IN PICS | Tatas, Birlas, Ambanis, 10 Industrialists Who Shaped India's Corporates

From Tatas and Birlas' pioneering efforts to today's young entrepreneurs, India's Industrialists have shaped its economy. On Independence Day, we remember leaders who transformed India Inc.

Independence Day Tatas Birlas Ambanis Industrialists Who Shaped India Corporates Photo Gallery

JRD Tata: Born in 1904 in Paris, JRD Tata, the son of RD Tata and a relative of Jamsetji Tata, left an indelible mark on the Tata Group. He joined as an apprentice in 1925 and quickly rose to the board of Tata Sons. His pioneering spirit led to the first flight in Indian aviation history, giving birth to Tata Airlines and Air India. Over five decades, JRD steered Tata's expansion across sectors like chemicals, automobiles, tea, and IT. He championed professionalism and nurtured homegrown talent. (Image: Tata Group)

Ghanshyam Das Birla: A Gandhian entrepreneur born in 1894, shaped India's industrial landscape. Starting as a broker, he transformed the Birla business from trade to diverse manufacturing sectors. He pioneered India's first jute mill in 1919 and expanded into textiles, aluminium, fertilisers, cement, and more by independence. Beyond business, he was a key freedom movement figure, closely associated with Gandhi. (Image: Aditya Birla Group)

Dhirubhai Ambani: Born in 1932 in Gujarat, Dhirubhai Ambani's journey from a humble background to a business giant is inspiring. Despite dropping out of school, he went to Yemen at 17, later founding Reliance Commercial Corporation in 1958. His textile mill marked his entry into textiles. Reliance's 1977 IPO, focusing on middle-class investors, was a turning point. He expanded into petrochemicals with Reliance Hazira and built the world's largest grassroots refinery. (Image: Getty)

Rahul Bajaj: Born on June 30, 1938, Rahul Bajaj hails from the renowned Bajaj family. His father Kamalnayan Bajaj diversified Bajaj Auto into various sectors. After his father's demise in 1972, Rahul took charge as Managing Director. He propelled Bajaj Auto's growth, introducing popular models like Chetak and Bajaj Super. Despite challenges, the launch of Bajaj Pulsar Motorcycle revitalized the company. Under Rahul's leadership, turnover surged from 7.2 crores to 12 thousand crores. (Image: Getty)

Rama Prasad Goenka: A takeover specialist, established RPG Enterprises. Born in 1930, he founded the enterprise in 1979, inheriting and expanding upon his father's businesses. His savvy acquisitions in the 1980s, including CEAT, KEC, Searle India, and more, showcased his business acumen. (Image: RP Sanjiv Goenka Group)

R C Bhargava: Born on July 30, 1934, currently chairs Maruti Suzuki, India's largest automaker. After 25 years in the Indian Administrative Service, he joined Maruti Udyog in 1981 as its marketing director. Under his guidance, Maruti achieved milestones, notably Suzuki's 1992 acquisition of a 50 per cent stake, forming a joint venture with the government. After retiring as Managing Director in 1997, he was invited back as the Chairman in 2007, showing his continued commitment to the company's growth and success. (Image: Getty)

Yusuf Hamied: Cipla's chairman, transformed India's pharmaceutical industry. Born on July 25, 1936, he joined Cipla in 1960 after studying at Cambridge. His efforts led to India's 1972 patent law change, enabling production of patented medicines with process variations. This made India a leader in generic drug manufacturing. (Image: Getty)

Hinduja Brothers: Founded in 1914 by Parmanand Hinduja in Pakistan, the Hinduja family expanded globally. Led by four sons, they're known for opulent living and UK residency near Queen Elizabeth. Their diversified investments include Ashok Leyland and IndusInd Bank stakes. An ongoing legal battle involves shared ownership versus individual control of their $18-billion business group. (Image: Getty)

NR Narayana Murthy: Known as the father of India's IT sector, co-founded Infosys in 1981. He pioneered the Global Delivery Model, making India a software back-office leader. After economic liberalization, Infosys' growth soared, listing on Indian and US stock exchanges. Murthy retired as executive chairman in 2014 but remains a minority shareholder. (Image: Getty)

Azim Hashim Premji: Born on July 24, 1945, in Mumbai, is the leader of Wipro Ltd, a major IT Consulting and System Integration services company. Taking over in 1966, he diversified Wipro into software, making it a global IT giant. Under his leadership, Wipro's market cap reached around $35 billion. He's also known for philanthropy and founded the Azim Premji Foundation in 2001. (Image: Getty)