Building BusinessServices

Section 35

Business Empires

Every large group began as one shop, mill or dairy. See what each started as, the moves that made it big and the figures from its own reports.

groups
20
oldest founded
1736
growth moves
156
  1. Since1736Wadia GroupStarted as Shipbuilding in Bombay for the East India CompanyFood (biscuits and dairy)TextilesPlantations and tradingReal estateChemicals
  2. Since1857Aditya Birla GroupStarted as Cotton tradingMetals (aluminium, copper)CementFibres and chemicalsFinancial servicesFashion and retail
  3. Since1868Tata GroupStarted as A trading company in Bombay, followed by a cotton mill in NagpurSteelAutomobilesIT servicesConsumer goods and retailHotels
  4. Since1884Dabur (Burman family)Started as Ayurvedic medicines made and sold by a doctor in CalcuttaAyurvedic health careHair and oral careHome careFoods and juices
  5. Since1888Kirloskar GroupStarted as A bicycle repair shop in BelgaumPumps and valvesDiesel engines and generatorsCompressorsCastings and ironChillers
  6. Since1897Godrej GroupStarted as Making locks in BombayLocks and securityConsumer goods (soaps, hair care, home care)Appliances and furnitureReal estateAgri-business and animal feed
  7. Since1900Murugappa GroupStarted as Money-lending and banking in Burma (now Myanmar)Fertilisers and crop protectionSugarAbrasives and ceramicsBicycles and auto componentsElectrical equipment
  8. Since1910ITC LimitedStarted as Cigarettes, from a leased office on Radha Bazar Lane, CalcuttaCigarettesPackaged foodsPersonal careNotebooks and stationeryAgarbattis and matches
  9. Since1911TVS GroupStarted as A bus service in Madurai (T.V. Sundram Iyengar & Sons)Two- and three-wheelersAuto componentsVehicle dealerships and logisticsFinance
  10. Since1914Hinduja GroupStarted as Trade and merchant bankingCommercial vehiclesLubricants and speciality chemicalsBanking and financeDigital technology servicesEnergy
  11. Since1926Bajaj GroupStarted as Trading businessTwo- and three-wheelersLending and insuranceElectrical goodsSteelSugar
  12. Since1937Haldiram'sStarted as A small namkeen and sweets shop in BikanerNamkeen and snacksSweetsFrozen and ready-to-eat foodsRestaurants
  13. Since1938Larsen & ToubroStarted as Importing and servicing dairy and other machineryEngineering and constructionHeavy engineering and defenceEnergy projectsIT and technology servicesFinancial services
  14. Since1945Mahindra GroupStarted as Steel trading as Mahindra & MohammedUtility vehiclesTractors and farm equipmentIT servicesFinancial servicesReal estate
  15. Since1946Amul (GCMMF cooperative)Started as Collecting milk from village farmers for supply to BombayMilk and dairy productsIce creamChocolatesPackaged foods
  16. Since1956Hero GroupStarted as Bicycle parts, then Hero Cycles in LudhianaMotorcycles and scootersBicyclesAuto componentsFinanceRenewable energy
  17. Since1958Reliance IndustriesStarted as Trading in yarn and spices from a small office in BombayOil refining and petrochemicalsOil and gasRetailTelecom and digital (Jio)Media
  18. Since1976Bharti EnterprisesStarted as Making bicycle crankshafts in LudhianaTelecom (Airtel)Satellite communicationsInsuranceReal estateFood (agri) business
  19. Since1982JSW GroupStarted as A steel re-rolling mill at Tarapur, MaharashtraSteelEnergyCementPorts and infrastructurePaints
  20. Since1988Adani GroupStarted as Commodity trading and exports (Adani Exports)Ports and logisticsPower generation and transmissionRenewable energyAirportsCement