A former student of the prestigious Delhi Public School, RK Puram, Navneet Kalra received higher education from the College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi, before starting his entrepreneurial journey.

He is married to Shehla (Kitty) Kalra, a celebrity fitness expert, health coach and motivator.

The making of an entrepreneur

After completing his education, Navneet Kalra decided to start a business venture, just like his father had done years ago. At the young age of 19 years, he set up his first business – a garments venture in Delhi. He ran it for over a decade, before shutting it down and moving on to new opportunities.

In the late 1990s, he assumed the command of Dayal Opticals and expanded it to prominent locations across Delhi. Under his aegis, the business gained immense fame and cemented its position as one of the premier chains of eyewear stores in Delhi.

Entry into restaurant business

After successfully expanding Dayal Opticals, Navneet Kalra went on to explore new business opportunities in the hospitality sector, particularly restaurants. His first venture in the industry was a restaurant named Blanco. Its success encouraged him to pursue more opportunities in the hospitality arena.

Navneet Kalra gradually set up a number of restaurants across the national capital, all of them being great successes. His most prominent ventures include Town Hall, a pan-Asian restaurant and Khan Chacha, a leading chain of best kebabs and rolls. Other popular restaurants set up in New Delhi by Navneet Kalra include Public Affair and Mr. Choy in Khan Market, Kakapo in Mehrauli, and Nege&Ju at Lodhi Road.

Favourite pastimes

When not busy with work, Navneet Kalra indulges in outdoor activities like cycling, swimming and playing golf. He is also a frequent traveller. Although he visits parts of Europe for business trips on a regular basis, his favourite holiday destination is New Zealand.