It is an inspiring story for everyone who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. Today, we are going to discuss the story of Karsanbhai Patel.
Patel was born in 1945 in Ruppur, Gujarat. He faced financial struggles in his early days but managed to thrive as an entrepreneur and transformed the detergent industry into a major profitable niche. Today, Nirma is not just a brand but a household necessity used daily across India.
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He earned his graduation degree in science and began his career as a lab assistant. He first joined New Cotton Mills in Ahmedabad and later worked with the Geology and Mining Department of Gujarat.
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According to the Financial Express, Patel’s dream of achieving something big motivated him to leave his government job. He began producing detergent powder and personally handled its distribution-on a bicycle.
He realized that high-cost detergents failed to attract people’s attention. With a loan of Rs 15,000, he started producing an affordable detergent, Nirma. The product quickly gained popularity among the masses, selling at just Rs 13 per kilogram.
Nirma’s early success paved the way for Karsanbhai to rent a small production plant, and he later expanded into soaps and personal care products.
The name Nirma has a personal story behind it — Patel named the brand after his late daughter, keeping her memory alive through his creation.
Today, the company operates with a massive workforce of over 18,000 employees, generating Rs 7,000 crore in revenue and achieving a turnover of Rs 23,000 crore. Patel has also expanded into the cement sector under the name Nuvoco Vistas.
According to Forbes, Karsanbhai Patel’s net worth was estimated at $4 billion in 2023.