The Marwaris: From Jagat Seth to the Birlas (The Story of Indian Business)

In the nineteenth century, a tiny community from the deserts of Rajasthan spead out to every corny of India. The Marwaris controlled much of the country's inland trade by the time of the First World War. They then turned their hand to industry and, by the 1970s, owned most of India's private industrial assets. Today, Marwari businessmen account for a quarter of the Indian names on the Forbes billionaires list.

What makes Marwaris so successful? Is it their indominitable enterprise, or their incredible appetite for risk? In this new book, Thomas A. Timberg shows how the Marwaris rely on a centuries-old system for conserving and growing capital which has stood them in good stead, alongside a strong sense of business ethics which has earned them respect.

Family businesses in general and the Marwaris in particular might have a vital rold to play in shpaing India's economin future. This book tells us why.