Meet man whose father once took loan of Rs 500 to start sweet shop, now owns largest private university in India, with annual revenue of Rs…

Few success stories truly motivate people and the journey of Ashok Kumar Mittal, the founder and chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Jalandhar, is one such tale. Today, LPU stands as one of India’s largest universities, with a diverse student body of approximately 35,000 students, including both domestic and international learners. Spread across a 600-acre campus, the university offers a wide array of programme, all recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

From a small sweet shop to a business empire

Mittal’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his father Baldev Raj Mittal who laid the foundation for the family’s success. In 1961, with a loan of just Rs 500, he started Lovely Sweets in Jalandhar. His specialty, Motichoor laddus, quickly gained popularity across Punjab, leading to the expansion of the business. By 1969, the family owned three sweet shops and today, they operate over 10 confectionery outlets in Jalandhar and nearby regions, along with a successful bakery business.

The family later diversified their ventures, entering the automobile sector in 1996 by securing a Maruti dealership. Today, Lovely Auto has grown to include more than 25 showrooms across Jalandhar and its neighboring areas. Their commitment to education took shape in 1999, when they established the International Institute of Management Studies, affiliated with Punjab Technical University (PTU).

LPU operates under the Lovely Group, a thriving enterprise with 5,500 employees and an annual revenue of around Rs 1,153 crore. Despite facing skepticism early on, with some critics ridiculing the idea that even a confectioner could establish a university, Mittal remained undeterred. His determination led LPU to form academic collaborations with prestigious institutions worldwide, spanning the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, Brazil, China, Spain and Poland.