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When Ravi Subramanian’s If God Was A Banker hit the stands two years ago, bankers in Mumbai read the book to try and identify the characters and the companies he had written about. His new book, Don’t Tell The Governor, is also likely to evoke curiosity. It’s about the travails of the Reserve Bank of India governor presiding over DeMo. The standard disclaimer obviously applies: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Noble Cause
Sanjay Lalbhai, chairman of Asia’s largest denim maker Arvind Ltd, is following a family philanthropic tradition. Now, the fifth generation in business, the Lalbhais had among other things donated large tracts of land for the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. Sanjay Lalbhai is hiring 250 adivasis in the interiors of Gujarat at his call centres. A distance learning initiative is part of a mission to give them jobs at his factories that are being expanded to meet demand.
Room for Elders
Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, is also big on tradition. Though grandfather and family doyen BK Birla gave him a part of his business, his grandson has kept the post of chairman of textile to cement company Century Textiles for his grandfather. He has also set aside a room for his ailing grandfather in all his new corporate offices though he visits him almost every day in Mumbai at his home.
Triple-ton Advice
Local private equity funds hold investors’ conferences to provide a perspective on their funds to limited partners. A highly successful PE fund, known for betting on startups, had an unusual guest lined up to brief investors. They got former India batting sensation Virender Sehwag to address the audience about his life and times in cricket. The master blaster impressed the audience with his tales of grit and determination such as when he scored a triple Test match century. It struck a chord — PE funds are looking at a minimum three times return on investment.
Choppy Waters
A billionaire currently going through a turbulent financial patch has decided to put his fancy boat up for sale. His better half, one of Mumbai’s most well-known aesthetes, has told her confidantes to sound out potential buyers. With the sailing season just kicking off, the timing could not have been better. The question though is whether the tycoon will be a tough negotiator even when it comes to selling one of his lux toys.
50 is the New 20
If it’s the golden jubilee bash, then even 900 guests seem a tad modest. Especially, if you are party animals like the Paul siblings of Park. Their flagship property in Kolkata celebrated its 50 anniversary last week and Park Street was swinging like the 50s and 60s we hear, even on a weekday. Champagne flowed till 4 am across four venues that saw a rocking gig, showgirls with faux feathers, haute cuisine and thumping EDM. The following morning, to cure the hangover, there was an elaborate Bengali lunch of 14 dishes served in three courses over two hours.
The Prince and I
Uday Kotak has become a must-have in most high-powered soirees these days. Along with Ajay Piramal, Sanjiv Goenka and Suhel Seth, Kotak was the headline act for a closed-door brainstorming session with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla during their recent India tour that was organised by the British High Commissioner. Charles was also in Mumbai to meet the top Tata brass along with Mukesh Ambani and legal ace Harish Salve. When the crown calls, business royalty responds.
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