Often called the fabric of the nation, S.Kumars, one of the most enduring brands in the country since 1948, turns 75 in 2023.
S.Kumars - the premiere legacy Indian Textile brand turns 75
A book, Thread by Thread, on the life of Shambhu Kumar or ‘the’ S Kumar was released by Kapil Dev, on November 24, 2023 at The Palace Halls, NSCI, Mumbai; the cover of the book was launched at the company’s fashion show in Indore on October 27th.
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Kapil Dev has been a brand ambassador for S.Kumars for their tv and print campaigns in the 80s and 2000s. While unveiling the book, Kapil Dev said, “It is an honour for me to have known Shambhu ji over the years. I feel we can all learn so much from his inspirational life. People say his life was a struggle. People say my life was a struggle. I say no. Life is a struggle if we don’t get the fruits or results of our hard work. But when we succeed in doing what we had set out to, then our life is not a struggle, it is a journey. The fact that I was selected to play for India, made sure my life was not a struggle. If I had not been selected then it would have been a struggle. Shambhu ji is a role model for all of us to build a stronger India.” Kapil Dev went on to give a heartfelt thanks to him on behalf of all the people whose careers and lives Shambhu Kumar Kasliwal has made and touched over the decades.
The book has been written by the noted journalist and author Sathya Saran and published by Penguin Random House. Sathya, describing her first meeting with Shambhu Kumar, said, “I was hesitant to work on a book on a businessman as I had no knowledge of the world of business but then I was told the business was of fabric and I love fabrics and clothes and hence I agreed to go meet Shambhu Kumar ji and his wife Rajkumari ji. In the first meeting itself I knew I most certainly would be writing the book. They were both so endearing, so down to earth and their life was so simple, yet so special. I knew I would enjoy working with them immensely.”
The book launch included readings by Sathya and Sharon Prabhakar who was also the host for the evening, Shambhu Kumar pioneered the introduction of Polyester Blends in India, which boosted the manufacturing and consumption of affordable, long-lasting fabrics for the middle class and the lower income groups. He lived by the motto “Best Possible Quality at the Lowest Possible Price.” With his dynamism, zeal, and vision, he soon established S.Kumars as the Fabric of India.
Dhvani Kaul, businesswoman and younger granddaughter of Shambhu Kumar said, “Our grandfather painstakingly created an exclusive and close-knit dealer network across the country, and we are very proud of his achievements. We will try our utmost to keep these traditions and values intact. We are looking at building these relations to fuel more and more growth & innovation.”
S.Kumars kickstarted the celebration to mark its 75th anniversary with a fashion show and a dealer meet held on 27th and 28th of October in Indore. Anna Bredemeyer and Salim Fatehi, the supermodels of the 70s and 80s India, were an integral part of the fashion shows for the brand then and were now the showstoppers with current A-lister models who walked the ramp for this year’s fashion show.
Entrepreneur and Shambhu Kumar’s elder granddaughter Vidhi Kasliwal said, “The fashion shows started as a means to getting the maximum number of wholesalers and semi-wholesalers into the fold, and the strategy turned out to be wildly successful. Sponsoring the S.Kumar ka Filmi Mukkadama on All India Radio, Chitrahaar on Doordarshan, and getting Mr. Kapil Dev as the brand ambassador are just some of the examples of our Daddu’s marketing acumen. He is a self-taught first generation entrepreneur with no formal training or education. His life and journey has been so exciting and inspirational, it made for a very compelling read. I strongly felt his was a story worth telling.” Vidhi further adds, “It was such a befitting tribute to our grandfather, to have none other than Mr. Kapil Dev launch the book. My grandfather’s humble beginnings and the heights he has achieved along with the principles he has lived by in business and in life are perfectly embodied by Kapil ji and his persona.”
Thread By Thread is a personal look into the tale of Shambhu Kumar, who, starting from scratch built one of India’s most successful textile empires. The book traces his growth from being a trader to an industrialist checking the milestones to reveal the business mantra behind his phenomenal success. A special homage to the founder of S.Kumars in its platinum jubilee year, the book is based on interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and team members.
After 75 years of a flourishing business, Shambhu Kumar Kasliwal is now handing over the reins to the third generation of the family, his granddaughters - Dhvani and Vidhi.
When asked about his feelings on reaching this historic milestone, an emotional Shambhu Kumar said, “I am indebted to Bhausaheb (L.V.) Apte, who taught me the ropes of the business and the importance of ethics in it; I am thankful to my older brother, late Abhay Kumar ji for being by my side every step of the way, I miss him dearly; I am fortunate to have a wife who is the perfect partner for me, she has been my biggest strength through thick and thin.; I am grateful to have such a loyal and committed team. And I can only thank the Almighty for everything and pray for His continued grace and blessings on my two granddaughters who are all set to take the S.Kumars flag even higher.”
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