Cover Story

India Inc grapples with growing labour unrest

A large proportion of the workforce today in the Indian factories is young. It has high aspirations but low patience. Widespread disparity in compensation and positions is pushing blue collar workers towards violence.

Companies are expanding overseas to cut the risk of doing business locally

Indian companies have come a long way since 1959, when industrialist Basant Kumar Birla set up the first major venture by an Indian company in a foreign country - a textile mill in Ethiopia.
Reliance Industries cedes the No.1 spot on the BT 500 listing

After monopolising the top spot in the BT 500 ranking for nine years, Mukesh Ambani's RIL had to make way for TCS this year. This is not surprising, given the challenges RIL has had to face across its businesses, new and old, in recent years. Full coverage: India's top 500 companies
India's Most Valuable Companies 2012

The reigning champion has been dethroned. The star of the new economy in India, software behemoth Tata Consultancy Services, beat RIL, though by a whisker. Does this herald the start of a new kind of rivalry between these two giants? Full coverage: India's top 500 companies
CEO N Chandrasekaran on what has helped TCS come out on the top

The combination of belief, the right management teams in each unit, and working with them has worked in Tata Consultancy Services' favour, says CEO and Managing Director N. Chandrasekaran.
BT 500: TCS is the most valuable company of 2012

TCS has, for the first time, emerged the top company in the BT 500 list. It is the first private sector company to pip RIL - which has repeatedly bagged the No. 1 spot in previous years - in a decade. Robust growth in a tough economic climate pushes the company to the top.
BT 500: Infrastructure, banking and mining companies among top losers

Companies from these sectors, which were among the worst affected by the economic slowdown, dominate the declines in rankings and market capitalisation this year. Full coverage: India's top 500 companies
Fastest growing conglomerates

The Bajaj Group, ranked 6th in terms of Mcap, grew faster than any other business house, while Reliance ADAG shrank.
How most valuable companies of 2012 were ranked

As in 2011, private and public sector companies have been clubbed to produce a single, comprehensive ranking.
BT500: Six companies with impressive m-cap growth

Crunching numbers to get to our 500 listing, we uncovered six companies with market-cap growth averaging more than 1,000 per cent over the past year.
Companies that topped in different parameters

Different yardsticks, different benchmarks - and the companies which topped the list in each case.
BT500: Top five companies in different sectors

The top five companies in different sectors, by market cap
Alphabetical Index of BT 500 Companies Ranked

BCG's Hans-Paul Burkner on company's business prospects in India

Hans-Paul Burkner, President and CEO, Boston Consulting Group hopes India will get back to eight to ten per cent growth.

Trends to note of FDI inflow into India

The government decision to raise the cap on foreign ownership in multi-brand retail and aviation businesses comes in the backdrop of an alarming drop in foreign direct investment (FDI) early this financial year.

Retrospective tax: Shome committee works to allay investor fears

The retrospective tax amendments in last year's Budget violated basic principles of Indian law, says the Shome Committee.

Govt mulls price control of more essential drugs

The UPA govt has told the SC that it will frame a new policy for pricing essential drugs by end-November. Currently, only 74 drugs are under price control. The government now wants to bring all the 348 drugs under the National List of Essential Medicines under price control.

All you need to know about clinical trials

It is the testing of a new pharmaceutical drug after it has passed its laboratory tests. It is carried out in phases on progressively larger groups of human beings.

Inflation at 7.8%, a 10-month high: Who said what

It is very difficult for RBI to cut interest rates ... because (inflation) numbers don't justify reduction, says Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC, in Business Standard.

Review: HP Envy 4 Ultrabook, Philips Fidelio sound dock

Reviews of Android sound dock Philips Fidelio and a cheap HP Envy 4 ultrabook.

Festival season best time for commodities investors

Invest in commodities, as their demand usually rises as the big festivals arrive.

Bharti AXA General Insurance CEO Amarnath Ananthanarayanan admires JRD Tata the most

Bharti AXA General Insurance CEO Amarnath Ananthanarayanan admires JRD Tata the most.

Fortnight recap: Maruti Alto 800 launch, Kingfisher Airlines, 2G auction and more

Events of the fortnight that you may have missed: Featuring Maruti Suzuki's launch of Maruti Alto 800, fresh troubles facing Kingfisher Airlines, Suzlon's Tulsi Tanti deals with FCCB trouble and more.

What is bipolar disorder and how to control it

Bipolar disorder can be of many kinds, but in its most severe form - also known as manic depression - it causes wild mood swings from extreme elation to complete despair, which can last for days to months.

Indian companies grooming data scientists to feed global jobs demand

Data science and analytics are as old as the 1940s. From just numbers, data analysts now deal with social media, pictures and videos. They are the next big thing on the global jobs radar and Indian companies are grooming many of them.

Few global oil exploration companies looking to exit India

Delays in granting approvals for exploration activities is prompting global oil companies to relook their India plans. Italy's Eni SpA, Australia's Santos, and UK's Foresight Group are only some of the few facing the hurdles.

Why are global PE firms bullish on corporate lending in India

Private-equity firms, which normally pick up equity stakes in companies they invest in, are bullish on corporate lending when it comes to India. They are stepping up their corporate lending activities in India through their own NBFCs, which could put the banking system at risk.

Disinvestment receipts key to keep fiscal deficit under control

With tax collections likely to fall short of targets, disinvestment receipts will be key to keeping the govt's fiscal deficit under control. Also, achieving the target of raising Rs 30,000 crore in 2012/13 through stake sales will establish the govt's willingness to push through reforms.

Debt a bigger challenge for DLF than dubious deals with Robert Vadra

Allegations of dubious deals with companies promoted by Robert Vadra are not DLF's worst headache - the real estate giant is deep in debt. As of June 30, 2012, gross debt stood at Rs 24,259 crore - nearly 2.4 times the total income and 20 times the net profit of the last financial year.

2012 Indian Grand Prix still awaits fan frenzy, ticket sales tepid

Jaypee Sports has spent $400 million on the Buddh circuit, including a licence fee of $30-35 million. Around 90,000 people showed up to watch the race last year, but that may be difficult this season, with less than a third of the 100,000 tickets sold.