Mahashay Dharampal Gulati was an Indian businessman who died of cardiac arrest on December 3, 2020 at the age of 97. He spent the first 25 years of his life in Pakistan and came to India during the Partition and established his own spice business. Starting from a small shop in Delhi, his spice business gradually expanded to all over the world.
Biography/Wiki
Gulati was born into a Punjabi family on March 27, 1923 in Sialkot, Pakistan. He spent his childhood in Pakistan, where he attended a primary school. He was not interested in studying and dropped out of school in fifth grade. His father ran a spice shop in Pakistan. After leaving school, he started assisting his father in his spice shop called ‘Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH)’ and started selling ‘Mehandi’ earning around Rs 20 per day.
During the partition of India in 1947, his family decided to migrate to India. He settled in Delhi with his family. In Delhi, he initially stayed at his niece’s house in Karol Bagh, which had no electricity, water supply or toilet facilities.
Old photos of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati family
family
Dharampal Gulati was born on March 27, 1923, in a Khatri family in Sialkot, northeastern Punjab Province, Pakistan, to Mahashay Chunni Lal Gulati and Mata Chanan Devi.
Maharishi Dharampal Gulati and his parents
He has two brothers and five sisters. His brothers Mahashay Satpal Gulati and Dharamveer Gulati are also businessmen.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati and family
In 1941, at the age of 18, he married Lilawati, but she died in 1992.
Maharishi Dharampal Gulati and his wife
He has two sons. His son Sanjeev Gulati died in 1992, two months after his mother’s death. Gulati has six daughters.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with his grandchildren and family
Profession
During his stay in Pakistan, when he left school, he learned many crafts such as carpentry, embroidery, painting, etc. but to no avail, later, his father took him into his spice shop. When he immigrated to India, he owned Rs. I have 1,500 yuan in my pocket. He used the money to buy a Tanga (a horse-drawn carriage) worth Rs 650, which he used to carry passengers from Connaught Place to Karol Bagh. Later, he sold Tanga because it was not his cup of tea. He restarted his old family spices business in 1948 by opening a small shop in Karol Bagh.
Gulati’s old MDH store in Karol Bagh, Delhi
After the initial success, he opened another store in Chandni Chowk in 1953.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati MDH store old photos
In 1959, he established his first spice factory in Kirti Nagar, Delhi. Gradually, MDH became one of the largest brands in the spices category in India and abroad. His spice markets are present in more than 100 countries around the world.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati and Raj Kapoor in the 1950s
Awards, Honors, Achievements
In 2016, he was named “Indian of the Year” at the ABCI Annual Awards.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati named ‘Indian of the Year’ at ABCI Annual Awards
In 2017, Gulati received the “Excellence Award” for lifetime achievement.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati receives Lifetime Achievement Excellence Award
In 2019, he was awarded the Padma Shri – India’s third highest civilian award – by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Ram Nath Kovind conferred Padma Shri on Mahashay Dharampal Gulati
salary, assets, net worth
He owns 80% of MDH, which owns 1 hospital, 15 factories and 20 schools.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati MDH School, Janakpuri, New Delhi
In 2017, he became India’s highest paid CEO with an annual salary of Rs. 210 million rupees/year. In 2017, his company had a turnover of approximately Rs. 10 billion rupees. According to a 2014 report, his net worth is Rs. 5 billion rupees.
die
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati takes his last breath as he undergoes post-COVID treatment at Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in New Delhi on Thursday, December 3, 2020 One breath. He reportedly died of cardiac arrest.
Facts/Trivia
- In 1954, he founded “Roopak Stores” in Karol Bagh, Delhi. It was India’s first modern spice shop in Delhi of that era. However, later he handed over “Roopak Stores” to his brother Satpal Gulati.
Dharampal Gulati hands over his Roopak store to his brother Satpal Gulati
- Even towards the end of his life, he appeared as a brand ambassador for MDH products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBBwjJk_2Os
- He was reportedly a morning person who never missed his morning walk. He used to practice yoga and before leaving home, he used to participate in ‘Havan’ (communal fire rituals) at his home.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati performs Havan
- He was very spiritual and followed Arya Samaj.
- Gulati founded a trust called Mahashay Chuni Lal Charitable Trust, which runs a 250-bed hospital and another mobile hospital for slum dwellers.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati established Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in Janakpuri, New Delhi88
- In addition to the charitable trust, MDH also runs a magazine called ‘Sandesh’, which showcases traditional family values in India.
sandesh magazine
- He published an autobiography detailing his journey from childhood to success.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education