Some of India's Great Business Families

                   TATA                   BIRLA

COMPANY  Tata Group, started in    Birla Group, started
         1868 by Sir Jamsetji      in 1862 by
         Tata                      Sheonarayan Birla



CURRENT   Ratan Tata                Great-great-grandson
CHIEF     59                        Kumar Birla, 29

BUSINESS Steel, truckmaking,       Cement, textiles,
         power generation,         rayon, aluminum,
         chemicals, hotels,        iron, petroleum
         computers, consult-       refining, telecom
         ing, consumer goods,
         telecommunications

REVENUES  $9 billion                $5 billion

PROSPECTSJury is still out; it     Unclear; empire
         will be tough to con-     needs consolidation
         solidate the empire       and focus


          RELIANCE               MAHINDRA
COMPANY  Reliance Industries,      Mahindra & Mahindra,
         started in 1969 by        started in 1945 by
         Dhirubhai Ambani          Jagdish Mahindra and
                                   brother Kailash

CURRENT   Sons Mukesh, 39, and      Grandson Anand
CHIEF     Anil, 37                  Mahindra, 41 

BUSINESS Textiles, polyester       Tractors, sport-utility
         fiber, petrochemicals,    vehicles, passenger
         oil & gas,                cars, real estate
         infrastructure

REVENUES  $2.4 billion              $1.4 billion

PROSPECTS Strong entrepreneur-      Bright; has managed
         ial drive with global     transition well; global
         plans                     ambitions             


               BAJAJ                     THAPAR
COMPANY  Bajaj Group, founded     Thapar Group, found-
         in 1945 by Jamnalal      ed in 1943 by Karam
         Bajaj                    Chand Thapar

CURRENT  Son Rahul Bajaj, 59;     Son Lalit Thapar, 66;
CHIEF    grandson Rajiv, 30,      five grandnephews
         being groomed            next in line

BUSINESS  Scooters, mopeds,        Paper, chemicals,
         motorcycles              agricultural products

REVENUES  $1.2 billion             $1.1 billion

PROSPECTS Strong brands but        Dismal; uncompeti-
          needs improved           tive in new era;
          technology               squandering family
                                   fortune


             AMALGAMATIONS            ARVIND
COMPANY  Amalgamations Group,    Arvind Group, found-
         started in 1938 by      ed in 1931 by
         Anantha                 Kasturbhai Lalbhai
         Ramakrishnan

CURRENT   A. Sivasailam, 62       Grandson Sanjay
CHIEF                             Lalbhai, 43

BUSINESS  Tractors, auto compo-   Textiles
          nents, plastics

REVENUES  $630 million            $350 million

PROSPECTS Bright; company         Sanjay resurrected the
          markets well and        company but needs to
          benefits from growth    stress cost-cutting and
          in agriculture          technology


                 RAMCO
COMPANY    Ramco Group, started
           in 1935 by P.A.C.
           Ramaswamy Raja

CURRENT    Grandson P.R. Venkat-
CHIEF      rama Raja.

BUSINESS   Cement, building
          products, textiles,
          software

REVENUES   $250 million

PROSPECTS  Good; company has
          innovative products
          and cheap, skilled
          labor