Devyani Jaipuria Reveal Why Her Decided To Start Building Schools

Across the table on Stories From Bharat, the conversation between our editor-in-chief Kamiya Jani and Devyani Jaipuria unfolded with the ease of a family lunch. Devyani is the daughter of Ravi Jaipuria, the billionaire entrepreneur who built RJ Corp into a diversified powerhouse spanning beverages, quick-service restaurants, healthcare, and education. So, what made her want to build schools? 

What Pushed Devyani Jaipuria To Open Her First School?

Long before Devyani considered her own role in the sector, she was watching it from the front row. Her grandfather had established several schools, and that meant that her childhood was punctuated by annual day rehearsals, prize distributions, classrooms buzzing before inspections, and the peculiar mix of discipline and excitement that defines school corridors. These weren’t occasional visits; these were more like formative experiences. She saw, early on, what it means when an institution doesn’t just teach, but shapes the life of a student.

Seventeen years ago, Ravi Jaipuria formalised the family’s deepening involvement in structured education by setting up a Delhi Public School in Gurgaon. The school wasn’t a vanity project; it was built with scale and seriousness. It became the first DPS under their leadership and, by most accounts, a highly successful one. The brand itself, Delhi Public School, carries significance and legitimacy across India, but the Gurgaon chapter was personal. Devyani and her siblings studied there, they experienced the institution not as promoters’ children observing from a distance, but as students moving between classes, examinations, friendships, and expectations.

By the time Devyani left for college, the decision had already settled in her mind. She didn’t speak of it as a dramatic turning point; it was more meaningful than that, a steady realisation that this was work she wanted to commit to. Her mother reinforced the belief at home; she, too, believes that if you can give someone an education, you’ve given them something that compounds for life.

Also Read: Cola King’s Daughter Devyani Jaipuria Shares How She Opened Costa Coffee’s 1st Outlet In India

Why Is Ravi Jaipuria Called The “Laughing Buddha” At Home?

During the episode, Devyani also offered a glimpse into her father’s personality, something not often seen in business profiles. And yes, he’s every bit the workaholic. The scale of his ventures leaves little room for idle hours. But she described a different constant; if a family member called, he answered and never made any excuses. He would greet them warmly and resolve whatever needed attention. And he smiled, often, broadly, almost instinctively, and so much so that her grandmother gave him a nickname that stuck within the family: the “laughing Buddha.”

It’s an image that complicates the stereotype of the relentless industrialist. He is an empire-builder who takes calls between meetings, an executive who still pauses to listen to his family. 

Also Read: Diamond King, Savji Dholakia, Who Gifts Flats To Employees, Meets Kamiya Jani On Stories From Bharat

Over a Rajasthani meal, the conversation didn’t drift into grand declarations about nation-building. Schools multiply possibilities and for Devyani Jaipuria, that distinction has never felt abstract. It has felt personal, something she grew up inside and something she intends to continue shaping. Check out the entire episode to know more about her vision on Curly Tales’ YouTube channel! 

Cover Image Courtesy: Internal