Throughout the history of India, we have seen so many business leaders who have not just left a huge impact on the country and the people, but they were kinda world famous as well. Some names you may already recognize, but there are a few others that not a lot of people know about. That’s kinda our mission in this post to introduce you to these names, what they did, and how they became world famous. How? Well, here we’re about to take a good look at the list of the top 10 business leaders in India who have made a global impact. So, let’s just get to it right away, shall we?
1. Dhirubhai Ambani
Who can start this list other than Dhirubhai Ambani, the man who rewrote the entire business book for India? Like, it was not until 1966 that he realized that he was only a small trading business owner, and that’s when he started Reliance Industries. Now, from then to today, what was an insignificant small company turned out to be India’s biggest private company! And of course, Reliance was not to stay within Indian borders, it showed what it could do when it became the name of the first Indian company to break into the list of Fortune 500, and that was just HUGE.
2. Ratan Tata
First of all, it was very heartbreaking news when Sir Ratan Tata passed away at the age of 86, this year. But that just made everyone in India think about how much contribution he had on the nation. Sure enough, he made headlines while at the center of Tata Group by making big acquisitions like: Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea. You know, like, When that happened, suddenly, the Indian industry became global. He’s an example of greatness in the true sense. Such things as the Tata Nano were not what he expected, with favorable results, but he went on.
3. Narayana Murthy
Alright, so, have you ever heard of a person who started a billion-dollar company with just $250 in his pocket? Then, he is Narayana Murthy, one of the co-founders of Infosys, who, in 1981, set that small group to make the world see how much Indian talent could do in IT-defined, and did it all, you know? Like, later down the line, it became the first Indian company to list on NASDAQ and changed the face of IT overseas. Murthy was not only about the profits but was a pioneer in transparency and employee ownership, which made Infosys different.
4. Lakshmi Niwas Mittal
Next on the list, you see, it would be natural to call him boring. But no, steel is altogether a different world, you know? Like, he started from nothing and made ArcelorMittal the largest steel company in the world. Yes, 150,000 people and operations in 60 countries: billions of market value. And sure enough, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal was not only the one who put India on the global steel map, he became the testament that a kid from a small town can rule over one of the most difficult sectors.
5. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
From brewing beer to revolutionizing healthcare, how does it even work? Well, ask Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, simple as that! Like, the founder of Biocon in 1978, then small, is now a global leader in affordable medicines, including insulin, reaching out to millions in 120 countries through her work. Plus, she’s made it her mission to make sure life-saving drugs are available to all, you know? The fun thing though: she runs Asia’s largest insulin factory in Malaysia.
6. Azim Premji
Sure enough, the narrative of Azim Premji is a very authentic “story began from ground level, and now it is just sky high.” He took Wipro from being the most fundamental vegetable oil industry, converting it into one of the world’s top IT services firms, like what? Yes, that’s the story behind Wipro, believe it or not. Premji’s way of managing to spot opportunities took Wipro to the lead in software and tech services, making India the global hub of IT.
7. Mukesh Ambani
Like, Among those who offer big payoffs for taking big risks, Mukesh Ambani stands out tall. How? Well, things like, who can forget the launch of Jio in 2016 and suddenly everyone in India was able to afford broadband and fast internet? That was the masterstroke from Mukesh Ambani’s end and it has made India the largest consumer of mobile data in the world, do you even know that? Currently, Reliance Industries has become a global giant in energy, telecommunications, and retail, valued at over $200 billion.
8. Falguni Nayar
Why does building a billion-dollar kingdom for oneself need to happen before 50 of age? Not true! Falguni Nayar has actually achieved it with Nykaa. The beauty and lifestyle platform even attracted attention for its IPO in 2021, valuing the company at $13 billion. You know, like, she has innovated much more for how Indians acquire beauty products, blending the two worlds of e-commerce and traditional retail, and, oh, is she one of the richest self-made women in the country? Wow, look at that glow-up!
9. Bhavish Aggarwal
Like sure enough, he did not just solve the cab problem of India, he created a global mobility brand. Ola Cabs started out in 2010 when the bad old days for affordable urban commuting began, you know? But Bhavish Aggarwal didn’t stop there; Ola Electric is today working out the future of sustainable mobility in India. Bhavish’s journey is proof that innovation can go quite a distance, quite literally!
10. Adi Godrej
And for those who don’t know yet, well, Adi Godrej is not just a businessman, but a visionary who has transformed the Godrej Group into a super popular name across five continents. Like, whether it is real estate, consumer products, or the agricultural sector, the group has now extended its reach to more than 60 countries, can you even believe that?
Conclusion
Sure enough, the list of business leaders with global impact goes on and on, and many more are coming up in this modern era, but these are by far the best business leaders India has seen throughout history. And yes, if you take an interest in the business scene of the country as well as what is going on in the global business scene, you must get to know a little more about these figures.
