Ratan Tata, Global Superstar

Amazing how public awareness works. Ratan Tata is 70 years old. He's spent a long career growing Tata Group into India's version of General Electric and becoming one of the most influential players in India's technology, consulting and auto industries. Yet until about a year ago, hardly anybody in America knew who the heck he was.

Early this year, Tata unveiled its Nano car -- the little $2,500 machine that threatens to disrupt the global car business. I wrote about that in Portfolio. Then Tata bought Jaguar from Ford, and suddenly huge swaths of the U.S. population knew the Tata name.

We put Ratan Tata one of business's biggest brains in our last issue. And Time named him one of its 100 most influential people.

Now Indian publications are looking over here in wonder at Tata's popularity in the U.S. -- a local hero finally making it big in a far-off land. No doubt Ratan Tata is just the first of a wave of Indians who will become influencers in the U.S. tech industry. Although, in the latest twist on the world-is-flat theme -- Indian tech services companies seem to be pulling back in the U.S. market because of the staggering economy here.

. □