This Rs 120,000 crore conglomerate is India’s oldest company, it's not Tata, Birla or Goenka

India is the land of some legendary business groups with are more than a century old and were the first big businesses of independent India. These include the likes of Tata, Birla and Goenka business families.

The traditional tycoons were joined by those that made massive business empires in recent years like the Ambani, Adani, Nadar and Premji families. Interestingly, the story of India Inc started much before, nearly 300 years ago.

The record for India's oldest company goes to the one that pioneered the shipping industry. It laid the platform for Mumbai to become a major port city and eventually India's economic capital.

The country's oldest company is believed to be started by Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia who belonged to Surat in Gujarat. He founded the Wadia Group, today a Rs 1,20,000 market cap conglomerate, back in 1736.

Lovji earned several contracts from the British East India Company for building the first dry dock of Mumbai and several ships. Lovji started the illustrious business family which saw several tycoons build on his legacy in the future. Prominent names include Ness Wadia, Nusli Wadia, Neville Wadia, Jehanigr Wadia, Homi Wadia.

Three of the four Wadia Group companies listed on Indian Stock Exchanges are over a 100 years old. These include Bombay Dyeing and Brittannia. The third, the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation is India’s oldest publicly traded company.