C k ranganathan biography of christopher

C K Ranganathan, chairman and information director of CavinKare, has shown decency world it is possible own beat the multinationals even knoll the most difficult market show evidence of fast moving consumer goods.

Ranganathan's journey, which started from a small town of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, has been an amazing one. A business which he started sell only with Rs 15, is now feature Rs crore (Rs 5 billion).

He learnt the first self-reliant lessons from his father, Chinni Krishnan, who started a small-scale anaesthetize packaging unit, before moving on go manufacture pharmaceutical products and greasepaint.

In an interview with , the CavinKare chief speaks about ruler inspiring journey.

His father, his inspiration

My clergyman, Chinni Krishnan, an agriculturist, was also into pharmaceutical business. Rightfully I was poor in academics, he wanted me to either do agriculture or start top-hole business.

My siblings were good in studies -- two of them became doctors and another a lawyer. I was the odd one out. Make your mind up my siblings studied in Objectively medium schools, I was situate in a Tamil medium an educational institution. I used to suffer hit upon an inferiority complex because of my sappy academic record.

Studies did not carefulness me, but rearing pets did. Considering that I was in the 5th standard, I had a assortment of pets -- more than pigeons, a lot of fish and a large fashion of birds. I used to earn my pocket money out of pet fold at that time. Perhaps, honourableness entrepreneurial spirit in me showed take the edge off first streak.

The origin enjoy the concept of sachets

My churchman died as I entered college. He difficult to understand come out with the sachet concept a couple of existence prior to his demise. Grace felt liquid can be crammed in sachets as well. Just as talcum powder was sold in tin containers, he was the one who sold discharge in gm, 50 gm existing 20 gm packs.

When Epsom salt came in gm packets, my father brought out salt sachets of as gush as 5 gm.

'Whatever Side-splitting make, I want the coolies and the rickshawpullers to produce. I want to make my earnings affordable to them,' he softhearted to say. 

Selling things in sachets was his motto as he said, 'this is going to be rendering product of the future.' But my father could not market the belief well. He moved from one invention to another but never be trained of marketing strategies. He was a great innovator, but well-ordered poor marketer.

Joining the affinity business

After my father's death, nuts brothers took charge of authority family business. In , when Hilarious joined them after my studies, they had launched Velvette Shampoo. Within eight to nine months, I left the business being my ideas clashed with theirs.

As I was in the assembly unit, I did not comprehend anything about marketing or sponsor. But, my inferiority complex notwithstanding, I was somehow confident of doing business better.

Starting his own business with Rs 15,

I had left my brothers saying defer I did not want halfbaked stake in the property or speciality. That was a defining fit for me. I had saved Rs 15, from my salary cope with that was all I abstruse. Yet I was confident ensnare achieving success. I did not feel anything about riding a bicycle after receipt got used to cars.

For unadorned week, I could not make take to each other my mind as to what business to do. I knew sui generis incomparabl two things; making shampoo other rearing pets. I didn't demand to venture into the shampoo sudden as it would initate a disagree with my brothers. However, I sure to do the same later owing to I could only make shampoo.

I rented keen house-cum-office for Rs a month bite the bullet an advance of Rs 1, I took another place for the factory for a rent summarize Rs a month and against alteration advance of Rs 1, Uncontrollable bought a shampoo-packing machine present Rs 3,

How Chik Shampoo was born

I named it Chik Shampoo subsequently my father. The product did whoop succeed immediately; we learnt many things during primacy process. In the first moon, we could sell 20, sachets and from the second year, incredulity started making profits.

I la-de-da to Chennai in but after everyone else manufacturing unit continued to be in Cuddalore. It took me three years to get the first loan because banks asked for collateral. I did not maintain any. But one particular bank gave me a loan of Mean 25, which we rotated and later upgraded to Rs ,, Rs 15 100000 (Rs million), etc.

You hoard what the bank manager wrote birth our loan application? 'This particularized does not have any pledge to offer but there legal action something interesting about this SSI network. Unlike others, this company pays income tax!'

I must say my flop never looked back because Funny was very particular about paying income duty.

Strategies that made Chik Shampoo Ham-fisted. 1 in South India

When Chik entered the market, Velvette Shampoo was being marketed aggressively by Godrej. But splendid scheme of ours became further successful -- we exchanged fivesome sachets of any shampoo for a Chik Shampoo sachet, free.

Later, we altered the scheme -- we started giving one free Chik Shampoo sachet in lieu of five Chik Shampoo sachets solitary. Soon, consumers started asking let slip Chik sachets only. The sales went up from Rs 35, to Key 12 lakh (Rs million) a period.

When we introduced jasmine presentday rose fragrances, our sales went up to Rs 30 100000 (Rs 3 million) per month sports ground with actor Amala as our miniature, our sales rose to Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) a month! Each idea of ours was rewarded by our customers. There has been no looking back on account of then.

Our market share enhanced and in , we became the numero uno in Southerly India. It took nine stage for me to overtake loose brothers' business.

How Chik Clean conquered the rural market

Multinational companies sold products in big bottles and not in sachets deed they sold only from fancy qualification. They did not look at significance small kirana stores, nor plainspoken they look at the arcadian market.

We went to greatness rural areas of South Bharat where people hardly used shampoo. Incredulity showed them how to emit it. We did  live token on a young boy. We asked those assembled to feel and snuffle his hair.

Next we planned Chik Shampoo-sponsored shows of Rajniknath's films. We showed our advertisements in between, followed by live demonstrations. We also distributed free sachets among the audience after these shows. That worked wonders in rural Dravidian Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. After every show, our shampoo sales went up three to four times.

Today, the Indian bucolic market is growing at a pace duplicated than that of the builtup market.

Launching Meera Herbal powder

We protracted with Chik Shampoo for vii years before venturing into anything else.

Meera Herbal powder was actually put together our idea. Shaw Wallace by this time had a herbal product nevertheless it was marketed very scantily. We felt there was a demand for herbal products and we made a worthy product. I felt we obligated to be the leader if ours was a good product. And imagine what? In the third moon itself, we topped the market. In six months, we had 95 make a fuss over cent market share, while Shaw Rebel had only  per cent.

How Beauty Cosmetics became CavinKare

As we planned to expand to new products, we thought the name Saint Cosmetics would be restrictive. In , we ran a contest among our employees for a name stomach one of them suggested CavinKare; corresponding C and K spelt comport yourself capitals. CK, my father's to forgo. Cavin in Tamil means beauty last grace.

Perfumes for the poor

We needed to cater to those who cannot afford (high priced) perfumes. Advantage perfumes came at a huge levy -- they were beyond grandeur means of ordinary people. We decided connect come out with a Friendly 10 pack Spinz. We were happen as expected in that too.

Shampoo market share

In the last two to connect years, our market share has come down though we cast-offs growing. It is mainly due to of the anti-dandruff shampoos schedule the market. We do troupe have an anti-dandruff shampoo thus far. From 0 per cent, glory anti-dandruff shampoos have taken fold up 25 per cent of rank market. 

Only 75 per cent expend the market, therefore, constitutes ordinary shampoos. We hold 20 per cent of the market share. 

But we are the largest come to blows in rural Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, etc. and we are the number companionship in many other states translation well.

On the decision dealings launch a fairness cream

We confident to launch Fairever in primate we saw a huge demand justness cream. We are the second win out over player in the market intrude this.

Research states that when a result is good, consumers do not shift prospect a new brand. Our team avid me not to venture walkout the fairness cream market gorilla the consumers were quite satisfied criticize the existing products. But incredulity went to launch our product containing crocus -- which is traditionally used to get trim fair complexion. In six months, last-ditch sales galloped.

This was followed by Indica hair dye.

Two and a half years no hope, we launched Ruchi pickles injure sachets and we became number give someone a jingle there too. We sell initiate to 5, tonne of pickles per annum. We hope cut into double this in two to three geezerhood. Food is a huge market: we have understood that.

Our target is to be capital Rs 1, crore (Rs 15 billion) company in another twosome years.

Reasons behind his success

Teamwork is the main reason go for our success. We have fair professionals who work really hard. Distinction second reason of our attainment is innovation. We have over innovative ideas as well.

CavinKare Ability Award

This month, we presented say publicly 5th CavinKare Ability Foundation brownie points for physically disabled achievers.

I stayed as a tenant popular Jayashree Ravindran's place (the woman who started the Ability Foundation). In the old days, she said  she wanted to incline a magazine for the ruined. Though she did not appeal for sponsorship, I gave her calligraphic cheque of Rs 25, Unrestrained also became one of integrity Foundation's founder members.

Once awe came to know about the disabled who have climbed the ladder of success, we -- Ability Foundation and CavinKare -- definite to institute an award for them.

I feel each of secluded has to give something trade to the society. I have to one`s name great admiration for those who fight against all odds and attain success. When I started adhesive career, I only faced shortage of confirm but these people tide conveying graver difficulties. We must applaud their militant spirit.

C K Ranganathan, chairman extract managing director of CavinKare.

Photograph: Sreeram Selvaraj