Meet man, who initially failed in business, became successful after joining hands with Salman Khan, he is...

Indian entrepreneur success story: As of 2024, India is home to 200 billionaires, with Mukesh Ambani leading as the country’s richest man. Among these billionaires is Sandeep Engineer, Chairman & Managing Director of Astral Limited, a company that manufactures polymer piping systems for both domestic and industrial use. According to Forbes India, Sandeep's net worth is $3.35 billion (approximately Rs 27,957 crore), while DNA India values Astral Pipes at Rs 56,800 crore.

Sandeep Engineer founded Astral in 1996 in his hometown of Ahmedabad. The company is known for introducing CPVC piping in India. Before starting Astral, Sandeep worked as a Project Engineer for a pharmaceutical company in Ahmedabad and then ventured into entrepreneurship by distributing Isabgol, a remedy for constipation, but faced losses. He later gained experience and mentorship from billionaire Pankaj Patel while working in the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) business. Discovering CPVC pipes in the US, Sandeep successfully promoted plastic pipes over metal ones in India.

In the early 2010s, Sandeep's sons, Kairav and Saumya, played crucial roles in overcoming initial challenges and growing Astral into a successful business. The company's sales received a significant boost after their products were featured in Salman Khan's blockbuster movie "Dabangg" in 2010. Salman Khan also became the brand ambassador for Astral, further helping its growth, and actor Ranveer Singh has also endorsed the brand.

Sandeep Engineer's educational background includes schooling at Udgam School in Ahmedabad and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Lalbhai Dalpatbhai College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, according to Financial Express. Sandeep entered the billionaires club in 2019 and, in an interview with Forbes, shared that becoming a billionaire was never his goal: “[It was] never my aspiration [to be a billionaire]. It all happened so fast.”

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