| 1 | 
RATAN TATA |
Ratan Tata (Ex-Chairman of Tata Group)
Date of Birth: 28-Dec-1937.
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Sun Sign: Capricorn.
Age: 75 years.
Relationship Status: Single.
Education:
- Campion School, Mumbai.
- Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Cornell University, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. In 1991, he took over from JRD Tata. Later, got TCS public and Tata Motors listed in New York Stock Exchange.
2. In 1998, Tata Motors came up with Tata Indica, the first car to be fully designed and produced in India.
3. In 2008, launched world's most affordable car- Nano designed & built in India.
4. Led the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover, Tetley and global steel giant Corus.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. IBM offered him a job in 1962, but he refused and joined JRD Tata's company in Jamshedpur.
2. Loves his German Shepherds. Himself said 'Came close to getting married 4 times'.
3. Awarded 2nd highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan in 2008 & Padma Bhushan by Government of India in 2000.
4. In 1975, he completed his Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School.
5. He owns a Falcon Jet which he likes to pilot himself sometimes.
6. He retired on his birthday on 28-Dec-2012 after running India's oldest business empire (TATA) for 50 years. |
| 2 | 
MUKESH AMBANI |
Mukesh Ambani (Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries)
Date of Birth: 19-Apr-1957.
Place of Birth: Aden, Yemen.
Sun Sign: Aries.
Age: 56 years.
Relationship Status: Married Nita Dalal in 1984.
Children: Akash(Son), Anant(Son), Isha(Daughter).
Education:
- Abaay Morischa School, Mumbai.
- Bachelor`s in Chemical Engineering from Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.
- MBA, Stanford University, California, USA.
After 1 year, dropped out & returned to India to help his father's business in 1980.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Setup India's and one of world's largest communication network- Reliance Communications Ltd.
2. In 2008, set up world’s largest petroleum refinery at Jamnagar, Gujarat (India).
3. In 2012, forayed into media industry by investing over Rs. 1500 crore in Network18 group (CNBC-TV18, CNN-IBN) &
Eenadu group of TV channels.
4. Laying India's largest broadband network & expected to launch low cost 4G services around end 2012.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1970s, lived in a 2 bedroom flat in Mumbai before his father moved to a big apartment.
2. Now lives in a 27 storey 400,000 sq ft private building (Antilia) in Mumbai.
3. Antilia was world's most expensive house($2B) till 2011 with 150+ cars parking space.
4. In 2011, he was India's richest, Asia's 2nd richest and world's 9th richest man.
5. In 2010, Forbes listed him amongst the world's 100 most powerful people.
6. In 2008, he bought rights for IPL Mumbai Indians team for about 440 crore. |
| 3 | 
NARAYANA MURTHY |
Narayana Murthy (Chairman Emeritus of Infosys)
Date of Birth: 20-Aug-1946.
Place of Birth: Mysore, Karnataka.
Sun Sign: Leo.
Age: 66 years.
Relationship Status: Married Sudha Kulkarni in 1978.
Children: Rohan(Son), Akshata(Daughter).
Education:
- Bachelors degree in electrical engineering from National Institute of Engineering, University of Mysore in 1967.
- M. Tech from IIT Kanpur in 1969.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growth of Infosys as CEO for 21 years. Has served on the boards of Unilever, HSBC, Wharton School.
2. Got Infosys listed in India and first Indian company to be listed on NASDAQ.
3. In 2001, was named by TIME/CNN as one of the 25 most influential global executives.
4. In 2011, awarded Lifetime Achievement award by Forbes, Padma Vibhushan in 2008 and Padma Shri in 2000 by
Govt. of India. In 2003, was chosen the World Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1970s, he was wrongfully put in prison in Bulgaria -on espionage charges- without food and water for
96 hours. Decided to come back to India & pursue entrepreneurship.
2. In 1976, founded his first company Softronics in Pune which failed. Borrowed Rs. 10,000 from his wife Sudha and
founded Infosys in 1981.
3. His first job was at Computer Science deptt at IIM Ahmedabad after which he joined Patni Computer Systems.
4. His full name is Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy. In September 1976, he proposed to Sudha in an
auto rickshaw. Got married to her in 1978 & their total wedding cost was less than Rs. 1,000.
5. He has been an IT adviser to several Asian countries & is a member of the Boards/Councils of well-known
institutions at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, Yale University.
6. Didn't know how to drive a car and used to take the company bus to work when his driver took a day off. |
| 4 | 
AZIM PREMJI |
Azim Premji (Chairman of Wipro)
Date of Birth: 24-Jul-1945.
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Sun Sign: Leo.
Age: 67 years.
Relationship Status: Married Yasmeen.
Children: Rishad(Son), Tariq(Son).
Education:
- St. Mary`s School in Mazagaon, Mumbai.
- Bachelor`s in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, California, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Aggressively grew Wipro as one of India's largest and world's top 100 IT companies.
2. Majority shareholder of Wipro. Owned more than 70% shareholding as of end 2011.
3. Has been a member of the Prime Minister`s Advisory Committee for Information Technology in India.
4. Transformed the company from vegetable-oils company (Western Indian Vegetable Products Limited) to a large
IT giant (renamed to WIPRO).
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1966, dropped out from Stanford and returned to India in 1966 after sudden death of his father.
Completed his graduation degree in 1999 through correspondence.
2. Transferred about 8.5% of his Wipro stake- worth about Rs 8,500+ crore- to Azim Premji Foundation- the biggest
individual philanthropy gesture in India till 2011.
3. Awarded 2nd highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan in 2011 & Padma Bhushan by Govt. of India in 2005.
4. Wipro offered consumer toiletries and lighting products during initial years before entering IT field.
5. In 2000, he was voted among world's 20 most powerful men by Asiaweek.
6. Was listed among world's 100 most influential people by TIME Magazine in 2004 and in 2011. |
| 5 | 
ANIL AMBANI |
Anil Ambani (Chairman of Reliance ADAG)
Date of Birth: 04-Jun-1959.
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Sun Sign: Gemini.
Age: 52 years.
Relationship Status: Married Tina Munim in 1991.
Children: Anmol(Son) and Anshul(Son).
Education:
- Bachelors in Science from University of Bombay.
- MBA from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Focused on entertainment industry under the ADAG tag with companies like Adlabs, Zapak, BIG FM, Bigadda.
2. Chairman of companies operating in Telecom, Capital, Power, Infrastructure, Entertainment and Health sectors.
3. In 2009, signed a $825 million deal with Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg to make 6 films over 3 years for
global audiences.
4. Was elected as an independent Rajya Sabha MP in 2004, but he resigned voluntarily in 2006.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He runs 100 km a week: 6 days in a week... every day at 5 am, goes for a 15+ km jogging.
2. He survived an assassination attempt in April 2009 when mud, gravel and pebbles were found by groundsmen in
the gearbox of his 13-seat helicopter while it was still at ground.
3. In 2009, he was awarded the most beautiful man on ramp in Lakme Fashion Week.
4. In 2003, was chosen MTV Youth Icon of the Year.
5. A vegetarian, non-smoker and teetotaller. Drinks 5+ litres of water every day.
6. Member Board of Governors IIT Kanpur, Board of Wharton and ISB, Hyderabad. |
| 6 | 
KUMAR MANGALAM BIRLA |
Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chairman of Aditya Birla Group)
Date of Birth: 14-Jun-1967.
Place of Birth: Rajasthan.
Sun Sign: Gemini.
Age: 44 years.
Relationship Status: Married Neerja Kasliwal in 1989.
Children: Ananyashree(Daughter), Aryaman Vikram(Son) & Advaitesha(Son).
Education:
- B. Com from HR College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai.
- MBA from London Business School.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. At the age of 28, he became the youngest Indian to chair a multi-billion dollar Birla conglomerate.
2. Growing key companies of AB Group like Grasim, Hindalco, UltraTech Cement and Idea Cellular.
3. In 2004, took stake in demerged L&T cement business, took management control of CemCo and formed a new
company UltraTech.
4. Credited for the launch of the new corporate logo - Aditya, the rising sun in 1996.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He is a Chartered Accountant. Took over as Chairman in 1995 after sudden demise of his father.
2. In 2004, Grasim acquired controlling stake & formed a new company UltraTech.
3. Is a Board member of Governors of the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani.
4. He learnt how to shoot with a rifle four years ago but prefers shooting with a camera now.
5. A religious leader once made two forecasts when he was approx 3 years old:
a. He would be seriously ill at the age of seven (he did get life threatening meningitis later).
b. He would be number 1 Birla some day (which he is).
6. People rarely retired in Birla group before he took over. He challenged Birla policies... once even let
go 350 vice-presidents (who were over 60 years old) and recruited people from outside. |
| 7 | 
DEEPAK PAREKH |
Deepak Parekh (Chairman of HDFC)
Date of Birth: 18-Oct-1944.
Sun Sign: Libra.
Age: 68 years.
Relationship Status: Married Smita.
Children: Aditya(Son) & Sameer(Son).
Education:
- B. Com from Sydenham College, Mumbai.
- Chartered Accountancy from England.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for aggressively growing Housing Development and Finance Company (HDFC) to nearly 2000 branches
& over 5,000+ ATMs across 1000 Indian towns.
2. In 2009, when Satyam Computers Services scam broke out, he helped anchor the company, served as an
independent director & helped resolve some critical issues.
3. Got into a strategic life insurance joint-venture with Standard Life.
4. At 57, he was the youngest to be awarded with Life Time Achievement by The Economic Times.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. Before joining HDFC in 1978, he worked in companies like Ernst & Young, Grindlays & Chase Manhattan Bank.
2. He is dubbed as the unofficial crisis consultant of the Indian Government who consults him on many key issues.
3. Has been on the Board of many companies like Glaxo India, Castrol India, Hindustan Unilever, Siemens, Mahindra
& Mahindra & Indian Hotels Company.
4. Awarded Padma Bhushan in 2006 and in 2009, India's 3rd highest civilian award.
5. Before HDFC, he actually wanted to join the Central Bank of India as his grandfather was the bank's 1st
employee and his father served the bank for 40 years, but he could not make it.
6. He rarely uses a computer, is very superstitious & goes to Tirupati every year. |
| 8 | 
K V KAMATH |
K V Kamath (Chairman of Infosys and Non-Executive Chairman of ICICI Bank)
Date of Birth: 02-Dec-1947.
Place of Birth: Mangalore, Karnataka.
Sun Sign: Sagittarius.
Age: 65 years.
Relationship Status: Married Rajalaxmi.
Children: Ajay(Son) & Ajnya(Daughter).
Education:
- St. Aloysius School.
- Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Surathkal.
- MBA from IIM-Ahmedabad.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for explosive growth of ICICI Banking retail services across India.
2. Aggressively focused on technology/internet based banking and insurance services.
3. Got ICICI Bank (first Indian & second Asian bank) listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
4. He retirement from ICICI executive/operational responsibilities in April, 2009.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. His full name is Kundapur Vaman Kamath. MD and CEO of ICICI Bank from 1996 to 2009.
2. First non-founder who took over as Chairman of Infosys from erstwhile Chairman Narayan Murthy in August, 2011.
3. Was entitled most e-savvy CEO amongst Asian banks by the Asian Banker Journal of Singapore.
4. In 2008, he was awarded with Padma Bhushan, India's 3rd highest civilian award.
5. Member of the governing boards of many educational institutions like IIM Ahmedabad & ISB Hyderabad.
6. Launched ICICI internet operations in 1998, grew to 2,500+ branches, 6500+ ATMs in India with presence in 18+
countries. |
| 9 | 
SUNIL MITTAL |
Sunil Mittal (Chairman of Bharti Enterprises)
Date of Birth: 23-Oct-1957.
Place of Birth: Ludhiana, Punjab.
Sun Sign: Libra.
Age: 55 years.
Relationship Status: Married Nyna.
Children: Eisha(Daughter), Kavin & Shravin(Twin sons).
Education:
- Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie.
- Scindia School, Gwalior.
- Bachelor`s in Arts from Punjab University, Chandigarh.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. In 1995, launched Airtel brand offering telecom services in India.
2. In 2006, signed a deal with US retail giant Walmart to open multibrand retail stores in India.
3. Arguable the 'Father of Cell Phone Revolution' in India- runs India's largest GSM-based mobile phone service.
4. In 2007, awarded Padma Bhushan India's 3rd highest civilian honor.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1976, started his career making cycle parts with a paltry sum of Rs. 20,000 in Ludhiana.
2. He went around on a scooter to market telephone instruments at age 18.
3. In 1981, imported electric power generators from Japan. 2 years later, govt banned import of gensets.
4. Stunned the world in 2004 by outsourcing operations of Bharti's entire phone network with deals worth $400 million
to Sweden's Ericsson, Germany's Siemens and Finland's Nokia.
5. In 2004, also signed a 10 year, $750 million contract with IBM & outsourced bulk of Bharti's IT services like billing,
management of customer accounts and operations of Bharti intranet.
6. Usually turns vegetarian whenever he's on a mission or pursuing a big deal. |
| 10 | 
ANAND MAHINDRA |
Anand Mahindra (Vice Chairman and MD of 'Mahindra & Mahindra' Group)
Date of Birth: 01-May-1955.
Place of Birth: Mumbai.
Sun Sign: Taurus.
Age: 58 years.
Relationship Status: Married Anuradha.
Children: Aalika(Daughter) & Divya(Daughter).
Education:
- Graduation from Harvard University, USA.
- MBA from Harvard University, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Grown the company from just a jeep/truck producing firm in India to a global Multi Utility Vehicles (MUVs) & Sports
Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and building a great 110,000+ people team.
2. In 2002, launched an indigenously developed SUV(Scorpio), which is sold to many countries today.
3. Was a co-promoter of Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd which was converted into Kotak bank in 2003.
4. Lost to Tata Motors in his bid for Ford's Jaguar but made bold moves & acquired Satyam Computer Services in
2009 & Reva Electric Vehicles in 2010.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He regularly uses the social media 'Twitter' platform and loves photography.
2. 'M&M' was called 'Mahindra & Mohammed' before independence. Change in partners & the intent to retain
'M&M' triggered the company name change to 'Mahindra & Mahindra'.
3. Went to JJ School of architecture for 1.5 years before going to USA for further studies.
4. Once hitched a ride on a delivery truck in USA & suddenly cops pulled over the truck because the driver was
carrying drugs. Luckily, the cops bought the real story about his non involvement and let him go on the spot.
5. In 2004, was also awarded 'Knight of the Order of the Merit' by the President of the French Republic.
6. He got a full scholarship ($12,000/year) from Harvard University for all 4 years when he applied in 1972. |
| 11 | 
KISHORE BIYANI |
Kishore Biyani (CEO of Future Group and MD Pantaloon Retail)
Date of Birth: 09-Aug-1961.
Place of Birth: Mumbai.
Sun Sign: Leo.
Age: 51 years.
Relationship Status: Married Sangita Rathi in 1983.
Children: Ashni(Daughter) & Avni(Daughter).
Education:
- Manav Mandir High School, Mumbai.
- Bachelors in Commerce from H. R. College, Mumbai.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Best known for growing Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar and Home Town retail chains in India.
2. In 1985, setup a 400 sq ft shop 'Patloon' (Urdu word for trousers) near Bombay Central railway station.
Later launched Pantaloons in 1997 and the first Big Bazaar retail store in 2001.
3. Started Future Generali, the group’s insurance venture in partnership with Italy’s Generali Group.
4. Believes that retail is not just an urban phenomenon and opened stores in towns like Sangli, Palakkad, Durgapur.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He started his career selling stonewash fabric to small shops in Mumbai.
2. Is a strict vegetarian and considers playing golf a waste of time.
3. He personally talks to customers buying products at retail stores & spends a lot of time walking streets of
Indian bazaars to study consumer buying behaviors.
4. Many call him the 'King of Retail' or 'Sam Walmart Walton' of India.
5. He tried to enter bollywood- produced two multi-starrer movies -but was not successful.
6. On his marriage day, he refused to wear the over decorated shervani & settled for a simple, white shervani. |
| 12 | 
SHIV NADAR |
Shiv Nadar (Founding Chairman of HCL Technologies)
Date of Birth: 14-Jul-1945.
Place of Birth: Moolaipozhi(Tuticorin), Tamil Nadu.
Sun Sign: Cancer
Age: 67 years.
Relationship Status: Married Kiran.
Children: Roshni(Daughter).
Education:
- Bachelors in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing HCL Technologies (IT application, BPO, infrastructure services) & HCL Infosystems
(IT hardware products). Reached a turnover of 100 crore by around 1988 and 1000 crore by around 2000.
2. In late 1980's, grew the IT hardware, computer applications company aggressively & HCL became India's
No. 1 company.
3. When NIIT was founded in 1981, he invested heavily in it & remained the largest shareholder in the computer
education company till around the mid-90's.
4. Received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2007 in the ‘Services’ category. In 2011, Forbes
featured him in its list of 48 Heroes of Philanthropy in the Asia Pacific region.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1976, he- along with some partners- founded Microcomp to sell digital scientific calculators. Later formed HCL
(Hindustan Computers Ltd) from a barsaati in Delhi’s Golf Links to setting base in 25+ global locations.
2. In 1968, he worked as an engineer with DCM in Delhi where Vinay Bharat Ram(DCM scion) chose him to head
the new electronics wing-DCM Data Products.
3. In 2011, his wife Kiran got a Jaipur jeweller Govind Narayan Johri arrested, when she found that his modus
operandi was to sell fake antique jewellery for crores of rupees.
4. Has dedicated 10% of his net wealth to philanthropic endeavors like opening free shools & universities.
5. Gave India its first branded personal computer in the seventies. Was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2008.
6. He joined the Executive Board of ISB, Hyderabad in 2005 & as the chairman of the Board of governors of IIT,
Kharagpur in 2011. |
| 13 | 
BRIJMOHAN MUNJAL |
Brijmohan Munjal (Chairman and Founder of Hero Group)
Date of Birth: 1923.
Place of Birth: Kamalia- now part of Pakistan (undivided Punjab under British India).
Age: 88 years.
Relationship Status: Married Smita.
Children: Aditya(Son) & Sameer(Son).
Education:
- B. Com from Sydenham College, Mumbai.
- Chartered Accountancy from England.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for creating Hero Honda by entering into a joint venture with Japanese2 wheeler giant, Honda Motor Co.
2. First Indian company that exported (Hero) cycles & in 1986, entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world's
largest manufacturer of cycles.
3. Built 3 manufacturing facilities at Dharuhera, Gurgaon & Haridwar which produced 3+ million bikes every year.
4. Leveraged Honda technology in bikes for 25+ years till 2010 before reinventing & creating a solo Hero brand in 2011.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1944, he moved to Amritsar with family. Started manufacturing bicycle parts & later produced Hero Cycles.
2. He travelled to Japan, Germany and many other parts of the world to buy modern equipment.
3. He wanted to also produce scooters but ended up focusing most of his time producing bicycles & motor cycles.
4. Awarded Padma Bhushan in 2005, India's 3rd highest civilian award & 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award by Ernst &
Young in 2001.
5. 'Fill it, Shut it, Forget it' advertisement slogan became one of the biggest hits.
6. In 2010, Hero Group bought the Honda shares when Honda decided to move out of the joint venture. Announced a
new log & corporate entity name 'Hero MotoCorp' in 2011. |
| 14 | 
RAHUL BAJAJ |
Rahul Bajaj (Chairman of Bajaj Group)
Date of Birth: 10-Jun-1938.
Place of Birth: Bengal Presidency, Western India.
Sun Sign: Gemini.
Age: 73 years.
Relationship Status: Married Ruparani.
Children: Rajiv(Son), Sanjiv(Son), Sunaina(Daughter).
Education:
- Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai.
- Bachelors in Economics from St Stephen's College, Delhi.
- MBA from Harvard University, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. In 1977, it produced/sold 100,000 vehicles. In 1986, it produced/sold 500,000 vehicles and in 1995, it
produced/sold one million vehicles in a single financial year.
2. In June 2006, he was elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra.
3. In Jan 2012 auto expo, Bajaj unveiled a mini car (RE 60) but positioning it to 3-wheeler customers. This
will have a top speed of 70 km/hr, mileage of 35 km/litre and carbon dioxide emissions of just 60 g/km.
4. He was awarded the third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2001.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. Company was started in 1945 and used to sell imported 2 and 3 wheelers in India. Diversified into automobiles,
home appliances, lighting and finance too.
2. In 1980s, Bajaj Auto was India's top scooter producer. Its Chetak brand had a 10-year waiting period.
3. He ignored a government regulation- of producing only 20,000 scooters in a year. Increased volume by 25+%
of his licensed capacity to meet demand.
4. In 2001, the stock market crash and dip in scooter sales hit the company hard. Many forecasted the end
of Bajaj Auto but the company reinvented by venturing aggressively into motorbike space.
5. ‘Hamara Bajaj' was considered by many as the best hummable advertisements in the 1980s.
6. In 1968, he became the CEO of the company at the age of 30- one of youngest CEOs in those times. |
| 15 | 
ADI GODREJ |
Adi Godrej (Chairman of Godrej Group)
Date of Birth: 03-Apr-1942.
Sun Sign: Aries.
Age: 71 years.
Relationship Status: Married Parmeshwar.
Children: Pirojsha(Son), Tanya(Daughter) & Nisa(Daughter).
Education:
- Bachelors from MIT, USA.
- MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Has grown major companies in appliances, real estate, FMCG, industrial engineering, furniture, security and
agri care domains reaching out to people in more than 50 countries.
2. In 2011, he succeeded Rajat Gupta as ISB (Hyderabad) Chairman.
3. In 2008, relaunched Godrej brand with a new colourful logo and a fresh identity music.
4. Developed a 150 acre mangrove forest & a school for the children of company employees in Mumbai.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He loves swimming, horse riding, water skiing.
2. With 3500 acres(14 sq km), Godrej group is arguably the biggest private land owner in Mumbai.
3. He is a recipient of several awards including the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Award in 2002.
4. He once took a 40+ km trek up to Mount Kailash (altitude of 19,000 feet) within a day.
5. His wife was one of Air India’s earliest air hostesses.
6. He is the former Chairman of the Governing Council of 'Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies'. |
| 16 | 
VIJAY MALLYA |
Vijay Mallya (Chairman of the United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines)
Date of Birth: 18-Dec-1955.
Place of Birth: Kolkata, West Bengal.
Sun Sign: Sagittarius.
Age: 57 years.
Relationship Status: Married Sameera(Air India Hostess). Later married Rekha.
Children: Siddharth(Son) from Sameera. Leana & Tanya(Daughters) from Rekha.
Education:
- La Martiniere School, Calcutta.
- B. Com from St. Xavier's College, Calcutta.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Was elected Chairman of United Breweries at an age of 28, following his father's death in 1983. Runs the UB Group,
India's largest spirits marketer. Launched Kingfisher Airlines named after UB's bestselling beer.
2. In 2006, he established Kingfisher Airlines and later acquired low cost airline Air Deccan from Capt. Gopinath.
3. Bought IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore (RDB) team for about Rs. 450 crore & co-owns the Formula One team
Force India.
4. He was conferred a Doctorate of Philosophy in Business Administration, by the Southern California University.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 2008, Mallya bought the belongings of Mahatma Gandhi in an auction from U.S for $1.8 million.
2. In 2000, he dabbled with politics in 2000 when his party contested nearly all of 224 seats during Karnataka State
legislative election but his party failed & did not win a single seat.
3. Has a 310 feet yacht called 'Indian Empress' bought for about Rs 450 crore.
4. While he was in college, he worked in his father's company for Rs 400 per month.
5. Owns a customized Boeing jet, around 250 vintage cars & a stud farm with 200 horses.
6. In 2004, bought rare 'Tipu Sultan' sword in an auction in London for about Rs. 1.5 crore. |
| 17 | 
SUBHASH CHANDRA |
Subhash Chandra (Chairman of Essel Group and Founder of ZEE TV)
Date of Birth: 30-Nov-1950.
Place of Birth: Hissar, Haryana.
Sun Sign: Sagittarius.
Age: 62 years.
Relationship Status: Married Sushila Devi.
Children: Punit(Son) & Amit(Son).
Education: Dropped out of CAV High School. Did not go to college but still succeeded.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Revolutionized Indian television broadcasting by launching India's first Hindi satellite channel ZEE TV in 1992.
2. ZEE Enterprises- a subsidiary of Essel group - is the largest Indian media and entertainment company. Zee TV's
4th logo since launch was rolled out in 2011.
3. Operates more than 30 channels in 100+ countries including India, USA, UK, Africa. Working on moving towards
full HD(High Definition) soon.
4. Launched India's first direct-to-home (DTH) entertainment service- Dish TV- broadcasting high quality programmes
straight from the satellite to the consumer's home with latest digital technology.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. He dropped out of school after Class 12th. At 19, started a vegetable oil unit & later began exporting food grains.
2. In 2007, launched ICL- in competition with IPL with a US$ 1 million prize for the winning team. But the 20-20 cricket
format failed, got shut down in 2009 due to capital constraints & lack of support from cricketing boards like BCCI.
3. He practises Vipassana for 45 minutes every day- a meditation where one must remain silent.
4. In 1988, set up Asia’s first eco-friendly amusement park 'Essel World' on a 750 acre land in Mumbai. Water Kingdon
section was added 10 years later.
5. Also owns Fun Multiplexes operating 200+ cinema screens in 20 cities.
6. Before ZEE TV(1992), India was having just 1 government TV channel 'Doordarshan'- which used to operate only
for few hours in the morning & evening every day. |
| 18 | 
VERGHESE KURIEN |
Verghese Kurien (Founding Chairman of (Amul) Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation)
Date of Birth: 26-Nov-1921.
Place of Birth: Kozhikode, Kerala.
Sun Sign: Sagittarius.
Dies at age: 90 years on 09-Sep-2012.
Relationship Status: Married Molly.
Children: Nirmala(Daughter).
Education:
- Bachelor's in Physics from Loyola College, Madras.
- Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Madras.
- Master's in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing the 'Amul' the world's largest vegetarian cheese brand and making it a household name.
2. Made India the largest milk producer in the world and is also known as the 'Milkman of India'.
3. Amul- India's largest food brand - accrued an annual turnover of more than $2 billion in 2011.
4. Architect of creating the national 'milk grid' (Operation Flood)- the world's largest dairy development program.
Helped in setting the network of 'Mother Dairies' in the late 1970's.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. Amul name was derived from 'Amulya' in Hindi which means priceless. The last salary drawn by him was Rs. 5000.
2. The cooperatives collect more than 9 million litres of milk everyday- which is largest milk handling capacity in Asia.
3. In 1965, the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, created the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) under
his leadership to replicate the success story of Amul throughout India.
4. Also known as the 'Father of the White revolution' in India & is also winner of Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1963.
5. Was honoured with Padma Shri in 1965, Padma Bhushan in 1966 & Padma Vibhushan in 1999.
6. In 1949, he was posted in a small Government factory in Anand, Gujarat- at a salary of Rs. 350 - to make milk
powder from 'buffalo milk' instead of cow milk as India had more buffalos then. |
| 19 | 
PRATHAP REDDY |
Prathap Reddy (Chairman of Apollo Hospitals)
Date of Birth: 04-Feb-1947.
Place of Birth: Aragonda, Andhra Pradesh.
Sun Sign: Aquarius.
Age: 66 years.
Relationship Status: Married Sucharita.
Children: 4 daughters- Shobana, Preetha, Suneeta, Sangita.
Education:
- MBBS from Stanley Medical College in Chennai.
- Fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for revolutionising the healthcare/hospitals sector in India. Diversified into healthcare centres,
healthcare IT solutions and insurance.
2. Started by setting up a hospital in Chennai in 1983. Now has 8500 beds across 54 hospitals in India and
other Asian, African and Middle East countries serving 20 million patients from 55 countries till 2011.
3. Apollo DKV is a JV between Apollo Hospitals & Europe's largest private healthcare insurer DKV.
4. He worked at the Missouri State Chest Hospital, USA for several years before returning to India.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. As a cardiologist early in his career, he once lost a 38 year old patient who couldn't make it to USA for an
open heart surgery. This inspired him to create affordable, world-class hospitals in India.
2. Lucky Doctor Reddy... His four daughters are involved in running and managing the Apollo Group.
3. He does not like carrying a mobile phone personally but keeps one in his car. Still prefers a landline.
4. In 1991, was awarded Padma Bhushan- India's 3rd highest civilian award.
5. In 2009, Government of India honoured Apollo Hospitals group with the release of a postage stamp.
6. He likes playing cards, chess and is a strong believer of spiritual power. |
| 20 | 
R C BHARGAVA |
R C Bhargava (Chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.)
Relationship Status: Married Aruna.
Education:
- M.Sc. (Maths) from Allahabad University, Uttar Pradesh.
- M.A. (Economics) from Williams College, Massachusetts, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for aggressively growing Maruti Udyog as the first Indian auto company to produce & sell a million cars.
2. Joined in 1981, he became its 2nd managing director in 1985 & was appointed Chairman & MD in 1990.
3. In early eighties, Indian government had already shortlisted Volkswagen to partner with Maruti in India. Suzuki was
the JV partner as they put in more equity/capital in India & he was the initial MD since the joint venture.
4. Early Maruti 800 cars were assembled with 97% imported parts. Only tyres & batteries were purchased locally.
Within a decade, he establised a vendor network & reduced imported parts to less than 10%.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. Grew Maruti on approx 300 acres land on the outskirts in Gurgaon which was purchased for less than Rs 5 crore.
2. In 1956, he joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1956 & stood 1st in his batch.
3. Has been on the Board of many companies. Non-executive Independent Director of Dabur since 2005, independent
Director of UltraTech Cement since 2004, Director of Idea Cellular since 2008.
4. He sat in an open office even in the 1980's & ate lunch with everyone else in the same canteen.
5. In 2011, was awarded the 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star' by The Emperor of Japan.
6. In 1983, 1st batch of Maruti cars was released on the birth anniversary of Sanjay Gandhi by Mrs Gandhi herself. |
| 21 | 
SUBROTO ROY |
Subroto Roy (Chairman of Sahara India)
Date of Birth: 10-Jun-1948.
Place of Birth: Araria, Bihar.
Sun Sign: Gemini.
Age: 63 years.
Relationship Status: Married Swapna in 1974.
Children: Sushanto(Son) & Seemanto(Son).
Education: Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Government Technical Institute, Gorakhpur.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing Sahara India in areas like real estate/housing development, television broadcasting,
movies, media publishing, financial services, IT and Sports.
2. Secured sponsorship rights for Indian men's cricket team till end 2013... outbidding Bharti Airtel by sponsorship
bid of more than Rs 3 crores per match.
3. In 2011, collaborated with Vijay Mallya acquired 42% stake in 'Force India' Formula 1 Team for about $100 million.
4. Also building an eco-friendly residential city over 10,000 acres of land- Amby Valley - in Maharashtara near Mumbai
Pune expressway.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. His full name is 'Subroto Roy Sahara', is also known as 'Saharashree' & founded Sahara India Pariwar in 1978
with only Rs. 2000 in a small room. Used to have a Lambretta scooter in those days.
2. Grew his empire to more than 200,000 crore in 3 decades. Acquired the IPL cricket team- Pune Warriors - in
2010 for about Rs. 1700 crores.
3. Celebrates 'Jyoti Diwas' on the birth anniversary of his father on 1st April & 'Bharat Parva' on Indian Republic
and Independence days every year.
4. Owns multiple news channels, hospitals, hotels, newspapers/magazines. Also distributed/marketed Hindi movies
like 'Page 3', 'Sarkar', 'Wanted'.
5. Was honoured with 'Indian Business Icon of the Year'(2011) award by Powerbrands Hall of Fame Awards in London.
6. In 2004, he spent more than 125+ crore on the simultaneous weddings of his two sons- attended by over
10,000 guests, politicians, film stars who were ferried in 200 Mercs. 100+ member orchestra flew down from UK. |
| 22 | 
KP (KUSHAL PAL) SINGH |
KP (Kushal Pal) Singh (Chairman and CEO of DLF Limited)
Date of Birth: 15-Nov-1931.
Place of Birth: Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.
Sun Sign: Scorpio.
Age: 81 years.
Relationship Status: Married Indira in 1954.
Children: Rajiv(Son), Pia(Daughter).
Education:
- Bachelors in Science from Meerut University, Uttar Pradesh.
- Aeronautical Engineering, UK but returned to India when commissioned into a renowned cavalry regiment
of the Indian Army.
- Upset at the rigors of the Indian Military Academy, he planned an exit from the army but was summoned by
colonel in charge who said... 'You may leave. But remember that once you go, you will be forever known as
the coward who ran away. If you don't mind that label, go. Otherwise, reconsider it.' KP stayed back.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Best known for turning Gurgaon from a village to a swanky international hub with big malls, modern apartment
complexes and a night golf club.
2. By 1981, DLF had acquired just about 50 acres. A law preventing companies from acquiring farmland for
commercial use was the bottleneck. His chance meeting with Rajiv Gandhi- when Rajiv's car broke down in
Gurgaon -opened new frontiers. Later Rajiv got the law amended.
3. Has grown DLF to be India's largest real estate developer with a land bank of more than 10,000 acres.
4. Bought land for as little as $2000 an acre which later even sold for about $4 million an acre.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. In 1975, he almost decided to exit the real estate business by selling all his shares- which would have fetched
him and his wife just Rs. 26 lakh each.
2. As of 2011, DLF had a market cap of 30,000+ crores with his family holding more than 75% stake of DLF.
3. DLF (originally called Delhi Land & Finance) was founded by his father-in-law in 1946. In 2008, KP was briefly
the world's richest real estate tycoon.
4. He himself used to spend long hours trying to convince farmers to sell their land for larger economic cause.
5. He mentioned his wife getting critically injured in a helicopter crash as a major turning point in his life.
6. Decided to dedicate a portion of his life, wealth and time towards the betterment of poor and underprivileged. |
| 23 | 
Y C DEVESHWAR |
Y C Deveshwar (Chairman of ITC)
Date of Birth: 04-Feb-1947.
Sun Sign: Aquarius.
Age: 66 years.
Relationship Status: Married Bharati.
Education:
- B. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the IIT, Delhi in 1968.
- Diploma from Harvard Business School, USA.
- Advanced training course in Hoteliering and Services from Cornell University, USA.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing ITC tobacco, hotel & consumer goods group of companies. Became CEO of ITC in 1996.
2. Grew the company in sectors like hospitality, agriculture, retail and FMCG.
3. He joined ITC Limited in 1968 as a management trainee. In 1984, he joined ITC's board of directors & also took
charge of Welcomgroup (Hotel Division) as its Chairman.
4. ITC's 'e-Choupal'- a digital rural infrastructure plan to empower farmers- is a Harvard Business School case study.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. His full name is Yogesh Chandar Deveshwar. As of 2010, 'e-Choupal' services were rolled out through 6500
e-Choupals in 10 states in about 40,000 villages with freeInternet access to farmers.
2. Between 1991 and 1994, he led Air India as Chairman and Managing Director. Tried to merge 'Indian Airlines'
& 'Air India' and push for privatization.
3. ITC Hotel Royal Gardenia in Bengaluru is the 1st Indian hotel & world's largest to get the highest green
building certification globally.
4. He got out of the financial services business by selling off ITC Classic to ICICI's KV Kamath.
5. In 2011, was awarded Padma Bhushan- India's 3rd highest civilian award.
6. Got 'The Best Hotelier of the Year' award in 1986. |
| 24 | 
AM NAIK |
AM Naik (Chairman and MD of Larsen & Toubro)
Date of Birth: 03-Jun-1942.
Place of Birth: Endhal, Gujarat.
Sun Sign: Gemini.
Age: 69 years.
Relationship Status: Married Geeta.
Education:
- Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya Engineering College, Gujarat.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing India's largest engineering house L&T and diversified into sectors like engineering equipment,
construction, power, IT, nuclear reactors, electronics & financial services.
2. In 2003, he became Chairman and MD of L&T. Brought back merit based system to attract younger talent.
3. In 2011, initiated major corporate re-structuring/de-merger of L&T into 9 independent companies to unlock value
for shareholders and optimal operational management.
4. L&T was featured 4 times in Forbes Fab 50 list of Best public companies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. His full name is Anil Manibhai Naik. In 1965, joined L&T as a junior engineer at Rs. 670/- per month & by 1969,
he(at age 33) became L&T’s youngest ever manager in the history of the organization.
2. His English skills were not good even after graduation but plugged that gap soon. He once quoted that he had the
fastest rise ever in L&T till 1974 and was slowest to be promoted from then till 1986.
3. He never took a day off in the first 21 years of his working life. He once took 3 days off when he hurt his leg
severely but came to office on crutches on the 4th day.
4. 800 people used to report to him even when he was less than 25 years of age.
5. In 2009, was awarded Padma Bhushan- India's 3rd highest civilian award.
6. In 2002, when L&T price was around Rs. 160, Kumar Mangalam Birla actually made an open offer at Rs. 190,
including L&T's cement division. But he decided to increase L&T shareholders value. |
| 25 | 
ANJI REDDY |
Anji Reddy (Founding Chairman of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories)
Date of Birth: 1941.
Place of Birth: Tadeepalli, Andhra Pradesh.
Age: Died in March-2013 at an age of 72 years.
Relationship Status: Married.
Children: Satish(Son), Anuradha(Daughter).
Education:
- Anapothana ZPHS School in Nutakki.
- B. Sc. from A.C. College in Guntur.
- B. Tech. in Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals from Bombay University.
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune.
Key Milestones/Achievements:
1. Credited for growing Dr. Reddy's Labs in the drugs/pharmaceutical industry. In 1980s, bulk of medicines
in India used to be imported. Over the last 20 years, he led the growth towards self reliance & now even
exporting drugs to other countries.
2. In 1999, acquired American Remedies and grew the company to India's 3rd largest pharmaceutical company
after Ranbaxy and Glaxo.
3. In 1993, first Indian company to venture into drug discovery research. By 2011, company had nearly 200
medications and 60 active pharmaceutical ingredients.
4. In 2001, company became the 2nd Asian pharmaceutical company (apart from Japan) to be listed on the
New York Stock Exchange.
Interesting/Little known Facts:
1. His full name is Dr. Kallam Anji Reddy. First company to take up drug discovery research in India (in 1993).
2. Launched the company in 1984 with an initial capital of Rs 25 lakh and sold drugs for nearly half the price
compared to that of competitors in those times.
3. In 1987, got a great opportunity when he got approval from the US Food and Drugs Administration, USFDA,
to make Ibuprofen.
4. Starting 2006, he pledged to contribute Rs 1 crore every year for 10 years to LV Prasad Eye Institute- which
uses stem cells for corneal reconstruction and restoring eyesight.
5. Was honoured with Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.
6. Research was his passion and he himself read a lot of technical/complex articles that helped grow the research
based pharma company. |
