Back

Started at 56 and built a 90,000 CR company. 1. Born into the prestigious Shri Ram family of Delhi, Dr Bharat Ram was raised with a huge responsibility on his shoulders. Graduating with a mathematics degree from St Stephen's College, he joined as an apprentice at his father's company - Delhi Cloth & General Mills (DCM)- right from college. 👌 2. He worked day and night for the next 23 years, rose above the ranks and became the CMD of DCM by 1958. He cut out his task well, focusing on modernization, improved worker welfare, and policy making by becoming the first Asian President of the International Chambers of Commerce in 1969. 🙌 3. By 1970, DCM became India's largest business conglomerate, expanding beyond textiles to sugar, chemicals, fertilizers, tyre cords, automobiles, and electronics. But something troubled him. 🤔 4. He knew DCM would be stretched too thin to allow all extended family members to join the business. At 56, he left the thriving business to create his own nylon tyre-cord fabric company. In 1970, Shri Ram Fibres (SRF) was born. 🚀 5. SRF began operations with its first manufacturing plant in Manali, near Chennai, in 1973. With a capacity of 2,000 tonnes, Dr Ram started selling to the automobile sector. As he gained success, he diversified into belting fabrics (1983) and coated fabrics (1986). ✅ 6. But another development occurred in 1987. The Montreal Protocol mandated the phasing out chlorofluorocarbons, and India had to grow its chemical market. In 1989, Dr Ram made a strategic entry into the chemicals business by setting up a plant to manufacture refrigerant gases. And things changed. 👇 7. By 2006, SRF had reached a revenue of 1802.5 CR, as it expanded to BOPET packaging films and started exporting to 30 countries. Dr Ram continued to invest 14.4 CR yearly to upgrade his R&D chemical plants at Chennai and Bhiwadi. 👍🏻 8. By 2011, SRF had reached a revenue of 2986 CR at a record profit of 912.21 CR. Its packaging film business had grown from just 40.99 CR to 347.93 CR in a year, despite a fire that stopped operations for three months. As it shifted to agrochemicals for the new decade, the big moment came in 2020. 👇 9. In October 2020, SRF launched a QIP to raise 750 CR. The share sales were such a success that SRF returned over 200 CR for its investors in 18 months at a decadal high return on equity capital of 21%. At a revenue of 7209 CR and profits of 1019 CR in 2021, it became India's No. 1 Tyre cord fabric company worth 35,000 CR. 📈 10. Today, SRF Limited clocks an annual revenue of 13,138 CR at a profit of 2743.84 CR. Exporting to over 100 countries, it remains India's No. 1 fabrics, speciality chemicals and India's No. 2 packaging films company. After 51 years of hard struggle, it is worth 89,055 CR. 💪 Padma Bhushan Dr Bharat Shri Ram passed away on 11th July 2007, but the Shri Ram Foundation (SRF) he set in 1982 still teaches 81,310 students in 430 Indian villages for free. 🙏