As they say “necessity is the mother of invention”, the same case was happened with IIT Kanpur alumnus, Dr. Mahesh Gupta almost 23 years back. Many will agree to this statement that it is only when the need arises that we unleash our creative self to find the best solution. Just like this, a personal issue motivated Mahesh Gupta to come up with a permanent clean drinking water solution that would not only solve his family’s problem but also help the people worldwide. That’s how Kent RO systems was born in 1999.
In this blog, we will discuss how a regular worker in Indian Oils Corporation became the ‘Pure Water Man of India’?
Early years
It is a sheer coincidence that Dr. Mahesh Gupta entered in the water purifier business and even revolutionised the industry in a short period of time. Mahesh Gupta did his graduation from IIT Kanpur in 1975 and later pursued from the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Dehradun. With his impressive academic credentials, he got the job in one of the most prestigious oils corporations in India – Indian Oil Limited in 1977.
However, Mahesh didn’t want to settle for less and getting a government was just not enough for him. So, he decided to bid adieu to his job and started his own entrepreneurial venture under the brand name of “Kent Oil Meter” that is still carrying on successfully in the market. With a minimum capital at his disposal, he forayed into the business of manufacturing instruments for oil testing and conservation.
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What drove him to launch Kent RO
In 1988, Mahesh’s son, who was living in South Delhi at that time, suffered from jaundice due to drinking polluted water. That’s when Mahesh Gupta realised the dire need to address this issue. The water purifiers available in the market back then were either too hefty in price or had a poor quality. Therefore, after conducting extensive research and importing some parts from abroad, he designed a water purifier on his own. After all Mahesh was a mechanical engineer and never shies away from challenges, be it in his professional life or personal one.
Dr. Mahesh Gupta started his entrepreneurial journey with just Rs. 20,000 from a small room in his house. Notably, he had saved that money from his job at Indian Oil Corporation limited. He built his company from the scratch. In 1998, he launched the first domestic RO water purifier.
Roadblocks in the journey
After designing his first product at home, Mahesh Gupta decided to take up the challenge to produce more such purifiers, using same technology. However, it was easier said than done. Many people opposed the idea of installing a water purifier at home as the purifiers were too expensive in those days.
On the other side, some of them who bought the purifiers manufactured by Dr. Mahesh Gupta gave positive reviews about the product. The first few years of operations for Kent was not a cakewalk. Lack of capital and problems with permits are some of the reasons why the beginning of KENT RO Systems Ltd. was slow.
Overcoming the challenges
Despite the cut-throat competition in the industry due to the presence of other renowned brands, Kent has managed to stand out and is today the most dynamic water purifier brand in India. With more than 3000 employees, Kent has a turnover of around 600 crores. Not only in India, the company has also expanded its services in the countries like, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya and in Middle East.