India Before The Ambanis: A History of Indian Business, Money, and Economy

by Lakshmi Subramanian

In a one-of-a-kind attempt, India Before The Ambanis deepens the history of modern Indian business by looking at stories of individual enterprise, talent and vision to reflect on the larger milieu and context of business activity. Adopting a narrative non-fiction format, the book focuses on individual protagonists who shaped business in India, focusing largely on western India which by the middle of the 19th century had emerged as the major commercial, financial, and industrial hub. The book takes its cue from several pioneering studies on business and economic history, especially of India, to put together a narrative that is as much about individuals with fire in their belly, as it is about the larger context in which they laboured, innovated and dared to dream big.

320 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Lakshmi Subramanian is currently a professor of History at the BITS PILANI Goa Campus at the Humanities and Social Science faculty. Emeritus Professor of History at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, and holds the position of Associate Fellow in the Institute of Advanced Studies, Nantes.

Reviews

[Arjun Butani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Lakshmi Subramaniam was a quick read over two days and a short, regional flight. The book attempts to cover India's business and economic history- alas, it does so in a nutshell. Nonetheless- it's a good book for a novice reader or for a reader completely in-adept with India and its economic history. The book mentiones Indianised systems such as the banking hundi system, the bazaars, and families like the Godrejs, Jeejeebhoys, Bajaj's and Tata's. It goes on to discuss the effect Mughal India and British India had on modern India's economic prowess. Do read this book- though for me it was plain vanilla. But then aren't we all, at some point in the mood to eat a vanilla gelato?

[Abhishek Mishra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book that informs the readers that entrepreneurs existed even during the Mughal Era who were not only doing business in India but with the global world. We all know the Tatas & Ambanis but to know more about the liked of Dwarka Das Tagore & many more was quite interesting.

[Utkarsh Priyadarshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

mid, hard pass. must read if you're into the whole hero worshipping business tycoons vibe.