At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, a new democracy was born. As India woke to life and freedom, some of its business houses were already decades into operations, giving shape to the dreams of its founding fathers. As Outlook Business turns 17, we celebrate with 17 centennial companies of India. These are stories of not just surviving, but thriving, sectoral leaders. Spread across the country, these companies have shown immense grit in the past 100 years, as they braved two world wars and tectonic shifts in the Indian political and policymaking landscapes. We tell their stories through insiders, outsiders and data to help you think beyond and stay ahead