Karsanbhai Patel – The Founder of the Nirma group
We all agree with Edmund Hillary’s quote “If you want to do something, you will work hard for it.” Today I am going to tell a journey about an exceptional business tycoon name Karsanbhai Patel who has created billion dollars company by doing hard work. Karsanbhai Patel used to sell handmade detergent in neighborhoods by bicycle. However, now Nirma has become one of the biggest producers of soda ash in the world. I hope, the story will inspire you a lot and give you the strength to get out from comfort zone and make history.
About Karsanbhai Patel
Karsanbhai Kahodidas Patel is an Indian most successful entrepreneur and founder of the Nirma group. The company manufactures several products like cosmetics, soaps, detergent, salt, soda ash. In 2019, on Forbes’s list, he is the 30th richest person in India. Karsanbhai Patel has also founded a leading pharmacy college and leading engineering institute called Nirma Institute and Nirma Institute of technology. I reading the Nirma group Wikipedia, the company had a net income of 96 million dollars in 2017 and more than14,000 employees.
Early life
Karsanbhai Patel was born on 13 April 1945 and raised in a humble farmer family. At age 21, he graduated from chemistry. Then, he started his career as a lab technician, first, he was working at New cotton mills in Ahmedabad. Later, he got a job in geology and mining department of the state government. However, Karsanbhai wanted to do something different, he got an idea to make phosphate-free detergent powder.
In 1969, he started selling detergent powder packets door to door through bicycle at a price of Rs. 3 per kg across the neighborhood. For your information, he was selling detergent one third the price of leading detergent company. He Manufactured and packaged the detergent powder in his backyard. He used to do business after the office work.
Since his detergent had one-third price of leading detergent industry, this is the reason, he got instant success in this business. Karsanbhai Patel at the age of 25, his small-scale enterprise set a new standard of detergent that he named Nirma. He worked for three years to improve the detergent quality. After three years, he becomes confident and was handling a big deal which made him quit the job. After that, he rented a shop and a small workshop in Ahmadabad. Soon his Nirma brand got established by itself in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Since Karsanbhai Patel was selling detergent with high quality and low price, Nirma became the most trustworthy brand and biggest-selling detergent in India. Nirma created a whole new segment in the economy for detergent powder. During those days, detergent and soap were manufactured by a multinational corporation like Procter & Gamble, Pioneer, rivals and many others.
After creating huge sales in the market, Nirma introduced so many products like toilet soaps, premium washing powder Nirma, and Nirma Bath and beauty soaps. Nirma also launched toothpaste and shampoo, although it was not successful. According to Wikipedia, Nirma has 20% and 35% market share in Soap cakes and detergents respectively. The company also operates in neighboring countries.
In the Educational Sector
In 1995, Kansanshi entered in the education sector and established a college called Nirma institute of technology. After that, he created An Institute of management which run under Nirma University of science and technology. The university has been running by The Nirma educational and research foundation.
Awards and recognition
- In 2009, Forbes ranked him India’s 92nd richest person.
- In 2001, Karsanbhai Patel got an award from Florida Atlantic University, he recognized as an exceptional entrepreneur and Philanthropist.
- In 2017, Forbes magazine ranked him the 38th richest person in India.
- In 2010, Patel got Padma Shri Award by President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil
- In 1990, FASII (The federation of association of small-scale industries of India) got an award called “Udyog Ratna Award”
- In 2019, he became the 30th richest person in India
