Author Sonu Bhasin's biography of Lala Shri Ram wins Gaja Capital Business Book Prize for 2024

Author Sonu Bhasin’s book “Entrepreneurs Who Built India – Lala Shri Ram: The Man Who Saw Tomorrow” has won the sixth edition of the prestigious Gaja Capital Business Book Prize, recognising its significant contribution to Indian business literature.

The book, published by HarperCollins India, was selected from a diverse shortlist of five titles, including "Fintech for Billions" by Bhagwan Chowdhry and Anas Ahmed, "Middle of Diamond India" by Shashank Mani, "Silver Lining" by Kamal Shah and "Swadeshi Steam" by AR Venkatachalapathy.

The award, touted to be the "largest business book prize" in the country, was instituted in 2019 to encourage Indian entrepreneurs, writers, and journalists to tell their stories to the world. It offers a prize money of Rs 20 lakh.

"Sonu Bhasin's work not only honours Lala Shri Ram's legacy but also inspires future generations of leaders to dream big and act boldly. The Gaja Capital Business Book Prize remains committed to promoting such narratives that enrich our understanding of the business landscape and encourage young entrepreneurs to pursue their vision.

"We dedicate this year’s edition of the business book prize to the memory of Ratan Tata. It is fitting that the Gaja Capital Business Book Prize debut award in 2019 was given to Girish Kuber's book on the remarkable legacy of Tatas – “The Tatas: How a Family Built a Business and a Nation,” said Gopal Jain, co-founder and managing partner of Gaja Capital.

The winning biography explores the life of Lala Shri Ram, a pioneering entrepreneur who transformed DCM into one of India’s largest business houses by 1950s.

It details his early life, his entrepreneurial journey, and the visionary leadership that enabled him to build a successful empire across industries such as textiles, sugar, and chemicals. The book also highlights his contributions to education and community development.

Bhasin, a business leader and family business historian, draws upon her expertise in family enterprises to craft this compelling narrative. Her career spans senior roles at companies like Tata Administrative Services (TAS), ING Barings, Axis Bank, and Tata Capital, in addition to serving as the editor-in-chief of Families & Business magazine.

“I am delighted to receive the award. This is an excellent initiative by Gaja Capital and goes a very long way in encouraging authors, especially business authors. I dedicate this award to the memory of Lala Shri Ram, a true visionary, and to all family business owners who are the unsung heroes of our country. Thank you Gaja Capital,” said Bhasin in a statement.

The jury for the prize this year, headed by Manish Sabharwal, comprises eminent figures from industry, investments, public policy, and governance.

In 2023, "Against All odds" written by S 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan, N Dayasindhu and Krishnan Narayanan, and "Winning Middle India" by TN Hari and Bala Srinivasa were declared as the joint winners of the award.