Mumbai, Aug. 10: The venue Rotunda Hall. Time: 9.55 a.m.. Tentative date: August 25 or 26. That is when the Tatas could be worth more than any private firm in the market — second only to ONGC.

The feat will be achieved as TCS, the jewel in the Tata crown, lends a sparkle to the Rs 55000-crore group that has straddled industry like few others, but has played second fiddle to the Ambanis of Reliance in terms of valuation of shares.

The software major’s market debut will change the league tables of India Inc’s market capitalisation. Listed Tata companies will witness a jump of more than 100 per cent in their stock value after the TCS listing. There are 31 of them, worth Rs 52,577 crore.

Even if the market capitalisation of TCS is based on the cut-off price of Rs 850, the shareholder wealth of the Tata group will vault to Rs 93,230 crore.

“The market cap alone will give them a brand equity,” observers say, adding future public offers from the group will elicit a stronger response after TCS’ makeover as a listed firm.

For the Tatas, the recognition couldn’t have come at a better time. This year marks the death centenary year of its founder Jamsetji N. Tata and the birth centenaries of two Tata titans, J. R. D. Tata and Naval Tata.

There has been more to cheer about: war-horse Tata Steel has reported record profits while Tata Motors has crossed new milestones by attaining the largest turnover in the group at a staggering Rs 15,000 crore.

The shares of the Ambanis, whom the Tatas are likely to outpace in market-cap sweepstakes, will be worth Rs 86,766 crore, unless there is a major re-rating. “Size does matter,” says a corporate observer.

ONGC will still have the largest market cap of Rs 101,483 crore, but with only 13 per cent of its shares with the public, the Tatas will effectively be the lord of the ring.

The Tatas themselves were not commenting, preferring silence in the days before the TCS stock gets listed. The quiet period, as it is called, will see no forward-looking statement on the company or the stock from the owners. “The issue simply shows the diversity of the business group and the acknowledgement of the price investors are willing to pay,” the observer added.

The Tata firms will now have TCS as the driving force. Analysts say the infotech major will, in three months, make it to key stock indices, possibly even the Morgan Stanley Capital gauge that foreign fund managers swear by the world over.

For the Tatas, the distinction of being the largest company by market cap comes over a decade after Reliance hogged the limelight and its founder Dhirubhai Ambani was credited with spreading the equity cult.

“The last-minute rush in applying for TCS shares was to be seen to be believed,” the observer said. Such was the share scramble that exchanges had to stretch themselves to cope with the flood of applications. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) worked till 11.30 p.m on August 5.

The success of the issue heralds a second equity renaissance in the country, much like Reliance fostered in the ’80s. That many took loans to apply for TCS shares and bid at the upper limit of Rs 900 was a testimony to the wave of investor interest.

The Tatas were generous too, pegging the issue price at Rs 850, though they had enough applications at Rs 900.