Many Indian companies were set up before India achieved independence. These include companies started by the Tatas, Birlas, Godrejs, Wadias, Ruias, Bajajs, and other Indian families, as well British firms that were Indianised post-independence — Glaxo, Balmer Lawrie, etc. Nationalised banks like the Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, etc., along with other firms that were nationalised, also have their roots in undivided India. Many of these companies have contributed immensely to the economy for decades. Naturally, many mutual funds hold such companies. Moneycontrol looked at the portfolios of 665 equity mutual fund schemes, and found 89 companies born before 1947, across sectors like agriculture, industrial goods, manufacturing, services, and banking. Here we list the top companies that are shortlisted based on market capitalisation and also the number of schemes that held their stocks. Firms that were early birds in their respective sectors also considered. Portfolio data was as of 31 July 2022. Source: ACEMF and websites of the respective companies. The origin of SBI dates back to the first decade of the 19th century, with the establishment of the Bank of Calcutta, in Calcutta, on 2 June 1806. Re-designated as the Bank of Bengal on 2 January 1809, and promoted by the Government of Bengal, it was the first joint-stock bank of British India. It was one of the three presidency banks at the apex of banking in India. Subsequently, they three banks were amalgamated and the Imperial Bank of India was formed on 27 January 1921. Post-Independence, the Imperial Bank was renamed as the State Bank of India (SBI). The bank launched its IPO in 1993, and has since been among the top holdings of equity mutual fund schemes. Other banking majors that are part of MF portfolios are the Punjab National Bank (incorporated in 1895), City Union Bank (1904), Canara Bank (1906), and Bank Of India (1906). The company’s website says that, “From a single-unit textile entity founded in 1897 (by Nowrosjee N. Wadia), Century Textiles and Industries now has a presence in cotton textiles, pulp, paper, and real estate sectors.’’ The B. K. Birla group took it over in 1951. It listed on the exchange in 2003. Incorporated in 1899 by the founder of the Tata Group, Mr. Jamsetji Tata, the Indian Hotels Company (IHC) opened its first hotel, the Taj Mahal Palace, in Mumbai in 1903. India’s first five-star hotel listed in 1996. The Tata group, among the architects of the Indian economy, now comprises over 100 firms. Incorporated in 1905, Phoenix Mills began its textile manufacturing operations at Lower Parel in Mumbai. Owned by the Ruia family, it listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in 1959. One of the world's largest and most geographically diversified steel MNCs today, Tata Steel was incorporated in 1907. It was founded by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and established by Sir Dorabji Tata, as the Tata Iron & Steel Company (TISCO). Alembic was founded by Prof. T. K. Gajjar, Prof. A. S. Kotibhasker, and B. D. Amin in 1907 as the Alembic Chemical Works. Its major businesses now include, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, engineering, chemicals, and glassware production. The company was incorporated on 24 August 1910 as the Imperial Tobacco Company. As the company's ownership was progressively Indianised, its name was changed to India Tobacco Company in 1970, and then to I.T.C. in 1974. In the first six decades of its life, the firm's interests lay in the cigarettes and leaf tobacco businesses. Today, it is a large, diversified house spanning FMCG, hotels, tobacco, and more. ITC listed in 1995. Britannia Industries, now part of the Wadia group, is one of India’s largest ready-to-eat packaged foods companies. It was founded in 1892 and headquartered in Kolkata. The company listed in 1998. Established in 1875, BSE — the Bombay Stock Exchange — is Asia’s first stock exchange. An informal group of 22 stockbrokers had been trading under a banyan tree opposite the Town Hall of Bombay from the mid-1850s. They organised themselves as 'The Native Share and Stockbrokers’ Association' in 1875. It was subsequently renamed as the Bombay Stock Exchange. Birla Corporation is the flagship firm of the M. P. Birla group. It was initially incorporated as the Birla Jute Manufacturing Company in 1919. The company listed in 1995. Founded by Sir Dorabij Tata, the New India Assurance Company was incorporated on 23rd July 1919. Nationalised in 1973, the general insurance company has operations in 28 countries. Tata Power was incorporated as Tata Hydroelectric Power Supply in 1910. It was then amalgamated with Andhra Valley Power Supply in 1916. The company now generates, transmits, and distributes electricity. Seth Walchand Hirachand founded the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) in 1926. HCC has been in the business of constructing high-value projects across segments like transportation, power, marine projects, oil and gas pipelines irrigation, and urban infrastructure. The company listed in 2003. British firm Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, the Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company, in 1933, followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933), and United Traders Limited (1935). These three companies were merged to form HUL in November 1956. HUL offered 10 percent of its equity to the Indian public, being the first among the foreign subsidiaries to do so. The company listed in 1995. Promoted by UK’s BOC group, Linde is a leading supplier of gases. It was was incorporated in 1935 as the Indian Oxygen and Acetylene Company. The company listed in 1999. Cipla was founded by Khwaja Abdul Hamied as the Chemical, Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories, in Mumbai, in 1935. The name of the company was changed to Cipla in 1984. Founded by Jamnalal Bajaj, Bajaj Electricals was incorporated in 1938 as Radio Lamp Works Ltd. The name was changed to Bajaj Electricals in 1960. Mahindra & Mahindra Limited was established in 1945 as Mahindra & Muhammad, and later renamed Mahindra & Mahindra. It is one of the largest vehicle manufacturers in India. The company listed in 1996. Tata Motors was incorporated in year 1945 as the Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO). It manufactured locomotives and other engineering products. Today, the company produces passenger cars, trucks, vans, buses, luxury cars, and construction equipment. The company listed in 1998. Wipro was incorporated by Mohamed Premji in 1945 as Western India Vegetable Products. Starting life as an edible oil producer, the company then transformed itself into a leading player in FMCG and IT. The company listed in 1995. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was founded by two Danish engineers in India, Henning Holck-Larsen and Søren Kristian Toubro. It now has a presence in engineering, construction, manufacturing, IT, and financial services. PI Industries was incorporated as the Mewar Oil & General Mills in 1946. It is now one among the among India’s top agrochemical manufacturers and exporters. Other legacies: Some of the other Indian stocks that mutual funds hold which have also contributed to India’s development are Swan Energy (incorporated in 1909), Kansai Nerolac Paints (1920), Kirloskar (1920), GlaxoSmithKline (1924), Bata India (1931), Arvind (1931), Everest Industries (1934), Eveready (1934), Colgate-Palmolive (1937), and Asian Paints (1945).