If there is faith in the mind and skill in the hands then any person can conquer the world. There is a similar story of the country’s well-known Ayurvedic brand Vicco. Wiko was started by Keshav Vishnu Pendharkar. But to start this company he also had to face a long struggle.
He used to run a small grocery shop in his village but his dreams were much greater than that. He stepped forward towards his dreams and started his business journey, laid the foundation of Vico company which has become a company worth thousands of crores today.
WHO IS PENDHARKAR, THE FOUNDER OF VICCO?
Keshav Vishnu Pendharkar was born and brought up in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The financial condition of the house was not very good due to which Vishnu ji set out on the path of earning very early. However, then he started a grocery shop while staying at his home. But he closed that shop within a few days and moved to Mumbai. Going there, he inspected many small and big enterprises and learned techniques related to business marketing. After learning these things, he decided to start a business by selling his own made things.
He noticed that the market was dominated by allopathic medicines and cosmetic brands like Ponds, Nivea and Afghan Snow. Seeing all this he decided to start an Ayurvedic brand. In the name of his father, he started a company which he named “Vishnu Industrial Chemicals Company” i.e. VICCO.
This company was started in the year 1952 where Keshav Vishnu Pendharkar started selling chemical free “Teeth Powder”. He went to people’s homes to sell his product. His hard work soon bore fruit and within three years of starting the company, he achieved great success. By 1955, the company’s turnover had reached Rs 10 lakh annually. This company, which started in a small warehouse in Parel, soon turned into a big factory.
Son Gave New Flight To Father’s Dreams
After Keshav Vishnu Pendharkar, the command of VICCO company was taken over by his son Gajanan Keshav Pendharkar. He joined the company in 1959. He prepared the first Ayurvedic toothpaste by mixing it with 18 different herbs. He also played an important role in making Ayurvedic skin care products. After the demise of his father, Gajanan Keshav Pendharkar completely took over the Wico company in 1971 and never looked back after that.
Even today Vicco’s TV advertisements remain on people’s lips. Today, Wiko has become a successful and trusted brand in the country and has been ruling the hearts of people for 7 decades.
