Reliance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Sodhi declined to comment.

Sodhi, who formerly led the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the dairy brand Amul, joined the federation four decades ago.

He had stepped down from the post of GCMMF managing director earlier this year.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's conglomerate Reliance Industries, with the help of its retail arm, Reliance Retail is looking to cement its position as the biggest player in India's burgeoning retail industry, with stores spanning across electronics, groceries and fashion.

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Nishit Navin in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)