Lead Story

Wind beneath his wings

India's most reticent billionaire is betting his money on the alternative energy space and here's why

On a scorching humid day in Mumbai, an Audi unobtrusively zips across the driveway of a suburban hotel. The doors open to reveal India’s most reticent billionaire, who steps out amid a flurry of camera flashes from the assembled media contingent. Dressed in a simple white shirt, the gentleman quickly slips into a coat. And it’s not just journalists — even analysts from research houses mill around him with requests for a meeting. He nods politely. If the media and the Street are willing to eat out of the tycoon’s hands, it’s not without reason: the man in question — Dilip Shanghvi — runs India’s largest drugs company, worth ₹16,000 crore in revenue and ₹2.28 lakh crore in market cap.