10 Most Admired Indian Entrepreneurs

Successful leadership is not about making speech or being liked; leadership is defined by actions and not trait. And some people in the business world have successfully proved their actions which are loud enough to speak about their world wide success. The leadership, attentiveness, prudence and perception that a great entrepreneur exhibits can help shape a company’s, even a nation's fate. Indian corporate history is stuffed with business icons who have changed the perspective of the world looks at India, and helped shape a new future for the nation. In no particular order here are 10 most admired business men of India.

1. Ratan Tata

 Gentle and humble, Ratan Tata is the undoubtedly the most admired entrepreneur of India. Ratan Naval Tata may have inherited the business, but he took Tata group to the heights making it India’s biggest business entity. He is not only the most admired in India, but his acquisitions around the entire globe makes him admired even internationally.

Tata's foreign connection includes the American International Group, JP Morgan Chase Booz Allen Hamilton and Mitsubishi Corporation. He acknowledged the Padma Bhushan award in 2000 and 2008 and Lifetime Achievement Award awarded by Rockefeller Foundation in 2012. Following his own ideals Ratan Tata stepped down as the CEO of Tata group in Dec 2012.

2. Dhirubhai Ambani

Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani better known as Dhirubhai Ambani, though he is no more amongst us but still continues to rule each and every Indian’s heart.  He was the founder of Reliance group and is among the most respectable entrepreneurs of India. Dhirubhai Ambani was named the "Man of 20th Century" by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

3. Mukesh Ambani

The elder among the Ambani brothers, Mukesh Ambani is the owner of Reliance Industries. According to Forbes Mukesh Ambani is the world's fifth richest man and his net worth is estimated at $43 billion. In the year 2010 he was awarded as the Business Leader of the Year by NDTV India, Businessman of the Year by Financial Chronicle, Global Leadership Award by Business Council for International Understanding etc.

Among numerous contributions to the Indian economy Ambani directed the construction of the world’s largest grassroots petroleum refinery at Jamnagar, India. It has the capacity to produce 660,000 barrels per day i.e, 33 million tones per year and associated with petrochemicals, power generation, port and related infrastructure.

4. Anil Ambani

The Younger amon the ambani brothers, Anil Ambani is the owner of Reliance Communications, Reliance Capital, Reliance Mutual Funds, Reliance Energy, etc. After the court settlement the younger brother got the smaller part of the Ambani Empire, but still ranks as the sixth richest man with a net worth estimated at $42 billion. Among the many successful companies owned by Anil Ambani, Reliance Big Entertainment has signed deals with Hollywood directors such as Steven Spielberg and Julia Roberts.

5. Azim Premji

The man transformed his family’s vegetable oil business into India’s second largest software firm. The company is none other than Wipro and the man is none other than Azim Premji. He is the third wealthiest Indian, and the 41st richest in the world according to Forbes, having a wealth of $12.2 billion in 2012. In 2010 Premji turned 213 million equity shares of Wipro to Azim Premji Trust and pledged to donate $2 billion for improving school education in India. This has been the biggest donation in India.

6. N R Narayana Murthy

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy is the co-founder and chief adviser of India's best known software firm, Infosys Technologies Ltd. Even after stepping down as the CEO of the company in 2002, Murthy still continues to be among admired business men. He is among the advisory and board members of many reputed universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, is the IT adviser to several Asian countries.

 

7. Lakshmi Mittal

Perhaps India's most incredible rags-to-riches story, Mittal owns a steel empire from London as chairman of ArcelorMittal and is considered as one of the richest man of the world. Mittal belongs from a small village in Rajasthan, India and instead of being one of the richest personalities Mittal’s humble nature gained him millions of fans.Among the various recognitions and awards Mittal has been named "Business Person of 2006"by The Sunday Times; the Financial Times named him "Person of the Year"2006. In 2007, Time magazine included him in their "100 most influential persons in the world".

8. Vijay Mallya

Though he has always been surrounded by negative criticism, Vijay Mallya is a businessman to watch in India. Kingfisher beer, which is owned by Vijay Mallya is omnipresent in India, and with the $1.2 billion purchase of Whyte and Mackay in 2007, he got a opening to sell first-class scotch to the globe's largest whiskey market.Mallya has received many professional awards both in India and abroad. In 2010 he was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year award at The Asian Awards. He has also fetched France's highest civilian award i.e. The Legion of Honour.

9. Kumar Mangalam Birla

Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group is among the world's youngest billionaires with a net worth of $10 billion. Kumar Mangalam Birla was introduced as a member of the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Award in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2006. In 17 years he has made 26 possessions in India and abroad, which is the highest by an Indian multinational.

10. Rahul Bajaj

Rahul Bajaj is the Chairman of Bajaj Auto and a Rajya Sabha member too. He has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan Award and is regarded as an outspoken and fearless entrepreneur. He is the only chief executive who has served two terms as president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, which symbolize over 5,000 companies from India's private and public sectors. He has also been awarded with the Alumni Achievement Award by the Harvard Business School. Along numerous other achievements, Rahul Bajaj is also among the most admired entrepreneur in India.