Self-made women who emerge from the lowest points of life to the greatest heights are the most inspiring people you can ever meet. One such motivational success story is of Kalpana Saroj, who is presently one of the renowned entrepreneurs and businesswomen in the country, and leads a multi-crore company named Kamani Tubes.
But, Kalpana’s life was not always happy. She was a victim of child marriage and was forced to become a child bride at the age of just 12, putting her education to a standstill.
The daughter of a police constable in Maharashtra was then forced to reside in a slum in Mumbai with her husband’s family. She became a victim of physical and mental abuse at the hands of her in-laws and was later rescued by her father.
Later, she was ostracized by her villagers. All this mentally disturbed her, and she attempted suicide at a tender age. However, she bounced back and started earning at 16 to sustain her family. She moved to Mumbai and worked in a government cloth mill for Rs 2. She started by stitching and then made Rs. 50 a month.
After spending numerous months in a hosiery store, she founded her own business in the mid-1990s.
Kalpana then started a production house called KS Film Production, which released Telugu, English, and Hindi films. Later, she established a real estate business by building contacts. She started a humble furniture business in Ulhasnagar, Thane, with an investment of Rs. 50,000, selling low-cost furniture.
Kamani Tubes was however going through major setbacks but through Kalpana’s efforts it became profitable. Presently, Saroj’s company earns a revenue of over Rs 100 crore. While her personal assets and net worth are valued over USD 112 million or Rs 917 crore.
