People's car-- THE NANO

Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata stands alongside the Nano at its launch in Mumbai, Monday.Tata Motors launched its snub-nosed, US$2,000 Nano today in Mumbai, a vehicle meant to put car ownership within reach of millions of the world's poor. The Nano, starting at about 100,000 rupees ($1,980), is 10.2 feet (3.1 meters) long, has one windshield wiper, a 623cc rear engine, and a diminutive trunk, according to the company's Web site. Excited about the launch of the people's car, the Nano, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata today said the project was not conceived to satisfy his ego, nor was the Rs 1-lakh pricing a "gimmick"."I am very satisfied and excited about this launch today and Nano is not for my ego-trip...Certainly, not an ego-trip at all," Tata said at an editors meeting here

Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata, right, speaks at the launch of the Tata Nano in Mumbai.The following is the price list of Tata Nano variants in Delhi and Mumbai: Nano Standard - Non-AC (BS-III): Ex-showroom Delhi: Rs.123,360, Ex-showroom Mumbai: Rs.134,250; Nano CX - Solid Paint/AC (BS-III): Ex-showroom Delhi: Rs.148,360, Ex-showroom Mumbai: Rs.160,320; Nano CX - Metallic Paint/AC (BS-III): Ex-showroom Delhi: Rs.151,360, Ex-showroom Mumbai: Rs.163,320; Nano LX - Metallic Paint/AC (BS-III): Ex-showroom Delhi: Rs.172,360, Ex-showroom Mumbai: Rs.185,375.

Tata Sons Chairman, Ratan Tata poses alongside the Tata Nano. Tata said the endeavour was never to build the cheapest car but to provide an affordable form of transportation to the average Indian family. He, however, hastened to add that "we made a promise (of a Rs 1,00,000 car) and that we've kept the promise."

People look at the world's cheapest car, Tata Nano, displayed at a showroom in Kolkata. Since the Nano was first shown, the main production plant had to be moved from Singur in West Bengal following protests over acquisition of agricultural lands by the State Government for the setting up of Nano factory

The Nano booking forms would be available at all World of Titan showrooms across the country between April 4 and April 25, Titan Industries said in a statement. World of Titan network is the wristwatch retail chain of Titan Industries.

Indian among world's top 10 richest women

At number nine, Savitri Jindal, Non-Executive Chairperson of steel and power conglomerate O P Jindal group, is the first and only Indian to feature among world's 20 richest women enlisted by Forbes. Indu Jain of Times of India fell from the ranks after making the cut in previous years.

When Savitri's late husband O P Jindal died in a 2005 helicopter crash, the subsequent transfer of wealth made her India's richest woman. Her net worth today is $6 billion. The group has nearly 50 plants in India and abroad, including South American countries like Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The combined net worth of the twenty women featured in the list is a mammoth $160 billion. They represent industries like manufacturing, finance, real estate and commodities. The two top spots belong to Wal-Mart heiresses Christy Walton and Alice Walton with a net worth of $20 billion and $19.5 billion respectively. Forbes credited Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer for powering through the global recession.

It recorded $400 billion in annual sales last year alone. Last year's number one Liiane Bettencourt who is worth $15 billion is placed at number three this year. Daughter of Eugene Schueller, the founder of L'Oreal, has had a controlling stake of 27 percent in L'Oreal for the last four decades.

Last year she was worth $20 billion.Also in the list are, Susanne Klatten, Birgit Rausing, Jacqueline Mars, Anne Cox Chambers, Abigail Johnson and Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken. Some high profile female billionaires who didn't make it to the list include Oprah Winfrey, J K Rowling and former eBay Chief, Margaret Whitman.

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