King Of Cawnpore
Business Today|January 28, 2018

The 64-year-old chairman and managing director of JK Cement is a self-effacing mix of legacy and modernity who remains rooted to Kanpur.

Sumant Banerji
King Of Cawnpore
As a member of one of India’s oldest and most prosperous business families — the JK Group, 64-year-old Yadupati Singhania is averse to any ostentatious show of wealth. Still operating out of the 90-year-old Kamla Towers in Kanpur's busy Jareeb Chowki area, Singhania disregards the luxury of a big German sedan and opts for a modest Maruti Ciaz for the half-hour drive to office from his ancestral home, Ganga Kutir. Even the smaller and less stately Mercedes B Class that was bought for him a couple of years ago has been discarded. “Look at the congestion and narrow roads here. A Maruti is best for Kanpur,” he says.

Dressed casually in a woollen pullover, seated atop an antique 80-year-old family chair, Singhania looks frail for his age the day we meet him on a particularly foggy December morning. It is a picture of a contented man who has seen much in life. Singhania feigns a mock surprise when told he has been adjudicated as the best CEO for the cement industry and is at a loss to explain what makes him special.

“The vision is to grow just like any other company aspires to. I don’t think we have done anything different. We are doing what we have been doing all the time. It just happens that we are performing better,” he says. “Compared to others, you would have a better idea as an observer (outsider) to gauge what we are doing differently. Because internally, I do not see anything different.”

Cement is a rather peculiar industry in India. For all its importance in nation building — construction of houses, bridges, roads and ports, it is taxed heavily. There is also a perception that the industry is opaque; charges of cartelisation often surface, and it is continually under the radar of the Competition Commission of India.

Denne historien er fra January 28, 2018-utgaven av Business Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra January 28, 2018-utgaven av Business Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BUSINESS TODAYSe alt
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
Business Today India

"Focus on the challenge of each customer"

SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
Business Today India

PEDAL ON THE FUTURE

THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
BREATHE EASY
Business Today India

BREATHE EASY

Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
The Taste of India in a Glass
Business Today India

The Taste of India in a Glass

FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Business Today India

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

IN 2025, INVESTORS WILL NEED TO FACTOR IN VOLATILITY ACROSS ASSET CLASSES

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
MISSING ADVISORS
Business Today India

MISSING ADVISORS

INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE

time-read
7 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TURNING A CORNER
Business Today India

TURNING A CORNER

SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
REALITY CHECK
Business Today India

REALITY CHECK

INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?

time-read
6 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
Business Today India

TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO

The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?

time-read
9 mins  |
December 08, 2024
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Business Today India

"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”

Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more

time-read
10 mins  |
December 08, 2024