Liberalization, with its inherent accountability, freed the ostentatious insistence among the rich. But CK Ranganathan of KevinCare is an outsider who would rather focus on giving more back to society rather than eyeing a yacht.
Illustration by Rajat Barani
For someone who left his home in Cuddalore with just Rs 15,000 in his pocket and today heads an FMCG empire with a turnover of Rs 1,600 crore, CK Ranganathan refuses to be overwhelmed with money. For that money is just a enabler who can employ more people, educate the next generation or fund their favorite CSR activities for the physically challenged.
Ranganathan’s KevinCare is the largest FMCG company in South India and started the conscious revolution in 1990 through its Chick Shampoo. More than three decades later, it offers a wide variety of personal care brands, including dairy products, beverages, snacks, pickles and even a variety of personal care brands. Two salon chains- Limelight and Green Trends. Diversification is the result of Ranganathan’s innate understanding to grab any business opportunity. It also reflects the new belief that a liberal economy had ushered in budding entrepreneurs like him at the time.
The liberalization of 1991 increased the confidence of Indian industry like no other event, says CKR, as referred to by his…
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