Because he is the Birla who matters most. Because he has taken his group’s revenues from $13 billion to over $25 billion and the market capitalisation from $13 billion to $32 billion in a year. Because he has quietly expanded his business into new areas, from retail to BPO.

Because he has listed and made Idea work, acquiring 20 million subscribers. Because he has set up 230 supermarkets in a year, taking his total retail presence to 400 stops across India. Because his Hindalco Novelis—the largest aluminium rolling company—is on the Fortune 500 list. Because his group is the largest producer of viscose staple fibre.