Section 36
M P Ramachandran
Jyothy Laboratories (Ujala) · Kerala
- ₹5,000
- Loan from his brother to start · 1983
- ₹1,769 crore
- Company revenue · 2018-19
The story
M P Ramachandran wanted to bring a fabric whitener, a dye used in the textile industry, to ordinary homes. He experimented in his kitchen for a year, boiling, diluting and testing, until he was happy with the result.
In 1983 his brother lent him ₹5,000 to set up a makeshift factory on family land in Kerala. He named the firm Jyothy, after his daughter, and the product Ujala. Sales in the first year were ₹40,000. The message was simple: four drops of Ujala in a bucket of water make clothes shine.
Ujala spread from Kerala to other states and then across India. Forbes reported in 2013 that it held about three-quarters of its market. Jyothy listed on the stock market and in 2011 bought Henkel's India business. In 2018-19 the company's revenue was ₹1,769 crore, and in 2020 his daughter M R Jyothy took over as managing director.
Timeline
- 1983Starts with ₹5,000 lent by his brother; launches Ujala in Kerala.
- 1993Moves production to Pondicherry after labour unrest in Kerala.
- 2011Jyothy buys Henkel's India business.
- 2013Forbes reports Ujala holds about three-quarters of its market; company sales of $195 million.
- 2020Daughter M R Jyothy becomes managing director from 1 April.