Rajshree Pathy, 

The sugar business is cyclical and enmeshed in local agricultural politics. Last year, Indian sugar production climbed significantly, and in FY12, Rajshree Sugars’ sales grew to Rs 708.6 crore from Rs 617.7 crore. Losses were pared to Rs 1.77 crore from Rs 36.92 crore. Pathy commissioned a new greenfield 80 kilolitre-a-day distillery in Tamil Nadu in April this year. Her five factories buy cane from more than 30,000-odd farmers in the state and she has single-handedly managed the cut-and-thrust of the farm community without a backlash since she has been at the helm. She also found time to conceptualise and host a nine-day festival ‘India Design Forum’ in Delhi this year. Pathy’s relative drop on the rankings has more to do with new entrants ahead of her than her company’s performance.