Story of spice king, man behind multi-crore biz who left school at age 10, came to India after partition, did odd jobs

The nostalgia that some childhood advertisements evoke is particularly strong for the MDH spice commercial. Everyone is familiar with the image of a man flexing his moustache while the jingle "Asli masale sach sach, MDH MDH!" plays in the background.

This man gained so much popularity that it became associated with the brand. However, the life story of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, who built MDH masale and immigrated to India from Pakistan during the partition, deserves to be known.

Story of Spice King aka Mahashay Dharampal Gulati

The life of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, better known as the spice king, is an example of tenacity, grit, and unwavering loyalty to his roots. Gulati, who was born on March 27, 1923, in Sialkot (currently in Pakistan), came from a family that traded spices.

Deggi Mirch Wale, the name of his father's spice store Mahashian Di Hatti, was well known. When he was only ten years old, he dropped out of school to help support his family and started working odd jobs like selling hardware, rice, and carpentry. He eventually started working for his father's spice company, which at the time had a daily revenue range of Rs. 500 to Rs. 800.

Had to leave everything due to the partition

Dharampal Gulati, who was only 24 years old, faced the Partition-induced chaos. His family, who ran the well-known "Mahashian di Hatti" spice shop, got caught up in the chaos of the violent riots. They escaped the chaos, leaving behind their family's home, their means of support, as well as the spice shop.

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He did jobs like driving a horse-drawn carriage and selling sugarcane. But eventually, he went back to his roots and founded the renowned MDH spice company. He married Lilawati in 1941 when he was just 18 years old. He had 1500 rupees in his pocket after the partition.

He bought a Tonga for Rs. 650 and then offered rides from the New Delhi Railway Station to various locations. Then he bought a small store on Karol Bagh's Ajmal Khan Road in Delhi. His ground spice company, Mahashian Di Hatti, now known simply as MDH, officially launched at this time. MDH became known for flavorful delights after exporting more than 60 products to 100 nations.

Other works beyond spice company

The influence of Dharampal Gulati went beyond commerce and the spice industry. He promoted education by founding institutions like the Mahashay Dharampal Vidya Mandir and the MDH International School. His charitable activities, which included building a 200-bed hospital and a mobile medical facility for slum residents, demonstrated his dedication to contributing back.

The then-CEO of MDH held the title of highest-paid CEO in the FMCG industry at the age of 94. He outperformed industry veterans like Y.C. Deveshwar of ITC and Adi Godrej of Godrej Consumer, Vivek Gambhir, the company's founder and visionary, Sanjiv Mehta of Hindustan Unilever, and even Vivek Gambhir of Godrej.

On December 3, 2020, Dharampal Gulati, who was 97 years old, passed away. His empire, the people he touched, and the flavours he popularised around the world, however, continue to carry on his legacy. 

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