The story delves into the life of Kanhaiyalal, the eldest son and a paragon of the family's values, who wrestles with managing a newly established branch of the family business in Jabalpur. This decision, while aimed at diversifying their business footprint, unexpectedly drives a wedge within the family. Kanhaiyalal's aspirations for autonomy collide with the deeply ingrained bonds that tie the family together. The strain escalates as the younger generation, influenced by evolving times and newfound affluence, adopts more individualistic lifestyles that run counter to the traditional ethos upheld by their elders.
The pivotal year of 2000 brings the family to a crossroads as Danamal, sensing growing tensions and impending discord, decides to make a momentous decision—splitting the family and its assets. The once-unbreakable unity of the Sainani clan is fractured as Excel Trading Company is allocated to three sons. One son assumes responsibility for the department store. Meanwhile, another son maintains his government job, and the eldest son is compensated due to not inheriting an established business. This watershed moment raises profound questions about the fairness of the distribution, the impact on emotional ties, and the repercussions of prioritizing individual paths over collective unity.
In an exploration of generational disparities, evolving values, business challenges, leadership dynamics, and the intricate task of preserving familial bonds amidst the complex interplay of growth and transformation, the case study offers a rich canvas for contemplating the delicate balance between the pursuit of autonomy and the preservation of cherished family values.
Part B of the case follows the Sainani family from the aftermath of the 2000 split to 2024, detailing their attempts to reunite the family and business while navigating the complexities of modern family dynamics. As the family expands and diversifies into various sectors—including education, consulting, real estate, and manufacturing—challenges related to generational shifts, individual aspirations, and evolving family roles emerge.
Despite the fragmentation of family structure, key family members, particularly Sunil and Anil (Danamal’s sons), drive efforts to rebuild unity and professionalize the family businesses through governance structures like a Family Council, a Family Business Board, and a Family Office. This part explores the family's ongoing struggle to balance personal autonomy with collective identity, manage wealth preservation and growth, and adapt to changing gender roles, all while safeguarding the legacy of the Sainani name.
Kavil Ramachandran is a Professor of Entrepreneurship (Practice) at the Indian School of Business (ISB). A founding faculty member, Professor Ramachandran established the Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at the Indian School of Business in 2001. He later served as the Associate Dean (Academic Programmes), before becoming the Thomas Schmidheiny Chair Professor of Family Business and Wealth Management, and subsequently the Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at ISB until December 2021. He is currently the Senior Advisor, Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise.
He specialises in family business, entrepreneurship, and strategy, with 36 years of combined academic experience at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and the Indian School of Business. Professor Ramachandran holds a PhD from Cranfield University, UK. His research focuses on family business, entrepreneurship, and strategy. He has authored and edited seven books and published extensively in reputed Indian and international journals.
His consulting experience includes areas such as family business governance, professionalisation, succession planning, strategic planning, identification of new opportunities for growth, corporate entrepreneurship and turnaround strategies in family and non-family business environments. His special expertise lies in managing the challenges at the interface of governance, professionalisation, and strategy, particularly in rapidly growing mid-size, multi-generational family businesses.
He has demonstrated special interest in mentoring young members of business families. He spearheaded the initiative in ISB offering a new MBA-level programme for the next generation of family business leaders (PGP MFAB) ,and was adjudged the “Faculty of the Year” by students in both 2018 2019, 2024. He was also adjudged the “Faculty of the Year” by students of Advanced Management Programme for Infrastructure (AMPI), 2024. In 2022, he was conferred with the Bharat Asmita Acharya Shreshtha Award (Best Indian Teacher in Management) by MIT World Peace University, Pune.
Recognising the contributions to institution building under the leadership of Ram in this area, ISB was rated as one of the best 25 business schools for family business in the world by Family Capital in 2015. He was mentioned as a “Star Professor” in that report. The Thinkers Leadership Magazine listed Ram as one of the top 100 management thinkers in India in 2014 and 2015, the only years it did such a listing. In 2022, Ram was listed amongst the top family business influencers in the world in the academics’ category by Family Capital. The combined effect of the multiple initiatives is the creation of a reassuring positive atmosphere in India towards family businesses in general and their sustainability across generations.
He has authored several case studies, worked with several well-known family business leaders and global experts, and consulted on transformation of family businesses. A frequent speaker at family business forums in India and abroad, he also contributes regularly to popular media. He has conducted numerous training programmes for family businesses on governance, professionalisation, strategic management, and entrepreneurship.
Professor Ramachandran has served on various advisory committees for the Government of India, the World Bank, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). His book, The 10 Commandments for Family Business, has been considered as one of the best books in this area. He has been a pioneer academic entrepreneur, propagating the message of strengthening family business in India and outside.
