India's Quiet Business Builders Beyond Unicorns
Not every consequential Indian business is a unicorn. Profitability, resilience and long-term value deserve a place in the national conversation.
Blue Tokai: How Indian Coffee Became a Premium Habit
A specialty roaster helped make Indian-grown coffee part of a new urban ritual. The harder question is how to sustain that promise at scale.
Page Industries: The Business Behind Jockey India
The Jockey story in India is as much about manufacturing, retail and distribution as it is about an internationally recognised label.
Anand Deshpande: The Long Game Behind Persistent
Persistent Systems grew from a difficult early software venture into a global engineering company. Its founder offers a case study in patient ambition.
Forest Essentials: How Ayurveda Became Luxury
Mira Kulkarni built a premium beauty identity around Indian ingredients, rituals and craftsmanship. The challenge now is scaling without dilution.
IIT Kanpur: Can Research Become Global Businesses?
A new innovation school creates an opportunity to test whether research, entrepreneurial training and patient capital can work together.
Havells India: How an Electrical Brand Earned Trust
From electrical products to household recognition, Havells shows how distribution, quality and patient brand-building reinforce one another.
Sridhar Vembu: Building Global Tech From Rural India
The Zoho co-founder challenges the idea that world-class technology companies must be built in big cities.
BookMyShow and India's Concert Boom: The Big Business
Concerts are becoming more than a night out. They are reshaping travel, city economies and how a generation chooses to spend.
Punjab’s PEHEL Wants Rural Women to Build Businesses. What Happens After the Loan?
The initiative pairs credit with practical business support. Its early results are promising, but the true measure will be whether women can build lasting incomes.
DailyObjects Started With Phone Cases. Can It Build India’s Next Global Lifestyle Business?
A fresh funding round gives the Gurugram company room to expand. The bigger challenge is turning useful accessories into a brand people deliberately choose.
The Whole Truth: Can Transparency Transform Packaged Food?
Shashank Mehta built a food brand around showing consumers what is inside the pack. The harder test is making that promise work at scale.
Radhakishan Damani Built DMart Without the Hype. Why Does His Retail Formula Still Work?
Excerpt As DMart expands beyond 500 stores, its founder’s quiet philosophy faces a louder, faster and increasingly digital retail market.
Amazon vs Flipkart: India’s Festive Sale War Is No Longer Just About Discounts
Amazon and Flipkart’s 2026 festive sales reveal a larger battle over Indian shopping habits, fast delivery, AI discovery and what a discount really means.
India Is Getting Older. Max India and ISB Want to Rethink How the Country Cares for Its Seniors
Max India Foundation and ISB have launched SCALE to build evidence around senior care. The initiative arrives as India faces a demographic shift that will reshape healthcare, finance, technology, work and family life.
boAt Is Putting Gemini Inside Its Devices. Can an Indian Audio Brand Become an AI Brand?
boAt’s Crest AI brings Google Gemini into select audio devices. The move shows how Indian consumer electronics brands are trying to move beyond affordable hardware and compete through software, services and AI.
Anup Bagchi Is Leaving ICICI Life to Lead HDFC Bank. Why India’s Biggest Bank Chose an Outsider
Anup Bagchi will become HDFC Bank’s first outsider CEO. His appointment from the ICICI ecosystem reveals what India’s largest private sector bank may be looking for after merger, scrutiny and a difficult transition.
AJIO Chose Ahaan Panday. Is Bollywood’s New Generation Becoming More Valuable Than Its Biggest Stars?
AJIO has chosen Ahaan Panday for its 2026 festive campaign. His rise after Saiyaara shows why brands increasingly value cultural momentum, youth relevance and discovery over decades of established fame.
AI Is Being Renamed ‘Super Intelligence’. The Name May Matter More Than You Think.
The United States has begun replacing Artificial Intelligence with Super Intelligence in federal language. But superintelligence already has a distinct meaning in technology. The change opens a much bigger question about how names shape what society expects from AI.
CMF Is Becoming an Indian Smartphone Brand. Can India Finally Build a Global Phone Brand?
CMF is moving towards majority Indian ownership and deeper local engineering. Its transformation reveals the next challenge for India's electronics industry: moving from making global phones to building global phone brands.
Vijay Deverakonda Is Building Unhype. Why Are Celebrities Becoming Founders Instead of Endorsers?
Unhype is the latest example of a bigger shift in Indian celebrity culture. Stars are no longer satisfied with renting their fame to brands. Increasingly, they want equity, creative influence and a place on the cap table.
Why Air India Chose 15-Year-Old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to Tell Its New India Story
Air India could have chosen an established sporting icon. Instead it chose 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The decision reveals how the airline wants its own transformation to be seen alongside a younger, more ambitious India.
The Beauty Industry Has a Waste Problem. L’Oréal Is Asking Startups to Help Fix It.
L’Oréal has selected 13 companies for the second cohort of its €100 million sustainability accelerator, including two Indian innovators. The bigger story is how a global beauty group is looking outside its own laboratories for solutions to waste, water use and circular manufacturing.
The Man Tata Wasn’t Ready to Let Go: N. Chandrasekaran’s Long Game
N. Chandrasekaran spent nearly four decades inside Tata and was preparing to leave. Then the Tata Sons board asked him to stay. His reversal says as much about the unfinished transformation of the group as it does about the man leading it.
From Dholera to the World: Tata’s Chip Ambition Just Found an Important Global Customer
Tata Electronics has signed a strategic manufacturing partnership with Nexperia across Dholera and Jagiroad. The deal matters because India’s semiconductor push is beginning to acquire something more valuable than factory announcements: global customers.
Sabyasachi Used Bollywood to Build Fame. Now He Wants Indian Luxury to Outgrow It.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is returning to New York Fashion Week while pushing back against celebrity customisation and overexposure. The contradiction reveals his larger ambition for Indian luxury.
BMW Chose Ranveer Singh. What It Really Wants Is Young India.
BMW's choice of Ranveer Singh says more than a celebrity endorsement ever could. India's luxury buyer is getting younger, first time buyers are entering faster, and the meaning of status itself is changing.
India’s Beauty Market Is Booming. So Why Did SUGAR’s Valuation Crash?
SUGAR Cosmetics has raised fresh capital at a sharply lower valuation even as India’s beauty market races ahead. The reset shows how investor expectations around India’s beauty brands have changed.
How the 80s Photo Trend Became a Free Product Demo for ChatGPT
The 80s photo trend was fun, nostalgic and remarkably effective at showing what ChatGPT could do. Here is how it spread, why it worked like free marketing, and what the privacy, energy and water questions actually mean.
The World Came to Delhi. India Is Becoming the Centre of the New Global Order
The BRICS Summit brought Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and leaders from across the emerging world to New Delhi. The summit itself mattered, but so did what it revealed: India is growing rapidly, becoming easier to build and do business in, and gaining the economic and diplomatic gravity to sit closer to the centre of world affairs.
10 Powerful Women Shaping India's Future
This Independence Day, People Who Matter looks at ten women, from Ananya Birla to Roshni Nadar Malhotra, whose current work continues to shape India's business and cultural landscape.
10 Sports Personalities Redefining India's Sporting Story
This Independence Day, People Who Matter looks at ten sports personalities, from Jasprit Bumrah to Virat Kohli, whose current seasons and business ventures continue to define Indian sport.
From Vaccines to Ventures: The Expanding World of Adar Poonawalla
The COVID-19 pandemic turned Adar Poonawalla into a global name as Serum Institute’s vaccines reached millions across continents. But his story goes beyond the crisis, tracing the journey of a businessman who expanded a family legacy into a diversified and globally recognised enterprise.
Sudha Murty: A Legacy Built On Compassion & Conviction
She questioned gender bias when few dared to. She helped shape one of India’s most influential technology companies, transformed corporate philanthropy, and inspired millions through her writing. Sudha Murty’s journey is a testament to the power of purpose-driven leadership.
How the Kamath Brothers Kept Building Even After Zerodha
The Kamath brothers built one of India's most successful bootstrapped companies. Their greater contribution, however, may lie in how they have used that success to inspire founders, shape conversations and strengthen India's innovation ecosystem.
Titan: The Timeless Masterpiece By The Tata Group
From a factory in Hosur to the acquisition of a 300-year-old Swiss watchmaker, Titan's journey reflects the power of conviction, innovation and an unwavering belief that India could build brands the world would admire.
What Truly Makes Amul The Taste of India?
From Gujarat’s milk cooperatives to becoming one of India’s most trusted household names, Amul’s success story is a story of rural empowerment, economic inclusion and a revolution that reshaped the nation’s dairy industry.
Gig Work, Food Delivery, Q-Commerce, Ambulance: How Zomato Built An Ecosystem
What started as a restaurant menu website eventually transformed into one of India’s biggest consumer-tech companies. From food delivery and Blinkit to gig employment and quick commerce, Zomato reshaped how urban India eats, shops, works, and experiences convenience.
Why Microsoft's AI Bet On India Goes Beyond Technology
Microsoft's AI skilling initiative seeks to bridge opportunity gaps by bringing AI education to underserved regions and equipping millions of Indians for the future of work.
How Neeraj Chopra’s Golden Throw Rewrote India’s Olympic Dream
In a cricket-loving country, Neeraj Chopra turned javelin into a mainstream sport and became one of India’s most influential sporting icons.
How Lenskart Changed The Way India Buys Eyewear
What started as a risky ecommerce idea evolved into one of India’s biggest consumer-tech success stories. Lenskart not only modernised eyewear retail but also changed how India perceived spectacles.
Maruti: How A Government Experiment Continued To Lead The Market
From a modest 1981 government venture to 42% market share today, Maruti's journey mirrors India's own story of growth and aspiration.
Info Edge: The Internet Pioneer That Built India's Digital Marketplace Economy
From finding jobs to finding homes and matrimonial matches, Info Edge created an entire ecosystem of internet-driven businesses. What began as an effort to digitise newspaper job listings eventually grew into a company that connected millions of Indians to information.
How Nuvoco's Swasth Bharat Initiative Is Bringing Healthcare To India's Last Mile
In many villages, reaching a doctor can mean travelling long distances and losing a day's wages. Nuvoco is attempting to change that through mobile healthcare services and investments in healthcare infrastructure around its manufacturing locations.
Infosys & India’s IT Boom: The Company That Defined An Industry
As India’s IT industry expanded, Infosys stood at the centre of the transformation, bridging global demand with Indian talent and reshaping how the country works and earns.
How Harmanpreet Kaur Rewrote The History Of Indian Cricket
From leading India to its first Women's Cricket World Cup title to becoming one of the most recognisable faces in sport, Harmanpreet Kaur's journey mirrors the rise of women's cricket in India. Her impact extends far beyond records and trophies, reshaping how the country views women in the Indian sports fraternity.
Bridging the Employability Gap: How NASSCOM’s ASCEND Is Building India's Future Workforce
As India's demand for digital talent continues to grow, access to industry-relevant skills remains uneven. Through ASCEND, NASSCOM Foundation and nine technology SMEs have come together to equip marginalised youth with emerging technology skills, demonstrating how collaborative CSR can create pathways to employment and inclusion.
Khadi India: Inspired By Swadeshi Movement, Embraced By Youth, Livelihood For Many
From the Swadeshi movement to ecommerce platforms, the journey of Khadi India reflects how rural employment, sustainability, and indigenous craftsmanship became central to modern consumerism.
Tata Steel: The Company That Turned Industrialisation Into Social Change
From supporting India’s industrial self-reliance movement to building communities around workers, Tata Steel evolved into far more than a business enterprise. It teaches how industrial growth and social welfare can work well, decades before independence.
Bajaj Auto: How A Company Put The Middle Class In The Driving Seat
From enabling affordable mobility for millions to building one of India’s strongest automotive export businesses, Bajaj Auto has played a defining role in the country’s growth story. Today, it stands at the intersection of legacy, automation, and the transformation of electric mobility.
Mysore Sandal: From Karnataka’s Hidden Forest Treasure To A Heritage Soap Brand
Born out of a crisis during World War I, Mysore Sandal evolved from a regional industrial experiment into a Rs. 2,000 Cr heritage brand. The soap not only shaped Karnataka’s sandalwood economy but also became an emotional part of Indian households across generations.
From A Single Terrace To Global Kitchens: Lijjat Papad Legacy Lives On
Having begun with a Rs. 80 loan in 1959, today the monthly global export target of Lijjat Papad stands close to Rs.10 Cr. From empowering women to offering scholarships to their children, Lijjat, as a cooperative, seems louder than boardroom discussions on inclusion.
Mission4Million: Axis Bank Foundation's Initiative To Transform 4 Million Rural Lives By 2030
For millions of rural families, economic security remains a distant goal. Through Mission4Million, Axis Bank Foundation hopes to change that by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
No Safe Bets: Why R. Madhavan’s Relevance Is Built On Risk-Taking
Beyond the charm of 'Maddy,' R. Madhavan’s Padma Shri honours a rare stardom built on quiet reinvention, curiosity, and mentorship.
Gaur Gopal Das: The Monk Who Redefined How India Consumes Wisdom
Gaur Gopal Das’s rise signals a cultural shift where spiritual storytelling intersects with corporate wellness, offering emotional tools for navigating high-pressure professional life.
How Herbalife Is Empowering Women, Driving Change, Breaking Stereotypes
Public transport doesn’t just drive people. Sometimes it also drives change. On this principle, Herbalife has put women of Bengaluru and Mysuru in the driving seats of e-autos and helped them increase their monthly income.
Caring For The People Who Build India: The Story Of Godrej SAHYOG
Construction workers build dreams. Yet their well-being often goes unnoticed. To change the picture, Godrej Properties has extended support to 30,000 workers across the country.
Mumbai Dabbawalas: India’s ‘OG’ Food Delivery Network
Long before food delivery apps transformed urban convenience, the Mumbai Dabbawala built a human-powered network that carried home-cooked meals, livelihoods and trust across the city. More than a delivery system, they became a symbol of discipline, dignity and Mumbai’s relentless spirit.
From Migrant Relief To Student Support: The Many Lives Touched By Sonu Sood
At a time when people felt disconnected from systems and authorities, Sonu Sood made himself reachable. From migrant relief and medical aid to scholarships and education support, his impact today extends far beyond cinema.
Deepika Padukone
In an industry built on visibility, Deepika Padukone mastered the art of relevance. From mental health advocacy to global luxury branding, her evolution reflects the changing face of celebrity itself.
10 Entertainment Icons Shaping India's Cultural Landscape
This Independence Day, People Who Matter looks at ten entertainment icons, from A.R. Rahman to Shah Rukh Khan, whose work and business ventures continue to shape India's cultural story.