In a rare instance highlighting the growing toll of Delhi’s worsening air quality, Rajkumar Bafna, president of finance at Akums Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, has resigned from his post, citing severe air pollution as the primary reason for his departure.
In his resignation email, Bafna reportedly expressed deep concern over the city’s hazardous air conditions and their impact on his health. He mentioned suffering from a persistent cough and respiratory discomfort since relocating to Delhi in August 2025, when he joined Akums after a tenure in Mumbai.
Akums confirmed that Bafna’s resignation was accepted. His short tenure—less than five months—makes the decision notable in India’s corporate landscape. It is one of the few documented cases where a senior executive has publicly attributed a resignation to environmental and health concerns.
CFO Sumeet Sood expressed regret over Bafna’s decision but acknowledged the legitimacy of his health issues. “Given the health concerns involved, it would not be right to persuade him to continue,” Sood said.
Co-founder and managing director Sanjeev Jain echoed this sentiment, observing that Delhi’s air pollution has become a serious challenge, particularly for professionals who have recently moved to the capital. “The toxic air is not just a physical strain—it has become a mental one as well,” Jain noted.
Bafna’s resignation adds to the ongoing debate over how India’s air pollution crisis is beginning to influence corporate operations, executive mobility, and talent retention in major urban centers.
