Age, Biography, and Wiki
- Full Name: Shri Thanedar
- Date of Birth: February 22, 1955
- Age (as of 2025): 70 years old
- Place of Birth: Belgaum, Karnataka, India
- Current Residence: United States
- Political Party: Democratic
- Congressional District: Michigan’s 13th congressional district
- Years Active in Congress: 2023–Present
Shri Thanedar immigrated to the United States in the late 1970s after completing his education in India. He built a successful career in chemical manufacturing before transitioning to politics. He has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023, representing Detroit and parts of Wayne County, Michigan.
| Occupation | Autobiographer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 22 February 1955 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | Chikkodi, Mysore State (present-day Karnataka), India |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | India |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Publicly available information about Shri Thanedar’s height, weight, and body measurements is limited. As of 2025, there are no official records or widely reported figures regarding his physical measurements.
| Height | |
| Weight | |
| Body Measurements | |
| Eye Color | |
| Hair Color |
Dating & Relationship Status
- Marital Status: Married
- Current Wife: Shashi Thanedar (married since 1999)
- Previous Wife: Shamal Thanedar (deceased, died by suicide in 1996)
- Children: Two sons from his first marriage
Shri Thanedar has maintained a private family life. He is currently married to his second wife, Shashi Thanedar, and has two sons from his first marriage.
Thanedar previously co-sponsored a resolution to halt aid to Israel, describing it as an Apartheid state, in the Michigan House of Representatives. The next year, he faced opposition from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in his run for the US House. In summer 2023, he traveled to Israel on an AIPAC affiliated trip. On return, he described the relationship between Israel and the United States as mutually beneficial.
In 1984, Thanedar married his first wife, Shamal. The couple had two sons: Neil (born 1988) and Samir (born 1992) and were married until Shamal's death in 1996. In his 2004 memoir, Thanedar revealed that Shamal had committed suicide.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Shamal (m. 1984-1996) Shashi (m. 1999) |
| Sibling | |
| Children |
Net Worth and Salary
- Estimated Net Worth (2025): $41.0–$41.09 million (as estimated by Quiver Quantitative, May 2025)
- Net Worth Range (from Other Sources): Some financial disclosures report a wide range, between -$17.6 million and $27.5 million, but these figures are considered less reliable due to the nature of official forms.
- Publicly Traded Assets: Approximately $6.6 million in stocks and other publicly traded investments tracked by Quiver Quantitative.
- Congressional Salary: As a U.S. Representative, Thanedar earns the standard salary, which is $174,000 per year (as of 2025).
Thanedar grew up in a low-income family in Belgaum, Karnataka, India. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Karnatak University and then attended a master's program at the University of Mumbai. He came to the U.S. in 1979 to pursue a PhD at the University of Akron, which he completed in 1982. Thanedar became a U.S. citizen in 1988.
In 2007, Thanedar was offered $132 million to sell Azopharma. During the 2007–10 recession in the United States, Azopharma's revenue fell by 70%, triggering bankruptcy proceedings by Bank of America. Azopharma closed and its assets were sold for $2 million. During the bankruptcy proceedings, AniClin, one of Azopharma's research facilities of which Thanedar was the sole owner, abruptly closed; a 2010 USA Today article claimed that laboratory animals were abandoned at the facility after the company was placed in receivership. According to later reports, employees climbed the fences to care for the animals until animal welfare organizations gained legal access and facilitated the adoption of all animals in the facility. Thanedar denied that any animals were abandoned.
Thanedar entered politics when he ran in the 2018 Michigan gubernatorial election as a Democrat. His political platform included a $15 minimum wage, public education reform, infrastructure improvements, and increased government transparency.
Investments
- Stock Market Investments: Actively manages a portfolio valued at over $6 million in publicly traded assets.
- Business Holdings: Retains interests in various private enterprises, though specific holdings are not always disclosed.
In 1984, Thanedar started working at Petrolite in St. Louis. In 1990, Thanedar took a job working nights and weekends for $15/hour at Chemir/Polytech Laboratories to learn the business. He took out a loan to buy Chemir in 1991 for $75,000. Sales in the first year were $150,000 and the business had three employees. By 2005, Chemir's revenues were $16 million and it employed 160 people, including 40 PhD chemists.
Thanedar borrowed $24 million from Bank of America to finance seven acquisitions, offering the bank a personal guarantee to back the debt. One acquisition, Azopharma, grew rapidly from $1 million in 2003 to $55 million in 2008. Thanedar's group of companies employed 500 people in 2008. He built a mansion in Ladue, Missouri with an in-home theater to accommodate 150 people.
Chemir remained profitable throughout the legal proceedings and was sold on March 31, 2011, for $23 million. That sale plus the combined assets in the firm covered Thanedar's debt to Bank of America.
Thanedar briefly retired in 2010, then came out of retirement later that year to launch Avomeen Analytical Services, an Ann Arbor-based chemical testing laboratory, with his son Neil. Avomeen was named to the INC 5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. companies in 2015 (#673) and 2016 (#1365). In 2016, Thanedar sold a majority stake in the business to private equity firm High Street Capital. He shared $1.5 million of the proceeds with his 50 employees.
Thanedar was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Central Midwest Region (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska) in 1999, 2007, and 2016. He maintains 40% ownership of Avomeen.
In November 2017, a buyer of Avomeen Holdings LLC filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, claiming Thanedar made "fraudulent and misleading representations" of his company's finances in order to sell the majority stake in November 2016. Thanedar denies the allegations, saying that revenues "are anticipated to significantly exceed" those of past periods. US District Judge Gershwin A. Drain dismissed the case in August 2019, citing a notice from Thanedar and Avomeen Holdings LLC that they had reached an agreement to resolve the matter out of court.
As Thanedar's campaign gained public traction in early 2018, reporters at The Intercept and HuffPost began investigating Thanedar's history. Thanedar had not held elective office before running for governor in 2017, so he did not have an official record as a Democrat. Campaign finance records show that he made 18 donations to Democratic campaigns and one to a Republican campaign before running for office. The Republican donation, $2,300 to the Republican presidential campaign of John McCain, led to controversy that Thanedar might not be as progressive as he claimed. Political strategists who met with Thanedar before his 2018 campaign also claimed that he initially questioned whether he wanted to run as a Democrat or Republican in the gubernatorial race. Thanedar denied the claims, saying that these strategists were criticizing him because he did not hire their firms. He also faced allegations that laboratory animals were abandoned at one of his former research facilities after Bank of America placed that business into receivership in 2010, which he denied.
The articles of impeachment were strongly criticized by Democrats as a "rogue" attempt by blindsiding and misleading the party and was seen as a "selfish" way to strengthen his position in the competitive primary to be faced by him in 2026 by forcing the vote. It was also opposed by Democrats who led the first and second impeachment of Donald Trump in his first term and was characterized as a strategic misstep which distracted from Republicans' corporate tax and welfare (Medicaid and SNAP) cuts in the Budget Reconciliation Bill and would not accomplish anything benefiting Trump in the end. Some saw it as a publicity stunt.
Social Network
Shri Thanedar maintains a professional presence online:
- Official Website: Features updates on his legislative work and community engagement.
- LinkedIn: Used for professional networking.
- Twitter (@repthanedar): Regular updates on legislative activity, community events, and public statements.
These controversies hurt Thanedar's campaign and he failed to poll over 30% again. In the primary, he won the City of Detroit, but finished third statewide; he received 200,645 votes (17.7%), placing him in third behind Whitmer's 588,436 votes (52.0%) and Abdul El-Sayed's 342,179 votes (30.2%). Thanedar's support was heavily concentrated in cities like Detroit, Flint, Inkster, and Pontiac with high African American populations.
Education
- Undergraduate: Earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the Institute of Science, Mumbai, India.
- Graduate Studies: Master’s and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Akron, Ohio, USA.
Shri Thanedar’s scientific background provided the foundation for his business ventures in chemical testing and manufacturing.
In September 2023, Thanedar formally launched the Dharma Caucus, stating bipartisan support and 27 lawmakers joining as members from across 4 faiths. Thanedar stated the caucus “is a statement of commitment to stand against religious discrimination, to propel the wheels of inclusion, and to cultivate a nation where diversity is not only tolerated, but celebrated". South Asian advocacy groups, Hindus for Human Rights, Sikh Coalition, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Emgage, and Indian American Muslim Council, put out a joint statement voicing concern on the lack of input from the broader South Asian community.
Summary Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 70 (born February 22, 1955) |
| Net Worth (2025) | $41.0–$41.09 million (best estimate) |
| Occupation | U.S. Representative, Businessman |
| Marital Status | Married (Shashi Thanedar) |
| Education | B.Sc. (Chemistry, Mumbai), M.Sc./Ph.D. (Chemistry, Akron, OH) |
| Business Holdings | Former owner: Chemir, Azopharma, Avomeen |
| Investments | $6.6M+ in publicly traded assets |
| Congressional Salary | $174,000/year |
