The Murugappa family which controls the $4.1 billion (revenues) Murugappa Group saw its fortune shrink by a third as shares of its companies Fell due to sluggish sales at many of its 28 businesses. Despite the decline, it spent $320 million on acquisitions and adding new capacity. The conglomerate started out as a moneylending firm in Myanmar in 1900. Chairman A. Vellayan, 60, is one of 10 members of the family currently working for the group.