate leaders like Manu Chandaria and James Mwangi in university chancellor roles.
