A bulk of this sprawling clan's wealth comes from the auto engineering and bicycle firm Tube Investments of India, sugar firm EID Parry, and abrasives maker Carborundum Universal. Their 114-year-old Murugappa Group, which is chaired by fourth-generation head A Vellayan, covers 28 businesses including agriculture, engineering, and financial services. TI is the exclusive Indian distributor for Ducati bicycles made by Sweden's Cycleurope Group.
Fast Fact: The group recently launched 'The Madras Song', an ode to the 375th anniversary of their home city (now Chennai).