Empires: India's Tiger

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That same strategy is behind Tata's affinity for Africa. In South Africa he has invested in mining, tourism and engine makers. There's an instant-coffee plant in Uganda, a bus factory in Senegal and a phosphate plant in Morocco. "We look at countries where we can play a role in development," says Tata. "Our hope in each is to create an enterprise that looks like a local company but happens to be owned by a company in India."

Tata says the company's success proves his approach is good business as well as good karma. "We are not in anything for charity." The company is not free from controversy. In January, Tata Steel's plans to build a mill in the eastern state of Orissa went tragically awry when police fired on protesters who accused the state government--acting as a broker in the development--of making a profit on the sale of their land. Twelve people were killed. But to lay off 40,000 employees in Jamshedpur, Tata Steel offered to pay their salaries until retirement along with free health care for life, and allowed workers to keep their company houses for three years. Initiatives like these have kept the group free of strikes.

Tata is hinting at making himself redundant, which would let him spend more time with his beloved dogs and pursue his one rich-guy indulgence: his car collection. But in targeting a billion with a few dollars rather than a few with a billion dollars, he has created a legacy and a growth engine that won't run out of momentum anytime soon.

The Tata Group, 2005-06

Dollars in billions:           Sales          Profit after taxes

TOTAL                        $21.13                     $2.11 Materials                          4.90                       0.86 Engineering                      6.62                       0.46 Energy                             1.51                       0.17 Consumer products           1.11                       0.10 Chemicals                         0.92                       0.09 Communications     and info systems           4.26                      0.29 Services                            1.81                      0.14