12 Rags to Riches Stories of Indian Business Who Started From Nothing
“Where there is a will, there’s a way!”This is a statement that is often heard and told to people who lack conviction and motivation. To achieve success, one must be ever-zealous and not a quitter. An exemplar of such firm determination is these Indians, who turned themselves from rags to riches. There are some people who create history by doing what they want when not even a single person supports their ideas or believes in them. Believe me, there are some people and Indian businesses who started from nothing and are now giant conglomerates.
They followed their passion and are now the world’s top billionaires. Some of them you might already know, but there are many whose names and stories would definitely surprise you. Want to know the unbelievable but true stories of the 12 Indian Business Who Started From Nothing? Okay, here we go! So, we bring you inspirational stories of these Indian magnates.
1. From selling snacks to ruling the world
Dhirubhai Ambani once sold ‘Bhajias’ at village fairs and worked at a gas station. Today he is known as one of the biggest creators of wealth in modern India.
2. Sticking to one venture and making it big
Born into a family of farmers, Karsanbhai Patel also worked as a lab assistant. Today he is the founder of a company worth over 7,000 crores.
3. From distributing medicines to surpassing Ambani
Born into a middle-class family of a small town in Gujarat, Dilip Shanghvi started Sun Pharmaceuticals with a capital amount of Rs. 10,000. He was briefly the richest Indian surpassing Mukesh Ambani.
4. From bankruptcy to making millions
Starting with a capital of Rs 5000 and several loans, Lakshman Das Mittal now trades with over 70 countries of the world.
5. From dealing scrap to building Vedanta Resources
He left Patna at the age of 19 for Mumbai with a little money. Today he has not only created a global impact through his business but also has pledged 75% of his wealth to charity.
6. Turned a loan of 500 to a turnover of 1000 crores
There was a time when Nitin Shah didn’t even have money to buy equipment. Today he is the owner of a multi-million dollar enterprise.
7. Soared right through hardships
Starting with only a few hundred rupees, Business tycoon Gautam Adani’s personal wealth is now estimated to be over 7 billion dollars.
8. From driving Tanga to ruling spice market
He started his business working out of a 14ft. x 9 ft shop at Karol Bagh, Delhi. Today he is the undisputed ‘Masala King’ of India who exports products to the USA, Canada, the UK, and Europe.
9. A barber at the roadside to owning a Rolls Royce
A barber by profession, he pooled his savings and bought a Maruti Van to give away for rental purposes. What started as a small rental business is now a big company called Ramesh Tours and Travels and his net worth is estimated to be around $2 billion.
Ramesh Babu
Then
Selling milk and newspaper and working at a barber shop
Now
Owner of 200 cars including 75 luxury cars such as Audi, Mercedes, BMWs, and Rolls Royce
10. A 10th-pass boy who owns an Indian Dosa chain
He started saving from his meager salary of ₹150 and other odd jobs to open a small Dosa and idli joint. His special native recipe, hygiene, and product quality worked magic and now Dosa Plaza is a ₹30 crore company.
Prem Ganapathy
Then
Doing a dishwashing job and earning Rs. 150 per month
Now
Owns a Restaurant chain called ‘Dosa Plaza’ that has 72 outlets around the world
11. From selling soda to owning the Vadilal ice cream
He started by selling soda but that didn’t work, so his traditional method of ‘kothi’ ice cream worked and he also started his first outlet in 1926 in Ahmedabad. Vadilal is now a leading frozen dessert brand in India.
Vadilal Gandhi
Then
Selling soda in a small street side shop
Now
Owner of ₹1900 crore net worth of ice cream empire
12. Studying hard and owning the ID Fresh brand
A coolie’s son who did the impossible by working hard after failing 6th-class exams. He later passed NIT Calicut and even studied at IIM Bangalore. His and his cousin’s idea of selling packaged quality and hygienic products turned into a brand called ‘ID Fresh’ that has outlets in over 16 locations including Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
PC Mustafa
Then
Failed 6th grades exams
Now
An IIM pass-out who runs a food chain worth ₹500 crore
If you’re facing a rough patch in your life, then just remember that these tycoons who were once nobodies; are now sky-scraping success with their hard work and perseverance. The life stories of these triumphant honchos are amusing and encourage us to not give up. So, which of the above 12 ‘Indian Business Who Started From Nothing’ stories inspired you the most? Tell us in the comments.
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