Even though many of India's largest businesses continue to remain promoter-led, a bunch of professional honchos is emerging from their shadows. Three of the top 10 in the 2013 edition of 'India Inc's Most Powerful CEOs' are professionals, Economic Times reported. Twenty of the top 50 and 39 in the top 100 also belong to this tribe. Five years ago, KV Kamath was the only professional in the top 10.

"From the 70s through mid-80s, professionals were largely told what to do and they had to deliver, but now they participate much more in risk-taking and contribute to visioning," says A Vellayan, chairman of Murugappa Group, one of India's oldest family-owned conglomerates. Professionals are beginning to play larger roles even in promoter-led firms.

Read the full report here