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Full name Lalit Kumar Modi
Born November 29, 1963, Delhi, India
Current age 44 years 169 days
Profile
Born in Delhi, living in Mumbai, and originally from Rajasthan, Lalit Kumar Modi has been in the forefront of all the Indian cricket board's commercial activities since the Sharad Pawar-led group ousted Jagmohan Dalmiya in the 2005 BCCI elections. Modi, president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association and vice-president of the Punjab Cricket Association, where he has spent many years watching Inderjit Bindra, his mentor, work, emerged as one of the youngest vice-presidents of the BCCI.
His single-minded drive to fully monetise every aspect of Indian cricket set alarm bells ringing, and his confrontational, cocky manner has caused people to sit up and take notice. There is no doubting his business acumen - the BCCI's revenues have increased seven-fold since he took office - but his lack of restraint when dealing with organisations like the ICC, his grandstanding, and his seemingly arrogant manner have not endeared him equally to all. "If Dalmiya does not give a proper answer to the show-cause notice, we will put him in jail and throw away the keys," Modi thundered in typical fashion as the new regime went after Dalmiya for alleged financial irregularities.
Modi comes from a business background - he is the scion of Modi Enterprises, a $1.5 billion group of companies, and sits on the board of Godfrey Philips, one of India's more successful tobacco companies.
Anand Vasu March 2006
