CONVICTION

"We were short on money,but we were long on hope"

In 1989,Infosys Technologies was on the brink of collapse after eight years in operation.Its joint venture with KSA had failed,one of its co-founder had quite and the company had suffered a huge loss.But Narayan Murthy bore on with the belief that things would change for the better.Under his leadership,the other parters came together with renewed strength and built one of India's Largest software companies.

INTEGRITY

"Question the unquestionable"


Despite being born into one of India's richest families,Ratan Tata(chairman,Tata Group)began his career by working in the furnaces with other workers at Tata steel.Over 50 years,he transformed the ultraconservative image of the Tata Group into a dynamic business enterprise. Whether it is in taking TCS public,its various international acquisitions or in creating the world's first Rs.1 Lakh car,every undertaking of the Tata Group is backed by the core values of ethics,fairness and honesty.

COURAGE

"Thing Big.Think Fast.Think Ahead.Ideas are no one's monopoly"


Breaking through the domination of business houses,Dhirubhai Ambani(Founder Reliance Group) built Reliance India from scratch to make it the first Forbes 500 Indian company.Reliance became India's Largest private sector company and crated an 'equity cult'among millions of Indian retail investors in a market dominated by financial institutions.His entrepreneurial spirit powered growth from petrochemicals,textiles,IT,telecom,energy and power to retail,infrastructure services and capital markets.

INNOVATION

"We need multiple engines of growth through existing and new business."


Harsh Mariwala(Chairman & MD,Marico) led the transformation of a traditional family-run commodity-driven business into one of India's leading FMCG companies spread across 25 countries.A firm believer in constant change,his "uncommon sense" at Marico pioneered several innovations,Parachute changed the packaging of coconut oil from tind into consumer-friendly bottles,Saffola took heart care to the edible oil category and Kaya Skin Clinics presented a successful diversification into the beauty service sector

DISCIPLINE

"The company is run to deliver long-term and short-term goals,not with view of the stock price."


Financial discipline is at the core of Azim Premji's(Chairman & MD,Wipro) leadership philosophy at wipro.Taking the reins of his father's vegetable oil business at 21,he built Wipro into one of the world's most successful IT outsourcing companies,that focuses on long-term plans without worrying about pleasing share holders every quarter.Despite being one of the richest men,he drives a 1996 car travels economy and demands employees switch off light when leaving their offices.

PROGRESSIVE

"None of this(policy changes)made me very popular but i thought it needed to be done."
The AV Birla Group conventionally had a "womb-to-tomb"policy with employees rarely retiring and the next generation having guaranteed jobs.On taking charge as Chairman in 1995,Kumar Mangalam Birla instituted a policy that vetted all applications from the family members of the existing employees.This renaissance led to a meritocratic environment,where more deserving and younger members could grow,making the Aditya Birla Group a world-class organisation.

SELF-BELIEF

"Okay,let's start developing our own molecules..."


When Kiran Mazumdar - shaw(Chairman & MD,Biocon India) started Biocon India in 1978,she faced scepticism with employees reluctant to work for a woman,Banks Hesitant to invest to biotechnology and vendors refusing to do business unless a male manager was hired.Over the next 25 years,her self-confidence transformed Biocon India from a generic pharmaceutical company into Asia's biggest biotech company... and Kiran Mazumdar-shaw into India's richest woman.