New Delhi, July 12 -- The eyes were the first thing you noticed about Brijmohan Lall Munjal, founder of the Hero Group and a titan of Indian industry. They were steady, unhurried, and kind, speaking of a quiet wisdom earned over a lifetime of building from scratch with audacity, resolve, and ingenuity. There was an optimism in his gaze, as if he were scanning the horizon for possibilities others might have missed.

His hands were that of a workman rather than of a business tycoon who had built a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Often he would insist on pouring out the tea for guests, adding spoonfuls of sugar for younger journalists. "You need the energy," he would insist.

This was a man who understood people as well as business and it w...