Mani Ram Balwant Rai, a cosmetic business that rose with the dawn of independent India

The mention of the year 1947 brings several memories of partition, independence, war, the end of a long-drawn struggle and a lot more. However, the phenomenal year also marks the beginning of several businesses that become a ray of hope for a crippled yet determined country. Thanks to a countable few who took it into their hands to serve the community and take India to unprecedented heights that employment was created for numerous citizens of the new India. One of these determined visionaries was late. Mr. Mani Ram Batra, the man with a dream.

As Mr. Batra came to India from Lyllapur, Pakistan, all he had was a dream and the determination to make it come true. He wanted to make a living for himself and also wanted to serve the brethren. In his effort to get food on his plate and those of his countrymen, he started a Kirana business. This business started with limited resources as a small shop at civil lines Ludhiana.

Along with his shrewd business skills, he was equipped with futuristic beliefs. He thus trained his son, Balwant Rai, to join the business and take it to greater heights. In 1971, Mr. Balwant Rai entered the business and registered it formally in 1972. This was a significant leap for the business that was named Mani Ram Balwant Rai. It was a challenging start with fellow citizens who were figuring out their existence in the changing country and were apprehensive about the future. However, over the years, Mani Ram Balwant Rai built a strong brand identity, along with unbeatable business fundamentals. The success of the journey can be attributed to the unwavering spirit and valuable guidance of Mr. Mani Ram and the unending efforts of Mr. Balwant Rai. Later in 1995, Mr. Aman Batra brought new world business skills into the equation. He launched the brand’s self-service store with wholesale pricing. This was the first of its kind in north India. In 2006, the team set their feet in the cosmetic business. While the concept was new in Punjab, it received massive success. The success and visibility were majorly because of the vast range of brands they stocked. Today, Mr. Aman Batra is a revered businessman who is taking care of the business single-handedly and taking the precious legacy of his family forward.

The business now has 3 branches serving premium brands like Hermes, Loreal, Bvlgari, Jimmy Choo, Swati cosmetics, Versace, and Milani Cosmetics in Ludhiana. The company’s inspirational success story is an example to everyone that you do not need a lot to succeed. The way it has shaped the economic success of Punjab and India is worthy of applause. Apart from offering premium brands, Mani Ram Balwant Rai has also created several jobs. The plan forward is to come up with more stores in major cities across the country and add more brands to the portfolio of offerings.

We wish them luck and hope that this generational business reaches greater heights in the future.