Mr. Vittaladevini S Balaji
Non-Executive Independent Director
Vittaldevinni S. Balaji (68 years) has been serving as an Independent Director on our Board since 18th July 2025. He is also the Chairperson of the NRC and Stakeholders Committee and a member of the Audit Committee, CSR Committee, and Risk Management Committee of our company.
A postgraduate from the 1979 batch, Mr. Balaji brings over 46 years of rich experience, with 23 years in the flexible films segment and 23 years in print and flexible packaging. A seasoned professional, coach, and trainer of young talent, he is widely regarded as an authority in the flexible packaging and films industry.
At Knack Packaging, we look forward to leveraging his extensive technical, administrative, managerial, and leadership expertise. Over the course of his career, Mr. Balaji has played a pivotal role in the turnaround of Gujarat Propack Ltd. and Positive Packaging Pvt. Ltd. He is currently associated with Rajshree Polypack Ltd., serving as a consultant in the capacity of President and as a mentor to the Managing Director since 2019.
A graduate in Chemistry and a Postgraduate in Applied Chemistry, he is also certified in Production Management from NITIE and has twice attended Leadership in Management courses from LMI Global.
Mr. Balaji began his career in 1979 as a chemist with MM Wrap, India’s first biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) plant, where he worked for seven years until 1986. He then moved to Gujarat Ltd., where he served as Production Manager of the company’s metallizing plant.In 1986, he joined Gujarat Propack Ltd., another BOPP plant, as Product Development and Application Manager and served the company until 2001, eventually rising to the position of Executive Vice President. Along with his team, he played a pivotal role in turning around the then loss-making Gujarat Propack Ltd. by commissioning India’s first five-layer BOPP plant in 1999. With an investment of just ₹2 crore, the company transitioned from losses to profitability by offering differentiated films to the Indian BOPP industry, enabling it to successfully compete with international brands such as Mobil and AET in both domestic and global markets.Recognizing the significant value created, Gujarat Propack Ltd. was subsequently acquired by Cosmo Films, another prominent player in the BOPP industry. During this transition, Mr. Balaji was entrusted with managing and administering the smooth integration of operations and served as Vice President of Sales for one year.
In 2005, he joined Positive Packaging Pvt. Ltd. as Head of R&D, taking on a new challenge. He was part of a team that delivered substantial value to the company by strengthening customer development and positioning Positive Packaging as the preferred development partner for flexible packaging solutions. Along with his team, he revolutionized and streamlined production activities, contributing to significant growth that attracted major buyers. He later served as Senior Vice President – Operations, including R&D, when the company was acquired by the global packaging giant Huhtamaki, which had earlier taken over Paper Products Ltd.Recognizing his technical and administrative expertise, Mr. Balaji was appointed Senior Vice President – Manufacturing and Technology by Shri Suresh Gupta, then Chairperson of Huhtamaki and a pioneer of the flexible packaging industry in India. At Huhtamaki, he successfully managed and guided eight flexible manufacturing plants across India, fostering collaboration and alignment between sales and operations teams. After retiring at the age of 62, he was retained by Huhtamaki for an additional year as an exclusive consultant and advisor to the Managing Director, where he contributed to shaping key strategic decisions for the company.
He then transitioned into a freelance career as a professional mentor and coach, guiding individuals in technical, managerial, and leadership roles across both sales and manufacturing operations — a practice he continues to pursue.
Currently, he serves as President and Chief Mentor to the Managing Director of Raajshree Polypack Ltd. (RPPL), a ₹300 crore listed leader in the rigid packaging industry. Under his mentorship, he and the MD have successfully developed a clear vision and mission for the company, established strategic roadmaps, and implemented meticulous review processes. These efforts are now bearing fruit, reflecting years of focused planning and execution.
Known for his deep technical expertise, Mr. Balaji has mentored select organizations, including the specialty division of Supreme Industries, Mandaini Foils - a leading VAD manufacturer in South India - and 3B Films, a recently listed leader in cast polypropylene films.
Beyond corporate mentoring, he provides personalized coaching to professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge of flexible packaging and advance their careers. He regularly conducts interactive technical training sessions, using a highly engaging, hands-on approach that ensures participants gain practical and actionable insights.He is also in the process of authoring a book on flexible packaging, simplifying complex concepts in barrier technology to make them easily understandable and practically useful for industry professionals. Passionate about environmental sustainability, he is actively exploring innovative, nature-friendly solutions and collaborating with NGOs and corporate bodies to drive initiatives that benefit both industry and society for the future.
