4. GENERAL
Dr. Karsanbhai Khodidas Patel was born in 1945,
into a farmer family from Mehsana, North Gujarat.
He finished his B.Sc. in Chemistry at age 21
He worked as a lab technician, first in the New
Cotton Mills, Ahmedabad, of the Lalbhai Group and
then at the Geology and Mining Department of the
state Government
5. In 1969, Karsanbhai set up Nirma, (named after
daughter Nirupama) selling detergent powder as an
after-office business
The one-man company would bicycle through the
neighborhoods’ selling handmade detergent
packets door to door
At a price of Rs. 3 per kg, (one third the price of
leading detergents), it was an instant success
The beginning of Nirma
6. NIRMA’S HUGE SUCCESS(TURNING POINT)
Quality detergent powder, using indigenous technology
Housewife friendly advertisement jingles
Phosphate free & hence environment friendly
At a third of the prevailing price, without compromising
on the product
Process of manufacturing was labour intensive, which
offered large scale employment; it became the leading
employer
7. After establishing its leadership in economy
priced detergents, Nirma entered the premium
segment, launching toilette soaps, Nirma
beauty soap and also Shuddh Salt
35% market share in detergents
20% market share in soap cakes
Nirma also has successful operations in
neighboring countries
Today, Nirma’s worth is 2000 crore INR
8. AWARDS & ACCOLADES
‘Udyog Ratna’ by the Federation of Association of Small Scale
Industries of India, New Delhi
'Outstanding Industrialist of the Eighties’ by the Gujarat
Chamber of Commerce
The Govt. of India twice appointed him Chairman of the
Development Council for Oils, Soaps & Detergents
Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Florida Atlantic
University, USA for business and marketing acumen and
philanthropy
Honorary Doctorate by Devi Ahlya University, Indore
9. In the last one decade, he has turned his attention to
the growing challenges in the educational sector
Dr. Patel firmly believes that to withstand global
competition and to satisfy the growing need for quality
professionals, an educational institution must constantly
grow, innovate, build strength and strive to become
self-reliant
In 1995 he founded the Nirma University of Science &
Technology, Ahmedabad
