From highlighting gen-next of India Inc. to Bhavina Patel's Paralympics goal, our top stories of the week

Ananya Birla, Director of Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail and Aditya Birla Management Corporation. Image: Neha Mithbawkar for Forbes India

Ananya Birla has a unique identity that very few people possess in the world. Multiple hyphens in her introduction include the following words: singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, director of Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, and Aditya Birla Management Corporation. The eldest daughter of billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla is a world unto herself. She is the first Indian artist with an English-language single to go platinum in India, and she is also the founder and chairperson of Svatantra Microfin, India’s second-largest non-bank MFI, with a consolidated AUM of around Rs17,000 crore. Get to know the second cover star of our family business special, who has become a force for good for herself and the Aditya Birla group.

3) Why water must be a priority

Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO of Ecolab

Right now, given the madness of monsoons, focusing on the topic of water shortage might seem odd. Many reservoirs are at capacity, rivers are flooding, and the sky is not drying up anytime soon. But the harsh reality of India's water crisis is that many parts of the country face water scarcity, with cities like Chennai and Bengaluru staring at a Day Zero crisis, in which public water supply stops completely, and taps go dry. This is a real problem for a fast-growing economy like India, but the country can leverage its technological prowess to find ways to manage, reuse and recycle its water, says Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO of Ecolab, which provides products and services in water, hygiene and sanitation, and energy. In conversation with Forbes India, Beck discusses working on reducing water usage and reusing it and the need for awareness about water and energy efficiency.

Discover

1) Balancing legacy with change

(L-R) Sanjeev Kumar, partner and member management committee at Luthra and Luthra and Harry Chawla, managing partner, Luthra and Luthra. Image: Madhu Kapparath

What is common between the complex acquisition of Coca-Cola and Parle, Delhi Metro, Noida Toll Bridge, and Paytm's deal with Zomato to sell its entertainment ticketing business? One name: Luthra and Luthra Law Offices. The legal firm was started by Rajiv Luthra in 1990. It seized the opportunities unboxed by opening up of India’s economy. Propelled by the zeal of the first-generation lawyer and his sharp insights as a chartered accountant, Luthra and Luthra soon became a name to reckon within the domestic and international corporate circuit. Here's the story of one of India's biggest law firms that lost its guiding soul and is now working hard to keep the glory intact.

2) Master brewer of timeless tales

Imtiaz Ali, Filmmaker, director, producer, and screenwriter Image: Neha Mithbawkar for Forbes India

In his song Mama Said Knock You Out, released in August 1990, American rapper and actor LL Cool J sang, "Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years/I'm rocking my peers, putting suckas in fear." Somehow these lines also apply to filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. The success of his recent film Amar Singh Chamkila, a biopic of the Punjabi singer-musician assassinated at 27 when he was at the zenith of his popularity, is being labelled as the director's comeback. Ali recalls that music maestro AR Rahman called him and asked where he had gone since there was chatter of his return! Ali's box office failures with Jab Harry Met Sejal and Love Aaj Kal 2 were loud, but his success with Chamkila is louder. Here's what the filmmaker thinks about 'rocking his peers, putting suckas in fear'.

3) What is Masaba Gupta's superpower?

Masaba Gupta, fashion designer, entrepreneur, actor.

In the new episode of Forbes India Pathbreakers, Masaba Gupta, who knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a self-made woman, shares her entrepreneurial journey of building the 'House of Masaba', how her dream of becoming an actor came true, and why she believes in destiny. From being an angry and confused teenager to becoming a self-assured powerhouse of talent, Gupta also discusses how she found her calling in life. Watch her talk about upcoming projects, new brand launches, and unique perspectives on work, life, and everything in between.

4) Going for gold

Bhavina Patel, para-table tennis player and Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist.

Bhavina Patel has been on crutches since she was diagnosed with polio at age one. That didn't stop her from creating history by winning India's first silver medal in her category at the Tokyo Paralympics. As she sets her sights on the Paris Paralympics, the table tennis athlete, who is known for her smashes, speaks exclusively to Forbes India. She talks about the need for government support, mental health issues, and how things have changed for para-athletes, or sportspersons who are differently abled, over the years in India.