{"id":4668,"date":"2022-08-29T12:28:28","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T12:28:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/?p=4668"},"modified":"2026-02-02T11:14:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T11:14:28","slug":"krishnava-dutt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/krishnava-dutt\/","title":{"rendered":"Krishnava Dutt"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Krishnava is the Founder and Managing Partner of Argus Partners and sits on the executive committee, which advises the Firm on various strategic initiatives. He has led the Firm from its inception in 2009, now with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Kolkata. He advises some of the largest corporate houses and their boards on various matters including corporate governance and board responsibility.

Krishnava has been the lead adviser in some of the largest and most complex M&A and financing transactions. He is regularly sought out by CEOs, CFOs, GCs, and legal heads of large multinational corporations, government agencies, and funds for his unique mix of in-depth knowledge of law and regulatory matters, coupled with a very keen understanding of finance, accounts, and business issues. He has been consistently recognised for building Argus Partners into a leading national-level firm.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Select Professional Experience<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • Advised Surya Hospitals and its promoter on Novo Holdings\u2019 investment and exit of Sealink Capital Partners from Surya Hospitals.<\/li>\n
  • Successfully advised L&T Finance on settlement with Tikona Infinet following NCLT proceedings.<\/li>\n
  • Represented the erstwhile HDFC Limited (since merged with HDFC Bank) before the Supreme Court, against IL&FS.<\/li>\n
  • Advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India on the tendering of media rights for the Indian Premier League for more than USD 6 billion, making it the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value.<\/li>\n
  • Advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the historic Women\u2019s Premier League (\u201cWPL\u201d) teams auction.<\/li>\n
  • Advised on India’s largest ever merger to create India’s second largest bank, HDFC Bank.<\/li>\n
  • Advised India Resurgence Fund promoted by Piramal Enterprises Limited and Bain Capital Credit in its investment of up to Rs 615 crore ($83 million) in Gujarat-based Setco Group.<\/li>\n
  • Advised HDFC Limited on its acquisition of a stake in Yes Bank made pursuant to a scheme of reconstruction of Yes Bank notified by the central government owing to the deteriorating financial health of Yes Bank.<\/li>\n
  • Advised Tata Steel Limited on the acquisition of Usha Martin (Steel Division) in one of the largest deals in the steel sector outside the framework of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.<\/li>\n
  • Advised GRUH Finance (a subsidiary of HDFC Limited) on its merger with Bandhan Bank. This deal pertained to a merger of a listed bank with a listed housing finance company. This deal was one of the largest in the financial services sector with a combined market cap of USD 12 billion.<\/li>\n
  • Advised the Committee of Creditors of Binani Cement Limited, which has been one of the most contentious matters under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.<\/li>\n
  • Advised the resolution professional of Monnet Ispat & Energy Limited. This was one of the first twelve largest cases referred by the Reserve Bank of India for resolution under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.<\/li>\n
  • Advised Edelweiss in connection with the strategic debt restructuring of Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Limited.<\/li>\n
  • Advised HDFC Limited on the acquisition of L&T General Insurance by HDFC ERGO General Insurance.<\/li>\n
  • Advised Mukand Limited on its joint venture with Sumitomo Corporation, Japan.<\/li>\n
  • Advised Tega Industries Limited on its resolution plan for acquisition of McNally Sayaji Engineering Limited.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Awards & Recognition<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    • \u2018Legal Icon\u2019 amongst India’s top 100 lawyers in the India Business Law Journal’s A-List 2022 – 2024 and 2026.<\/li>\n
    • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2026 and 2025 ‘Leading Partner’ for Corporate and M&A in India.<\/li>\n
    • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2026 \u2018Recommended Lawyer\u2019 for Banking and Finance, Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital), Projects and Energy and Restructuring and Insolvency in India, as well as for Banking and Finance, Commercial, Corporate and M&A, Dispute Resolution, Real Estate and Construction and TMT in Mumbai.<\/li>\n
    • Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific Guide 2020 – 2026 for Corporate\/ M&A and Restructuring\/Insolvency.<\/li>\n
    • IFLR1000 2025 \u2018Highly Regarded\u2019 in Restructuring and Insolvency and IFLR1000 2020 – 2025 ‘Highly Regarded’ in M&A.<\/li>\n
    • Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2022 – 2025 for Corporate\/M&A.<\/li>\n
    • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2025 \u2018Recommended Lawyer\u2019 for Banking and Finance, Corporate and M&A, Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital), Projects and Energy and Restructuring and Insolvency in India, as well as for Banking and Finance and Commercial, Corporate and M&A in Mumbai.<\/li>\n
    • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2024 \u2018Leading Lawyer\u2019 for Corporate and M&A and \u2018Recommended Lawyer\u2019 for Finance, Private Equity and Investment Funds, Restructuring and Insolvency and TMT.<\/li>\n
    • Asialaw Profiles Leading Lawyers 2021 – 2025 \u2018Distinguished Practitioner\u2019 for Restructuring and Insolvency.<\/li>\n
    • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2023 \u2018Recommended Lawyer\u2019 for Corporate and M&A and Finance.<\/li>\n
    • Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2021 and 2020 Top 50 Managing Partners.<\/li>\n
    • Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2021 Top 100 Individual Lawyers for Banking\/Finance, Capital Markets & Securities Laws; Joint Venture, M&A, PE & VC; Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy; and Sports & Entertainment.<\/li>\n
    • India Business Law Journal India\u2019s Top 100 lawyers in the A-List 2017 – 2022.<\/li>\n
    • Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2020 Top 100 Individual Lawyers for Insolvency & Bankruptcy and Mergers & Acquisitions.<\/li>\n
    • \u2018ALB India 2020 Super 50 Lawyers\u2019 top 50 private practitioners in India.<\/li>\n
    • Leadership Excellence Award 2017 at the India Economic & Law Summit for contributions in Restructuring and Distressed Assets Practice.<\/li>\n
    • RSG India Law Centre amongst the leading second generation of Indian corporate lawyers in 2017.<\/li>\n
    • Chambers and Partners 2012 as a Leading Lawyer in Private Equity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Testimonials<\/span><\/font><\/div><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      • “Takes complete ownership of the deal and ensures all stakeholders are on board.” \u2014 <\/em>The Legal 500, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “Very strong on legal principles and understanding of law. Excellent negotiation and drafts.<\/em>”\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “There are very few lawyers I have come across who have a better understanding of commercials than him!”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt offers innovative solutions to complex solutions.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt has been able to keep on top of evolving laws and is experienced enough to understand the legal dynamics of a fairly confusing environment.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava is innovative and an out-of-the-box thinker on transactional matters.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2026<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava is knowledgeable and has a practical approach.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2025<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt is very good. He knows how to communicate with us and our counterparties.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers & Partners, 2025<\/li>\n
      • “Aastha, Krishnava Dutt and team are solution oriented and extremely responsive, have had only good experiences working with the team. They\u2019re supportive and pragmatic during negotiations with counterparties and do not unnecessarily prolong<\/em> discussions on drafts and provide quick turnarounds.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Experienced, commercial and solution focused.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “The Team led by Krishnava Dutt and Adity Chaudhury is dynamic and solution oriented.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Mr. Krishnava Dutt- Problem Solver. He is the managing partner but is available whenever there is a crisis.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Extremely hard working and turnaround time is superb.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 The Legal 500, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt heads the department at Argus Partners from Mumbai and leads its most significant activity. His experience includes M&A with a restructuring and insolvency element.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers and Partners, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt in Mumbai has a well-established reputation for advising resolution professionals and liquidators on insolvency processes. He is particularly active in the real estate, power and manufacturing sectors.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers and Partners, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava has a knack for educating and steering clients’ decisions in their best interests. He moves from the ambit of an external legal counsel to a trusted adviser.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers and Partners, 2024<\/li>\n
      • “Krishnava Dutt is a great professional. He has the ability to quickly frame issues in the local context for alignment.”<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Chambers and Partners, 2024<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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        Memberships<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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        • West Bengal Bar Council.<\/li>\n
        • Patron member of Bar Association of India.<\/li>\n
        • Member of Society of Indian Law Firms.<\/li>\n
        • Member of the National Regulatory Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).<\/li>\n
        • Appointed as member of the committee of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law, Government of India on Ease of Doing Business \u2013 Enforcement of Contracts.<\/li>\n
        • Appointed as member of the committee of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law, Government of India on Legal Aid and Pro Bono work across the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Krishnava is the Founder and Managing Partner of Argus Partners and sits on the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,1,10,12,19,14],"tags":[23],"class_list":["post-4668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-banking-finance","category-corporate-ma","category-corporate-restructuring-insolvency","category-energy-infrastructure","category-estate-and-succession-planning","category-private-equity-and-venture-capital","tag-partner"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4668"}],"version-history":[{"count":143,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8523,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4668\/revisions\/8523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/argus-p.com\/argusdigitalfirmprofile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}