Lohia was educated at Delhi University, where he received a bachelor of commerce degree. He moved to Thailand and has lived there since 1988, during which time he founded Indorama Chemicals (now known as Aurus Specialty Company Limited). This very first business of Lohia was about turning corncobs into furfural alcohol. The investment was supported by the German Investment Corporation or DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft). Lohia started Thailand's first wool business under the name Indorama Holdings in 1994. Then he started Thailand's first PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) business, Indorama Polymers, in 1995. In February 2010, Lohia delisted Indorama Polymers and simultaneously listed its parent company Indorama Ventures on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.