Global private equity major Blackstone has said Akhil Gupta, who founded and led its operations in India for eight years, will step into a non-executive role.. "Amit Dixit and Mathew Cyriac will jointly lead Blackstone India's private equity business," it said in a statement.. Mr Gupta, who set up the fund's India operations in 2005, "will assume the position of non-executive Chairman of Blackstone India", the statement noted.. He will "continue to help and guide Blackstone's activities here, working closely with the heads of its businesses", Blackstone said.. The company has $1.7 billion in investments in the country.. Both Mr Cyriac and Mr Dixit are senior managing directors of the company, according to Blackstone's website.. The private equity fund has a team of 19 investment and portfolio operations professionals in private equity and nine in real estate, it said.