Who is Sushil Kedia, the man who gave 'kya karna hai bol' dare to Raj Thackeray and then apologised

Investor Sushil Kedia found himself at the center of a political and linguistic storm after a defiant social media post targeting Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The controversy erupted when Kedia, reacting to recent incidents of violence over the non-use of Marathi, declared he would never learn the language and challenged Thackeray with the words, “Kya karna hai bol?”

The provocative statement sparked outrage among MNS supporters. On Saturday morning, five party workers attacked Kedia’s office in Worli, Mumbai, hurling coconuts at the entrance while chanting slogans in support of Thackeray and Marathi pride. Videos of the incident went viral online, showing security personnel and staff scrambling to shut the premises.

Hours later, Kedia issued a public apology, expressing regret for his remarks and stating that the post had been made under stress and emotional duress.


“Having come under mental pressure from recent acts of violence against non-Marathi speakers, I overreacted,” Kedia admitted. “I realise my mistake and wish to unequivocally withdraw my comments.”


In a video statement, Kedia elaborated on his struggles with Marathi despite living in Mumbai for 30 years. He said he only uses the language in casual settings with close acquaintances, unlike other Indian languages he has learned fluently.

Kedia also praised Raj Thackeray, saying he held “deep appreciation” for the leader’s stand on issues like Hindutva, nationalism, and the Hanuman Chalisa campaign during Uddhav Thackeray’s tenure as chief minister.

What Triggered the Controversy?

The backlash against Kedia followed his strongly worded post reacting to reports of assaults on individuals who couldn’t speak Marathi—amid debates on the imposition of Hindi and the three-language policy in Maharashtra schools. Kedia’s post read:

“I don't know Marathi properly even after living for 30 years in Mumbai. And with your gross misconduct, I’ve resolved that as long as people like you pretend to represent the Marathi Manus, I will not learn the language. Kya karna hai bol?”

Following the attack, five MNS supporters were detained, and Mumbai Police confirmed that further investigation is underway. Security had already been deployed at Kedia’s office in Worli’s Century Bazar in anticipation of a reaction to his viral post.

Who is Sushil Kedia?

Sushil Kedia is a veteran investor and the founder-CEO of Kedianomics, a SEBI-registered trading and advisory firm. Known for his insights on financial markets, Kedia frequently appears on business news channels as a market analyst. He has spent over 25 years in top roles at domestic and international investment banks and hedge funds.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he has two decades of exposure to Indian equities 'across Proprietary Trading, Institutional Research & Sales, Alternative Investment Strategy & Investment Management'.

He claims technical analysis, quantitative analysis as his specialties. 'Built a phone book where anyone who matters in Indian equities is no more than two phone calls away," he claims.

According to reports, Kedia holds equity stakes in 45 companies, with the total value of his portfolio exceeding Rs 3,103 crore.