Renu Sud Karnad, 

Think of Karnad as home maker to the nation. Leading one of the largest home loan companies in the country with 1,670 employees, she oversaw the disbursal of Rs 60,314 crore of home loans in 2010-2011 while keeping nonperforming assets at less than 1%. With the home loan business clipping along at 23% year on year for the past decade, HDFC has also been growing strong. “In the last 33 years, we have funded 3.5 million homes,” she says. How has Karnad managed such growth? She doesn’t approve loans to clients wanting “four loans for four homes, even if they have the income”. With rising interest rates and people being more cautious, the current trend is that people want homes but have to face rising prices. However, Karnad sees it as a challenge. “People today don’t want to default and are worried about their credit history, which means financial discipline is becoming a point of awareness,” she says. Her guiding principle: Prevent speculators from booking multiple flats and focus on getting families the homes they need and can afford.