Our Partners



Krishnava Dutt

Managing Partner

Corporate and M&A, Private Equity & Venture Capital, Finance, Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency, Energy and Infrastructure, Estate & Succession Planning,

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.

Select Professional Experience

  • Represented the erstwhile HDFC Limited (since merged with HDFC Bank) before the Supreme Court, against IL&FS.
  • 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.
  • Advised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the historic Women’s Premier League (“WPL”) teams auction.
  • Advised on India's largest ever merger to create India's second largest bank, HDFC Bank.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Advised Edelweiss in connection with the strategic debt restructuring of Adhunik Power and Natural Resources Limited.
  • Advised HDFC Limited on the acquisition of L&T General Insurance by HDFC ERGO General Insurance.
  • Advised Mukand Limited on its joint venture with Sumitomo Corporation, Japan.
  • Advised Tega Industries Limited on its resolution plan for acquisition of McNally Sayaji Engineering Limited.

Awards & Recognition

  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2024 'Leading Lawyer' for Corporate and M&A and 'Recommended Lawyer' for Finance, Private Equity and Investment Funds, Restructuring and Insolvency and TMT.
  • Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific Guide 2024, 2023, 2021 and 2020 for Corporate/ M&A and Restructuring/Insolvency.
  • ‘Legal Icon’ amongst India`s top 100 lawyers in the India Business Law Journal`s, ‘A-List 2022-2023’
  • The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2023 'Recommended Lawyer' for Corporate and M&A and Finance.
  • Chambers & Partners Global Guide 2023 and 2022 for Corporate/M&A.
  • Asialaw Profiles Leading Lawyers 2023, 2022 and 2021 'Distinguished Practitioner' for Restructuring and Insolvency.
  • IFLR1000 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 ‘Highly Regarded’ for M&A.
  • Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2021 and 2020 Top 50 Managing Partners.
  • 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.
  • India Business Law Journal India’s Top 100 lawyers in the A-List 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
  • Forbes India Legal Powerlist 2020 Top 100 Individual Lawyers for Insolvency & Bankruptcy and Mergers & Acquisitions.
  • 'ALB India 2020 Super 50 Lawyers' top 50 private practitioners in India.
  • Leadership Excellence Award 2017 at the India Economic & Law Summit for contributions in Restructuring and Distressed Assets Practice.
  • RSG India Law Centre amongst the leading second generation of Indian corporate lawyers in 2017.
  • Chambers and Partners 2012 as a Leading Lawyer in Private Equity.

Memberships

  • West Bengal Bar Council.
  • Patron member of Bar Association of India.
  • Member of Society of Indian Law Firms.
  • Member of the National Regulatory Committee of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
  • Appointed as member of the committee of Department of Justice, Ministry of Law, Government of India on Ease of Doing Business - Enforcement of Contracts.
  • 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.

Argus Talks

15th Mar, 2024

Argus Talks: Indian Superstar CEOs, the Elon Mu...

Corporate and M&A

In this podcast Krishnava Dutt, Managing Partner and Ad...

28th Feb, 2024

Corporate Governance in Family Business | CII G...

Krishnava Dutt shares his invaluable insights during th...

23rd Feb, 2024

Argus Talks: Decoding the Telecommunications Ac...

Technology and Data Privacy

In this first episode of our podcast series, our Managi...

12th Feb, 2024

Argus Talks: SEBI Amendments on the Listing of ...

Finance

In this podcast, our Managing Partner, Krishnava Dutt s...

03rd Nov, 2023

Argus Talks: Enforcement Mechanism Under Digita...

Technology and Data Privacy

In this fourth episode of our podcast series on the Dig...

31st Oct, 2023

Argus Talks: Obligations of Data Fiduciaries an...

Technology and Data Privacy

In this third episode of our podcast series on the Digi...

19th Oct, 2023

Argus Talks: Grounds For Processing Data Under ...

Technology and Data Privacy

In this second episode of our podcast series on the Dig...

16th Oct, 2023

Argus Talks: History, Scope and Objective of th...

Technology and Data Privacy

In this first episode of our podcast series on the rece...

13th Dec, 2021

Argus Talks: Impact of the 2021 IT Rules on the...

Technology and Data Privacy

Krishnava Dutt in a chat with Udit Mendiratta, our Disputes and Technology Partner o...

11th Nov, 2021

Argus Talks: The Tribunals Reforms Act 2021

Disputes

Watch the first session of 'Argus Talks' by Krishnava Dutt and R. Sudhi...

15th Apr, 2020

Legal Implications of COVID 19 on Real Estate

Real Estate

Krishnava Dutt shared his insights on ‘Legal Implications of COVID-19 on Real ...

Papers & Publications

11th Jun, 2020

Use of Technology in the Justice System

30th Jun, 2020

Flexibility Required for Distressed Funds in Real Estate

02nd Mar, 2020

Private Funds Update - Some Issues arising out of SEBI'S…

08th Jan, 2020

HOW CONFIDENTIAL SHOULD BANK INSPECTION REPORTS BE?

Our Offices

Mumbai

11, 1st Floor, Free Press House
215, Nariman Point
Mumbai – 400021

+91 22 67362222

Delhi

7A, 7th Floor, Tower C, Max House,
Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 3,
New Delhi – 110020

+91 11 23701284/5/7

+91 11 45083589

Bengaluru

68 Nandidurga Road
Jayamahal Extension
Bengaluru – 560046

+91 80 46462300

Kolkata

Binoy Bhavan
3rd Floor, 27B Camac Street
Kolkata – 700016

+91 33 40650155/56

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