Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, founder of Cobra Beer

Karan Bilimoria, 45, is the first Parsee to sit in the House of Lords and one of the first two honorary Visiting Entrepreneurs at Cambridge University. He was also the youngest person to be a chancellor when appointed to that position at Thames Valley University in 2005. He is chief executive of Cobra Beer, which last year launched the Cobra Foundation, a supporter of cancer charities including CLIC Sargent. His guide to entrepreneurship, Bottled for Business, is out now

The first of my seven schools was in Hyderabad, in South India, and known as "Mrs Roche's". My grandfather would be driven to work and drop me off on the way, and my ayah [nanny] would pick me up on her bicycle rickshaw. My father, the Commander of the Central India Army when he retired, was constantly being posted all over the country. When I was eight, we went to Kerala, "God's own country", and I went to Loyola School, a typically strict Jesuit school where I was caned for bringing in comics. Then I went to Hyderabad Public School, founded by the nabob for the nobility. I loved it: scouts, cadets, parades.

When I was 11, my father was posted to England and I went to a Catholic primary and then a comprehensive in Warminster, Wiltshire. This was a completely different experience - I was the only non-English person there - but everyone was very kind.

From there we returned to India and I went to Hebron School, Nilgiris, the most expensive and only British boarding school in India. In a hill station 7,000ft up in the mountains, it was a "Little England", even down to the wet weather! The staff and students were mainly expats, and the only Indian on the staff was the accountant. Invigilators would fly out there twice a year for exams. I loved it.

I arrived at the end of the academic year and had to learn the whole year's syllabus in a month; I came first or second in every subject. I finished my O-levels at 16 and had the option of staying on for A-levels, but at Osmania University in Hyderabad they said, "English O-levels? We'll take you straight away!". All the other boys at Osmania already had a basic grounding but I worked really hard at my commerce degree and got a triple-first. I graduated at 19 - with hindsight, I was too young.

Then I did four years of articles in accountancy with Ernst & Young, which was conditional on my doing a diploma in accounting at what is now London Metropolitan University. During those four years, one of the companies I audited was Marshall of Cambridge, the aerospace and motor company, and I got to know Cambridge, where a cousin was at Magdalene College. I decided that I didn't want to be an accountant for the rest of my life, and during my studies my favourite subject was law, so I went to Cambridge University to do a law degree; it took two years as Cambridge recognised my Indian degree.

Still only 24 - not even old enough officially to be a mature student - I had to decide whether to be a graduate or undergraduate student. I decided to throw myself into being an undergraduate. I played polo for Cambridge, was captain of the team and was a Half Blue. I also played squash and rowed for my college, Sidney Sussex, and was vice-president of the Union.

I did relatively little work, and got a Third and a 2.1. Then I organised the first ever Cambridge polo tour around India. Unfortunately, I broke my shoulder when my horse crossed his legs and cartwheeled, and I couldn't play on the tour after that. But while we were buying polo sticks in Calcutta, one of the manufacturers asked, "Could you help us to sell sticks in England?". I was in business.

I would not have given up my education for anything. Most businesses don't succeed but at least you've got your education to fall back on. I could always get a job as an accountant!