Mahashay Dharampal Gulati was an Indian businessman who died of heart failure on 3 December 2020 at the age of 97. After spending the first 25 years of his life in Pakistan, he came to India during Partition and set up his own spice business. From a small shop in Delhi, his spice business gradually spread all over the world.
Contents
Biography/Wiki
Gulati was born on 27 March 1923 in Sialkot, Pakistan, into a Punjabi family. He spent his childhood in Pakistan and attended a primary school there. He was not interested in studies and left school in 5th class itself. His father ran a spice shop in Pakistan. After leaving school, he started helping his father in his spice shop named “Mahashiyan Di Hatti (MDH)” and started selling ‘Mehndi’ and earned around ₹20 per day.
During the partition of India in 1947, his family decided to come to India. He settled in Delhi along with his family. In Delhi, initially, he lived at his niece’s house in Karol Bagh, which had no electricity, no water supply and no toilet facilities.
Old photo of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati’s family
Family
Dharampal Gulati was born on 27 March 1923 in a Khatri family in Sialkot, north-eastern Punjab, Pakistan, to Mahashay Chunni Lal Gulati and Mata Chanan Devi.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with his parents
He had two brothers and five sisters. His brothers Mahashay Satpal Gulati and Dharamveer Gulati were also businessmen.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with his family
In 1941, when he was 18, he was married to Lilavati, but she died in 1992.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with his wife
He had two sons. His son Sanjeev Gulati died just 2 months after his mother’s death in 1992. Gulati had six daughters.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with his grandson and family
livelihood
While in Pakistan, when he left his school, he learned many handicrafts like carpentry, embroidery, painting etc. but to no avail, later, his father took him to his spices shop. When he came to India he had Rs. Rs 1500 in his pocket. With that money, he bought a tanga (a horse-drawn carriage) worth ₹650 and used to transport passengers from Connaught Place to Karol Bagh. Later he sold his tonga as it was not in his capacity. To restart his old family business of spices he built a small shop in Karol Bagh in 1948.
Gulati’s old MDH shop in Karol Bagh, Delhi
After initial success he took another shop in Chandni Chowk in 1953.
Old picture of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati MDH shop
In 1959 he established his first spice factory in Kirti Nagar, Delhi. Gradually, MDH emerged as one of the largest brands in the spices category in India and abroad. Their spice market is spread in more than 100 countries around the world.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with 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 Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement
In 2019, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s third highest civilian award, by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind.
Ram Nath Kovind honored Mahashay Dharampal Gulati with Padma Shri.
Salary, Assets, Net Worth
He had 80% stake in MDH, owned 1 hospital, 15 factories and 20 schools.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati’s MDH School is in Janakpuri, New Delhi.
In 2017, he was the highest paid CEO in India with a salary of Rs. 21 crore/year. In 2017, the turnover of his company was around Rs 2 crore. 1000 crores. According to a report in 2014, his total wealth was Rs 1.5 crore. 500 crores.
Death
On Thursday, 3 December 2020, Mahashay Dharampal Gulati breathed his last at Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in New Delhi, where he was undergoing post-Covid treatment. Reportedly, he died of cardiac arrest.
Facts/General Knowledge
- He established ‘Rupak Stores’ in Karol Bagh, Delhi in 1954. It was India’s first modern spice store in Delhi at that time. However, he later handed over ‘Rupak Stores’ to his younger brother Satpal Gulati.
Dharampal Gulati handed over his Rupak Bhandar to his brother Satpal Gulati
- Even in the last days of his life, he was seen as the brand ambassador of MDH products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBBwjJk_2Os
- Reportedly, he was an early riser and never missed his daily morning walk. He used to practice yoga and before leaving home, he would participate in “havan” (a public fire ritual) at his home.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati performing havan
- He was highly spiritual and followed Arya Samaj.
- Gulati established a trust called ‘Mahashay Chunni 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 Delhi in 88
- Apart from charitable trusts, MDH also runs a magazine called ‘Sandesh’, which showcases the traditional family values of India.
message magazine
- He published his autobiography in which he revealed details from his childhood to his success.
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Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn