The role of business in a country’s growth is unmistakable. By engendering revenue, trade, innovation, and better prospects, businesses define economic growth. The seed of business is fostered by visions of those with a keen entrepreneurial spirit – something that India has always had in abundance.
India’s economy has been growing rapidly, and for that, we have a plethora of reputed and ground-breaking businessmen who have contributed to it. These include not only conglomerate icons like Ambani and Adani, but also famous financial leaders like Sanjiv Bajaj, and other incumbents from various industries. Together, they continue to provide the country with a spring in its step through innovation, growth in infrastructure, technology, employment, and self-reliance.
Let’s take a closer look at 10 such famous businessmen in India.
- Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh Ambani was born as the first son of Dhirubhai Ambani on April 19, 1957. He graduated as a chemical engineer from the Institute of Chemical Technology and is an MBA dropout from Stanford University. He got the ownership of Reliance Industries after his father’s demise. Under his supervision, the revenue of the company has grown to $88 billion, and the company is the first to reach 100 billion dollars in market capitalisation. He has been awarded the Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. In 2010, he received a global leadership award as the company reached new heights. Mukesh Ambani has a net worth of over $98.8 billion as of October 2021. - Sanjiv Bajaj
Born on November 2 in the year 1969, Sanjiv Bajaj is one of the most famous financial leaders of India. He studied mechanical engineering at Pune University and did his MBA from Harvard Business School. Hailing from the prestigious Bajaj family, he began his career with Bajaj Auto before becoming the MD of Bajaj Finserv in 2007. From there, he led a financial and FinTech revolution in the country and has emerged as one of the leading proponents of financial self-reliance in India. Among his many accolades is the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2017. - Adar Poonawalla
Serum Institute of India is the company that is at the forefront of COVID vaccines production in India, thanks to the efforts of the current CEO Adar Poonawalla. He was born on January 14, 1981, as the son of Cyrus Poonawalla who founded the Serum Institute of India. He is a graduate from the University of Westminster, London. After graduating in 2001, he joined the company. Under his administration, the company’s export rate increased significantly with 85% of the revenue coming from foreign countries. Serum Institute’s oral polio vaccine is a bestseller product initiated by him. He was honoured with the Philanthropist of the Year award in 2016. In 2021, he was declared the Entrepreneur of the Year by Economic Times. - Rahul Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj was born on June 10, 1938, as the grandson of Jamnalal Bajaj who was a prominent industrialist before India’s independence. His father founded the Bajaj group of companies in the 1920s. Rahul Bajaj pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University, a law degree from the University of Mumbai, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He took over the company in 1965. During his administration, he bifurcated the company into Bajaj Auto and Bajaj Finserv. He also served as the president of the Confederation of Indian Industry. Rahul Bajaj was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001. He is one of the best empowering leaders. Rahul Bajaj has a net worth of over $8.6 billion as of October 2021. - Savitri Jindal
Savitri Jindal is the Chairperson Emeritus of OP Jindal Group. She was born on 20 March 1950 in Assam. After marrying OP Jindal in the 1970s, she became a member of the Jindal family. She became the chairperson of the company after her husband’s demise. She is now one of the richest businesswomen in India, growing the company to the highest levels and increasing its valuation to $4 billion. She is also the recipient of an international award for women’s empowerment. Savitri Jindal & family has a net worth of over $18.1 billion as of October 2021. - Gautam Adani
Gautam Adani was born as the son of a textile merchant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on June 24, 1962. His business venture started from PVC imports and after the liberalisation policy, the business was expanded to trading of textile, metals, and agri-products. Gautam Adani enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in commerce at Gujarat University and dropped out after the second year. In 1988, he started the Adani Group. Under his leadership, the business was diversified into logistics, defense, aerospace, and many more branches. He is now the second richest man in Asia. Gautam Adani & family has a net worth of over $70.8 billion as of October 2021. - Radhakishan Damani
Radhakishan Damani was born in Mumbai on January 1, 1954, to a Marwari family. He is a dropout from Mumbai University where he studied commerce for about a year. After his father’s demise, he started working as a stock market broker and investor. Until 2000, he worked in the stock market and then left the job and started hypermarket chain DMart in 2002. The first store was opened in Powai. Radhakishan Damani & family has a net worth of over $29.4 billion as of October 2021. - Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was born in Bangalore on March 23, 1953. Her father was a brewmaster. She graduated in brewing from the University of Ballarat, Melbourne. But her journey to Biocon India started when she met Leslie Auchincloss, who owned an Irish firm – Biocon Biochemicals. Under her stewardship, in 1978, Biocon India soon started exporting food processing enzymes to the US and Europe. It is the first company to get approval from the FDA. The shares of the company skyrocketed, making Kiran the richest businesswoman in the country. She is the recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards by the Indian government. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has a net worth of over $3.4 billion as of October 2021. - Madhukar Parekh
Pidilite Industries was founded by Bavant Parekh who is the father of Madhukar Parekh. Madhukar Parekh was born in 1946 and completed his engineering studies at the University of Mumbai and Masters from the University of Wisconsin. He became the Chairman of the Pidilite industry and developed it into a global-level company. In 2014, he was awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Consumer Products. Madhukar Parekh & family has a net worth of over $11.7 billion as of October 2021. - Pankaj Patel
Cadila Healthcare is the fifth-largest company in the pharmaceutical industry in India led by Pankaj Patel who is the Chairman. The company was founded by his father with the aim of producing vitamins. Pankaj Patel was born on March 16, 1953. He joined the company after completing his Bachelor’s and Masters in Pharmacy and also a Bachelor of Arts in Science and Law from Mumbai University. He is also the Chairman of Zydus Hospitals. He was awarded as the Best Pharma Man of the Year in 2003. Pankaj Patel has a net worth of over $5.4 billion as of October 2021.
