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Meet man who sold detergent powder door-to-door on bicycle, later built his own company worth Rs 700000000
In this article, we will tell you about the story of a man, who rose from humble beginnings, selling his product door-to-door on a bicycle and later built his own company.
Updated : Apr 12, 2025, 06:28 AM IST
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"Nirma, washing powder Nirma, sabki pasand Nirma" - if you belong to an Indian household, there's no way you haven't heard this jingle. It would be difficult to find a family in India who has not used Nirma detergent - which once became a household name, competing the giant rivals. Karsanbhai Patel, an Indian billionaire, founded Nirma.
Rising from humble beginnings, Patel's spirit driven by determination and relentless hard work, helped him carve a niche for himself in the business world. Let's get to know his story further.
Who is Karsanbhai Patel?
Hailing from Gujarat, Karsanbhai Patel completed his graduation in Bachelors of Science in Chemistry. He started his career as a lab assistant at the New Cotton Mills in Ahmedabad, earning a modest income. Patel then also worked in Gujarat government's geology and mining department.
However, as you must have heard, entrepreneurial spirits run in Gujarati veins. It was his passion to do something of his own, which led him to start manufacturing detergent powder in 1969. He used to manufacture detergent powder in his backyard. Later, he would sell it in handmade packets on his bicycle, as per a report by the Financial Express.
Birth of Nirma
Karsanbhai Patel identified a significant gap in the market that many consumers could not afford high-priced detergent powders. This made him come up with a game-changer idea. He secured a loan worth Rs 15,000 and formulated a cost-effective detergent powder.
Using basic ingredients, he started manufacturing the detergent powder in his backyard. Then, Karsanbhai started selling his product door-to-door on his bicycle. Due to its low price, he gained a significant consumer base in no time.
Pertinent to mention that Nirma washing powder was being sold at just Rs 13 per kilograms!
Net worth
Today, Nirma is one of the largest producers of soda ash in the world. Boasting an annual revenue of around Rs 7,000 crores, the conglomerate gets a turnover exceeding Rs 23,000 crore.
Furthermore, as of June 2023, Karsanbhai Patel has a net worth of UDS 2.9 billion (around Rs 70,00,00,000).
