Admire the Gujratis and the Marwadis!

Wrote this article on the day i Quit my job.


My father had gone with his college friends for a trip to lonavla a few weeks back, well some interesting things about it.

They were 12 of them.6 gujratis, 4 maharashtrians,1 south indian and 1 catholic. All the maharshtrians were academically and technically far better than the gujratis. One of those gujratis took 8 years to complete his engineering.(i am not exaggerating) Today most of the gujratis in the group are crorepatis and all 6 of them have their own businesses. All the maharashtrians including my dad and the south indian guy are working in some firm although with good designations.

Coming back to the gujratis-3 of the gujratis did not have any family business and started all on their own. One of them even went to the extent of selling his house in order to get capital to start his business. Even he had a family to care for! A few of the gujratis went into losses, went through failures but still hanged on with their dreams which bore rich dividends. One of the gujratis started a factory that makes air-tight packets for chips,Lays, and other food items. My dad tells me not a single packet of this kind was ever to be seen 20 years back and not many people would have the vision to think of this demand around the millenium year. Mind you the economy ws a closed one until '91 and not many would have even thought that the wafer/snack market even in some rural areas would be captured by MNC's who would require these air tight packets for their food items.

Many have visions and plans, but it takes guts to follow your dreams, come-what-may!!!

Life is tough when you do not fit the standard profile. Most of the people sacrifice their ambitions for the want of security. Why is it that very few maharashtrians and south indians venture into business. Whenever they have done so they have done very well, infact outdone most of their competitors,but then the percentage of people actually entering into businesses is very less. My barber once mentioned to me: for the average guys as long as he owns his own house and has 24 hours running water in the tap he will be happy.

So what is so different about these gujaratis-marwadi businessmen. Not all are born rich. But would an average working guy even think of selling his house/jewellery to start off a business. Risk is something not present in their diction. Time and again economists have said that buying a house is not an asset but actually a liability. Renowned economists have advised the buying of an house only after one has settled completely in his profession and life. But for an average Indian the buying of an house for oneself is the biggest achievement!! (i agree there would be difference of opinions on this issue) and all his energies and investment is directed towards the buying of an house. So that by the time he reaches marriageable age, it puts him in a better position to bargain in a marriage scenario.

Hats -off to these businessmen who are the actually building the nations economy. Today the Patels and Shahs are controlling the worlds diamond and jewellery business. If any amongst you people have ever read Fredrick Forsyth(Negotiator if i remember correctly) or Robert Ludlum novels you will find that the shopkeepers name is often patel-yes-even in the US of A!!! Because their business sense has now got world wide recognition. The entire western coastal fishing is owned by gujus/marwadis and those from the hindi heartland who hire local people to help them earn profits.

I could go on and on about stories of how people i know , have made it big, none of whom ever fitted the standard profile of a middle class person.

Disclaimer :
I am not asking anyone to quit their jobs and make money but dont work for long in some job you despise just because you feel secure and the bean counters pay you your monthly cheque.



Neither am I saying that you should drive all your energies only to get rich for the sake of getting rich, but use money as a count to measure you success. Aim high and try to fulfill your respective ambitions.

Explore, Dream and Discover.....