The Top Most Powerful Business Leaders in India, The Top Most Powerful Business Leaders in India
MUKESH AND NITA AMBANI, 54, Industrialist, 48, Educationist
Because Mukesh and wife Nita form the first couple of Mumbai, running its popular IPL cricket team, supervising its most sought-after school, and hosting its must-attend parties.
RATAN TATA, 74, Industrialist
Because the Tata Group’s total revenues are expected to increase from Rs 3,80,000 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 5,00,000 crore in 2011-12 as it continues to expand its position as India’s premier multinational corporation.
SAMIR & VINEET JAIN, 57 and 45, Media Barons
Because they often set the nation’s news agenda, whether through the launch of the online campaign ‘Against Corruption Together’ which drew support of more than 2.5 million for the Lokpal Bill, or their ‘Coalgate’ expose.
Because the group’s English news channel, Times Now, asks tough questions of those in power.
DEEPAK PAREKH, 67, Banker
Because he and other corporate hotshots wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the strong nexus between some businessmen, bureaucrats and power-brokers, which Manmohan took note of.
Because he is the first port of call for the Government when it seeks expert advice, be it on restructuring Hindustan Aeronautics or modernising Indian Railways.
KUMAR MANGALAM BIRLA, 44, Industrialist
Because the Aditya Birla Group’s revenue jumped from Rs 1,75,000 crore in 2010-11 to Rs 2,00,000 crore in 2011-12, despite tough global conditions.
Because the group has a presence in 36 countries.
Because Birla will invest Rs 400 crore in the next two years to set up hypermarkets that sell everything, from pasta to detergents, under one roof.
ANAND MAHINDRA, 55, Industrialist
Because under his leadership, the Rs 75,000-crore Mahindra Group with core competence in automobiles has also become a leader in it with the merger of Satyam and Tech Mahindra in 2012 and is making a strong foray into defence after signing joint ventures with an Israeli and an American company at the March 2012 Defexpo.
SUNIL BHARTI MITTAL, 54, Industrialist
Because Bharti Airtel, which he is chairman of, has been the only major telecom player unscathed by the 2G scam even as the Supreme Court cancelled 122 2G licences, including those of Tata Teleservices and Idea Cellular.
Because Bharti has emerged as the third largest telecom network in Africa, behind UK-based Vodafone and Spanish TelefÔnica, with a subscriber base of 227 million.
G.M. RAO, 61, Industrialist
Because the expert airport builder has bagged the contract to modernise Male International Airport for Rs 2,555 crore, established a Rs 300-crore state-of-the-art maintenance and overhaul facility at Hyderabad airport and won the Airports Council International’s second best award for service quality in the world for Delhi airport.
ANIL AMBANI, 51, Industrialist
Because his influence in Delhi’s power circles saw him lead a harassed telecom industry in negotiations with the Government; neither he nor Ratan Tata was named in the 2G cases.
Because when no Indian banks offered him finance in January 2012, he arranged a Rs 6,000- crore loan from a consortium of Chinese banks.
Because his ventures also received low-interest financing from Japan and Europe.
GAUTAM ADANI, 49, Industrialist
Because his group is becoming a global infrastructure major, with a turnover of Rs 30,000 crore and interests in ports, power generation, coal mining and logistics.
Because he is the largest corporate player in the country to operate from outside the traditional business centres of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.
AZIM PREMZI, 66, Industrialist
Because he oversaw a turnaround last year as the number of Wipro’s active clients increased from 880 to 953 and high-value clients (contracts of minimum Rs 500 crore) from one to six.
Because when he led a group of eminent citizens in writing an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in October 2011 expressing concern about governance deficit, Manmohan responded immediately by saying that internal dissension,
