Sood and restaurateur Neeti Goel have sent around 20,000 people home by buses, trains and even flights.

These investment-banking firms are thriving in their own niches. They are small, but growing. They don’t do everything, but they do it well.

A fortnight ago, Puneet Bhatia, managing director and country head for TPG, sold a 10% holding in Shriram Transport for Rs 1,600 crore, ear...