Raj Gupta (full name Rajiv L Gupta) was born on 23 December 1945 in Muzaffarnagar, India by father Phool Prakash and mother Rukmini Sahai.

He graduated in 1967 with a degree in mechanical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Gupta continued his studies going on to earn an M.S. degree in Operations Research in 1969 from Cornell University, and his M.B.A. in Finance from the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business at Drexel University in 1972.

He is the former Chairman, CEO, and president of Philly-based Rohm and Haas. In 1971 Gupta joined Rohm and Haas as a financial analyst. Working his way up in the company, Gupta was elected was elected to the Board of Directors and named Vice Chairman in January 1999 and later became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer on October 1, 1999. He also assumed the additional title of President in early 2005. He left Rohm & Haas after its $15.3 billion acquition by Dow in 2009.

On April 29, 2005 the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce named Gupta as one of the top 10 Most Influential Asian Americans in Business. In 2006 Gupta was named Drexel's 53rd Business Leader of the Year. Gupta has also served as the chairman for the American Chemistry Council and the Society of Chemical Industry, America Section.