Swami Ramdev renounced the worldly life and embraced asceticism under the inspiration of his guru Swami Shankar Dev in Kankhal Kripalu Bagh Ashram on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami 22 years ago.
later, he turned into the internationally acclaimed yoga guru. However, now, by a quirky twist of things, he has emerged as a leading figure in the realm of FMCG business and the company he runs is giving tough times to the competitors like HUl. The yoga guru having morphed into a business giant has courted critical comments from several quarters. However, the success of his new venture is as startling as his ascendency as the yoga guru with the products his company is churning out capturing international markets.
The Patanjali Ayurved ltd has launched a range of products from wellness items to cosmetics and childcare products. The company has registered a phenomenal growth in the past few years to become a Rs 50 billion company. He says that conforming to no ideology or principles, the MNCs are chasing profits while contrastingly, his company is using the profit to spread education and serve the people of the country. However, the products of his company are under critical glare with a number of complaints on their quality being on the rise. Many who have used Ayurvedic products of Divya Pharmacy, the sister concern of PAl, are now saying that the medicines have ceased to be as effective as they used to be earlier.
A consumer of Mashunashini Vati from Bangalore, Susheel Ahuja wrote in a letter to the company, saying, “The efficacy of the medicine seems to have gone down. Packaging has been made better, but it does not control sugar level despite being taken regularly.”
Same is the case with Patanjali products. “I still like to eat Maggi noodles as Patanjali noodles do not taste that good,” said a buyer from a mega mart at Ranipur More.
The digestive biscuits of Patanjali are not tickling the taste buds as others, opined Sanjay Verma, a hotel owner.
However, the yoga guru takes this in his stride. “People are so much used to chemicals and food preservatives that the pure things are proving tasteless. However, I am convinced that soon they would realise the health benefits of the products we sell.”
His company registering an astounding growth over the past three years, Ramdev’s Patanjali Group of Companies has a turnover worth Rs 10000 crores this fiscal. The company eyeing to increase its exports to US, the country’s watchdog FDA (Food and drug administration) is seeking to block
the road, citing non-conformity to the international standards.
The Middle East markets, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are, however, giving the company good business.