Lalit Modi was born in a wealthy and successful business family. His father Krishan Kumar Modi is Chairman of Modi Enterprises, a Rs.40 billion business empire which was founded by his grandfather, Raj Bahadur Gujarmal Modi [8] (Founder of town Modinagar ). He attended boarding schools like Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and others in Nainital . He disliked school, and often ran away. After his schooling, he was determined to continue with his studies in the United States . He scored well in the SAT and chose to skip the school-leaving examinations, which were required for entrance to colleges and universities in India. Subsequently, he gained a place at Duke University in Durham , North Carolina , United States .[9] Modi had claimed the top slot as the highest tax payer in the country for the 2009- 2010 fiscal. He paid Rs 8 crore in the first half of the current fiscal. [10] Personal and family life He is currently married to Minal, who he met while he was a student in the US and she was already married and a friend of his mother. She was nine years his senior and was then living in London with her family. Minal got a divorce, and she and Lalit were married in Mumbai despite his family’s initial disapproval. [9] Modi has had two children named Ruchir and Aliya from his marriage with Minal. Son Ruchir lives in Mumbai with Modi and studies at the American School of Bombay. Aliya currently studies in Switzerland. Minal has a daughter named Karima from her earlier marriage. Karima is married and lives in London presently. Karima has a daughter named Arya. [9] Lalit and his family sometimes travel in a private 13-seat Bombardier Challenger 300 jet. [11] He claims to have purchased it in 2008 for $20 million (Rs. 96 crore) but the DNA (newspaper) has reported that the aircraft is owned by somebody else, and its Rs. 3 lakh/hour operating fees are paid for by the IPL .[12] .