Bangalore: Indian family businesses have always made our jaws drop either for good or bad reasons. In India it is never difficult to find family businesses, few were a ‘hit’ and few ‘split’, but to have a business from ancestors and to develop or destroy them is completely vested with the new generation. First few Indian companies that we proudly name when questioned by a foreigner are Tata Group, Reliance Group, Bajaj, Birla and so on.

The very concept of a family business is difficult as there are hindrances and a complete switch in the style of working when it passes decades. Not many businesses have been destroyed by the current generation of entrepreneurs though now they are holding on to a rope and escaping a fall from cliff.

Indian family businesses are well reputed for their strong ethnicity, their services towards the society and for the tremendous name and fame these companies fetched for the country. Jamsetji Nasarwanji Tata, Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani, Ghanshyam Das Birla, and Jamnalal Bajaj are some of the few famous entrepreneurs who set a milestone in Indian family businesses and the current generations from these families include Ratan Tata, Anil and Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Rahul Bajaj respectively. 

The Tata ‘Dynasty’

Founder:  Jamsetji Nasarwanji Tata

Inheritor: Ratan Naval Tata

Active: 144 years

Seed capital: 21,000 rupees

Revenue: US$ 83.3 billion (2010-2011)

Most of the products you see today has the small four letter “Tata” engraved on it. From the most iconic and costly British car brands ‘Jaguar’ and ‘Land Rover’ to the world’s cheapest car ‘Nano’ has a Tata touch on it. Tata is just not a reputed company in India but it is also ranked as the 11th most reputable company in the world by a survey conducted by the Reputation Institute in 2009. To a build a business from a seed capital of 21,000 rupees to US$ 68.9 billion is definitely no joke!

Tata operates in almost all sectors - Tata Steel (including Tata Steel Europe), Tata Motors (including Jaguar Land Rover), Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Technologies, Tata Tea (including Tetley), Tata Chemicals, Titan Industries, Tata Power, Tata Communications, Tata Sons, Tata Teleservices and the Taj Hotels.

A strong business and powerful inheritors has made this family and country proud.