Sam Balsara


Sam Balsara is the founder, chairman and managing director of Madison World and Madison Communications. Balsara is an awarded senior professional in the Indian Advertising Industry.

Early years

Balsara was born in Balsar, now called Valsad, Gujarat. His father was a forest contractor and due to his work the family later moved to Bangalore. Balsara graduated from St. Joseph College, Bangalore. He completed his MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai in 1970. He worked as a marketing executive at Sarabhais and Cadbury. Later, he switched to advertising, working with Hindustan Thompson Associates.

Madison

In 1986, Balsara decided to work on his own and started his advertising agency, Madison, on 21 March 1988.

Association

Balsara was president of the Advertising Club Bombay, chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India, president of the Advertising Agencies Association of India, chairman of Triple A Awards, member of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India.

Awards and recognition

Balsara and his wife Homie have two daughters, Tanya and Lara. Balsara's elder daughter Tanya is visually handicapped and runs a small computer institute and teaches similarly visually impaired people. Lara joined Balsara's business as director, business development, after completing a master's degree in marketing from Bristol University. Lara is married to Kaizad Vajifdar, a pilot with Air India.