Because his group’s market capitalisation has shot up to over Rs 40,000 crore this year. Because amidst the storm over SEZs, his zone in Chennai is quietly sold out and the one in Jaipur, spread over 3,000 acre, is nearly booked.

Because his middle-class time-share business, Mahindra Holidays, started with a small sum of Rs 30 crore in 1997, has now been valued at over Rs 4,000 crore. Because his auto components outfit Systech will notch a billion dollars in sales and a billion in market cap by 2009, a year ahead of schedule.