Cruise control

After picking up two degrees— one in Systems Engineering and the other in Economics— from the University of Pennsylvania, Vir Advani headed for a private equity job. "If I have to get exposure overseas then it should be in an area that I won't be able to work when back in India," Vir used to tell his father Suneel Advani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Blue Star, the airconditioning major.

Vir did two years with a private equity firm in New York, then returned home in 2000 when Blue Star demerged its infotech business. In 2004, he set up an engineering BPO, but it had to shut down one of its large divisions.

Vir switched to the parent Blue Star in 2007, where he overhauled processes. Today, Vir, as President (Corporate Affairs & Special Projects), is part of the top leadership, but is not aiming for the top as there are professional managers.