KUMARAMANGLAM BIRLA (147th on the Forbes list)
36-year-old Kumaramanglam Birla is known in the corporate circles for his humility. His unassuming demeanor belies the fact that he is estimated to be worth $3.2 billion.
But he is also known for his acumen in building up the family business. Chairman of the Rs 12,000-crore (Rs 120 billion) Aditya Birla Group, has it in his genes.
He took over his father's business when he was just 27-years-old and grappling with the shock of his father sudden demise. Today he has transformed the culture of the Birla group and steered it to new levels.
In the initial days he concentrated on establishing his grip over the empire. But soon he marked on a series of acquisitions and strategic alliances to consolidate his existing businesses. In late 1997, he decided that group executives would compulsorily retire at 60 years - something unheard of before in the group.
He got the group to enter high-potential sectors such as software, insurance and branded apparels. Despite sitting on wealth, Birla is not the sort to flaunt his money. A non-smoker and a teetotaler, his only passion is paintings. He is known not to hesitate to pick up a painting if he spots something that attracts his attention. Birla's office in Mumbai has two pieces painted exclusively by the master M F Husain for him.
Married to Neerja, he has two children, daughter Ananyashree and son Aryaman Vikram. He is ranked 147th on the Forbes list.