Inspiring Tales Part 7: My Interviews of First Generation Indian Entrepreneurs Who Made It Big

Inspiring Tales Part 7: My Interviews of First Generation Indian Entrepreneurs Who Made It Big

August 2013

Published in Business For All

From a crippled childhood, he aims to be the richest Patel

From Deepak Parvatiyar in Ahmedabad

   Ramesh Patel

When he was just 11 months old, Ramesh Patel got polio in his left leg. After 29 surgeries, and a crippled childhood, he was able to walk at the age of 18. Today, as a 30-year-old, he aims at running against the tide to realise his many dreams -- that also include flying for which he is taking training.

Patel is the CEO of the Sankalp Group, which he set up on September 25, 2000. A commercial artist by training, initially he set up "Sankalp Art" and started promoting the artists (Art Pieces) to corporate & residential high societies on commercial base. Recognition came to him when his Sankalp Artist Association – an NGO that provides support and inspiration to the economically weak and middle income group artists --  got an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the world’s largest finger painting in 2005. In April 2008 "Sankalp Art" started interior designing work and the Sankalp group gained economically by this venture. He diversified and ventured into real estate with his real estate company Sankalp Corporation P Ltd. “Today we have assets worth Rs. 500 crore,” he claims. 

Yet, he ventured into the real estate business with only Rs. 13 in his pocket. “I managed to convince some farmers in Siyal village of getting a good return for their land, signed an MoU with them, and managed to sell the plots for these farmers. This was the beginning.”

In 2010, Patel introduced the world's largest film city project, "Sollywood -  the global filmcity" near Nalsarovar at Siyal village, about 60 kms. from Ahmedabad and a year later, in 2011, signed a Memorandum of Understanding worth Rs. 182 Crore with the Government of Gujarat for the ambitious project, under the banner of Sankalp Corporation.

“Today films are made on international level. However, our set up is outdated. I had been to the Ramoji film city and undoubtedly inspired by it. But the sets there are all fixed and about a decade old. That gave me an idea of making a truly world class film city in India,” he says, sitting in his plush office in Ahmedabad’s upmarket Navrangpura locality. Elaborating further, he says he plans to design a full video animator studio with several green rooms. “Unlike the Ramoji film city where they have created permanent infrastructure, our sets will be temporary structures. We will also ensure renovation of our sets.”

In June 2011 for the requirement of film city, Patel launched 3D animation studio on a commercial scale which undertakes other projects on commercial level for the purpose.

Yet, the cause of the disabled is close to his heart. “I realised the value of money in my childhood, when I was unable to walk. My family wasn’t that strong financially. I saw a lot of hardship when I was in class 9 and class 10. Had many operations and there was nothing but pain. Now I think there should be a separate independent society for the disabled.”

Once on his feet, Patel misses no opportunity to provide employment to persons with disabilities in his office, and creating opportunities for them. “At present we have 300 students in our animation institute and we are providing free education to disabled in our institute. In the film city too, where we require a huge manpower, we plan to employ a large number of disabled and as this will require us to provide houses to them, we have also worked out a ‘Viklang Awas Yojana” near the project site,” he informs.

His dream project of film city will take about seven years to complete, but Patel hasn’t just stopped there. “ The real estate business is plagued by recession. So we are setting up a garment industry in Siyal. Besides the government is supporting us to set up an apparel industry at the SEZ,” he informs.

So what next? “I want to become the richest Patel in the world,” he says wistfully. Yet, his goal is “to help support disabled, economically week & orphans from the earning of "Sankalp group of companies”. He is pained by the fact that as a disabled, he faced discrimination at the time of marriage. “My mother in law never liked her daughter live with a disabled, and finally prevailed upon my wife to leave me,” he rues. “My wife still feels proud of me,” he, though, avers. He discloses that at the bottom of his heart, he still is a commercial artist. “I am still pursuing an advanced course in the subject. I have made many paintings and worked with many architects. But art is not understood by a majority in our country. Still I want to tell the world that there is a lot in the field of art in our country. I am happy that I have set my vision right,” he says.

(The writer is a senior journalist and filmmaker)