Karsanbhai Patel: Nirma University of Science and Technology, Kasturbhai Lalbhai, Multinational corporation, Hindustan Unilever, Surf (detergent)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Dr. Karsanbhai Khodidas Patel (b. 1945, Ruppur, Mehsana, Gujarat) is an Indian industrialist, founder of the Rs. 2500 crore (USD 500 mn) Nirma group with major interests in detergents, soaps and cosmetics. In 2005 Forbes listed his net worth as USD $640 million. He has interests in education, and founded a leading engineering college, the Nirma Institute of Technology. He is sometimes referred to as Dr. K.K. Patel. BIODATA Born into a farmer family from north Gujarat, Karsanbhai finished his B.Sc. in Chemistry at age 21 and worked as a lab technician, first in the New Cotton Mills, Ahmedabad, of the Lalbhai group and then at the Geology and Mining Department of the state Government. In 1969, Karsanbhai set up Nirma, (named after daughter Nirupama) selling detergent powder. This was an after-office business - the one- man company would bicycle through the neighbourhoods selling handmade detergent packets door to door. At a price of Rs. 3 per kg, (one third the price of leading detergents), it was an instant success.