http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/a-proud-dalit-who-believes-in-meritocracy/articleshow/9370284.cms
26 Jul, 2011, 02.10PM IST, Nihar Gokhale and Ameya Chumbhale,ET Bureau
A 'proud' dalit who believes in meritocracy
MUMBAI: Reaching Sanjay Kshirsagar's office in suburban Malad in
Mumbai takes some effort. Steep, serpentine lanes lead to his office
at Kokanipada in Kurar village. Shanties and small houses line both
sides, intermittently punctuated by tall, modern concrete structures.
It's a rather unusual setting for the headquarters of an established
high-end sound systems manufacturer, a construction business, and an
upcoming packaged-water franchisee.
In his office, far from the steeland-glass districts of Bandra and
Parel, Kshirsagar, 42, has come full circle. Brought up in a dalit
middle-class family, he reminisces about the small chawl room close by
where he and his younger brother, Satish, were brought up. "My father
was an honest government employee," he says.
"In those days, an officer not accepting bribes couldn't afford to buy
a new house." Thus, for over 30 years, the Kshirsagars lived in the
chawl room. He remembers the poor hygiene of the common toilets and
the long queues for water. "That is no way to live. People here
deserve a better quality of life," he says, elaborating on the driving
force that made him empanel his real-estate firm for a scheme to
redevelop Mumbai slums.
Riding on the wave of dalit capitalism in India Inc, Kshirsagar is
also the incumbent Mumbai chapter head of Dalit India Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (DICCI) - a grouping of dalit entrepreneurs. His
life's journey questions as many stereotypes as it replays the story
of any seasoned, wellnetworked businessman.
FIRST SOUNDS
Interestingly, Kshirsagar tracks down his entrepreneurial instincts to
studying in an Englishmedium school, which, he says, offered a
level-playing ground. "That was a good decision by my father," he
remembers. The "vernacular culture" is too restrictive , he adds.
Here, he laboured hard, unfettered by the pressures of his native
society. Kshirsagar's first business - something, he claims, is a
continuing passion - was to make sound speakers.
Sound engineering came naturally to this physics graduate from
National College, Bandra, where his professor would inspire students
to work on real-life projects. After graduation, this academic
activity turned into a profession for Kshirsagar and classmate Claron
D'Souza . "Claron's had liberal ideas on entrepreneurship and
employment," Kshirsagar says.
"I found that new and refreshing," he says, comparing it to his
relatively conservative upbringing. Kshirsagar says the 'dalit
attitude' is to stick to what is there and not explore, and he found
liberation from these constricting thoughts with his cosmopolitan
friend. In 1996, the friendship bloomed into business, with the duo
launchingSound Concepts -- a brand of speakers that continues to sell
this day.
The brand serves a niche audience: the speakers are high-end ,
made-toorder and expensive. In 2000, the partnership fell apart.
D'Souza took up a corporate job, and Kshirsagar retained ownership of
the brand and its high-profile clients. "In a way, it was his
(D'Souza's ) baby that I kept," he says.
"But that is how it is." One of his clients, today, is
industrialistKumar Mangalam Birla, who wanted a solution to his 56"
television screen obstructing the sea view in his drawing room. "I
said I would solve the problem. But, in turn, you have to buy my
speaker setup ," says Kshirsagar. Birla agreed and arranged for him to
meet Rajni Kothari, the Birla household's interior designer. "That day
was Ambedkar Jayanti and I got stuck in traffic at Dadar. It took me
two hours to reach, and Mr Birla waited for me. It was a rare, ironic
moment of dalit pride," he smiles. Now, the TV rolls up when not
required.
NEW BUSINESS BLOCKS
Slum redevelopment was not on Kshirsagar's mind for a long time till
he contested the 2002 municipal elections as an independent candidate
from Kurar. Accordingly, his biggest agenda was to herald in the Slum
Rehabilitation Scheme (SRS) -- a measure he continues to see as the
only way forward for this congested, hilly locality bordered by the
Sanjay Gandhi National Park and fraught with incidences of petty
crime.
"Redevelopment is the key to improving quality of life in this area,"
he says. Losing the elections catapulted Kshirsagar into becoming an
SRS developer. After college in 1993, he had also worked on lighting
and sound projects for Crompton Greaves with expert civil and
electrical engineers. Those contacts came in handy in his new
construction foray. Kshirsagar launched APA Infraventure in July 2007
along with Atul Prabhu, an architect. Initial funding came from
foreign angel investors, he claims.
For the rest, he plans to approach a nationalised bank. Despite
earlier rejections, Kshirsagar now seems optimistic about getting the
loan. APA has a land bank of 16 acres in Kurar and acquiring this was
the biggest task, he says. The economic slowdown of 2008 temporarily
halted his plans, but APA now has six projects for residential
high-rise apartments on offer.
This is unusual as most developers tend to develop one or two
properties at a time, introducing new projects only after the previous
ones earn revenue . "Sanjay thinks big. He decided to concentrate all
the resources into all his projects at once," says Rajesh Londhe,
senior architect at APA.
NO RESERVATIONS
Historically, SRS has been fraught with political meddling . Slums
form large vote banks, and since there's no investment by the
Government, politicians are known to go the extra mile in claiming
credit for SRS developments. According to the Slum Rehabilitation
Authority (SRA) website , Malad East has 14 SRS projects proposed by
nine developers.
"There is a heavy density of slums here, making it a lucrative place
to develop," says Suresh Bharadkar, a director of Mauli Sai
Developers, which introduced SRS projects in Kurar in 2004.
Competition for land is intense. "Most of my competitors have used
immense political clout to grab land for development," says
Kshirsagar.
He himself denies receiving political assistance, insisting that he
chose Kurar for emotional reasons. But he does confess to
reveringNationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar as an
inspiration . A large hardbound edition of Pawar's autobiography is
propped up right behind Kshirsagar's desk.
"Pawar saheb combines politics and business well," he says. A close
associate confirmed later that APA's SRS projects received occasional
"support" from the party. Even as his SRS plans are underway ,
Kshirsagar is diversifying into bottling of drinking water. He
recently won franchise rights for Eureka Forbes' upcoming packaged
drinking water business. In all this, DICCI has been a helpful forum
to build networks and his position in the community, Kshirsagar
admits.
"Successful entrepreneurs , who have made it big, seldom talk humbly.
In DICCI, you can talk to them as equals," he says, referring rather
tacitly to the elitist nature of leading industry bodies in India.
Ever mindful of his humble origins , Kshirsagar ensures his 125
employees are well taken care of. That includes serving them lunch
everyday.
"They all travel a lot to come here. As they start early, many of them
cannot get tiffins," he reasons. For the locals , Kshirsagar has also
set up the Martand Bhairav Patpedhi, a co-operative credit society,
and Indira Mahila Bachat, a womenonly savings scheme. In addition , he
runs many small businesses in Kokanipada such as laundry, travel and
security services where he employs locals.
Asked about reservation for dalits, Kshirsagar says only the needy
should avail of it. "I will never allow my kids to apply through the
SC/ST quota. Like me, they should fight it out in a fair manner," he
says. It's time for lunch and Kshirsagar's wife waits impatiently
outside to serve him his home-cooked meal. Stepping out, he washes his
hands from a small bottle of water on to a patch of soil. Glancing
across the locality he grew up in, Kshirsagar reveals that his
mother's dream apartment building will get completed soon. A
penthouse, it's coming up right where their old chawl once stood. The
building has been christened, rather aptly , 'heaven' . The sense of
liberation is almost complete.
A brief profile:
Sanjay Kshirsagar Sound Concepts; APA Infraventure
BUSINESS : Sound systems, construction
YEAR OF STARTING : 1996 (Sound Concepts); 2007 (APA Infraventure)
REVENUES : Rs 1 cr (Sound Concepts); Rs 100 cr expected for APA
Infraventure after 5 yrs
EMPLOYEES : 125
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