Life is funny :: it never turns out the way you expect! Who would expect two well-educated folks settled in the United States for a period of years to leave all that lifestyle and comfort, and travel back to India to launch a firm that distributes soap? Well this is about two folks who abandoned a beautiful lifestyle and moved back for one of the largest possibilities of this century. Meet Ashutosh and Ritu Rastogi.
I [Ritu] was born in New Delhi but relocated to the US at the age of four. I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of Houston. Ashutosh was born in Lucknow then migrated to Canada and the US for higher study. He completed his B.Tech from IIT-Kanpur, his Masters from the University of Toronto and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary. After having lived and worked in the US for a number of years, we both felt that we would like to return to our roots. Both of us knew that we would like to move back to India but were not sure that when the time came that we would be able to. Like so many NRIs living nicely we too aspired of making a difference, giving back something to the nation of our birth. The difference is that we actually did.
This Business come into our lives in June of 1991 while residing in Houston. Ashutosh was working as a Senior Project Manager for a world recognized engineering company. I had just left my profession as a Management Consultant after the birth of our first kid, Eshan, and was seeking for something to do from home. Even during my work I periodically felt that I was being underpaid and overworked. I wanted to locate a business where I had to work for lesser time and earn better returns. We wanted to own our own business. But after examining so many franchises and other small businesses, we recognised the start-up costs were significant and the danger of failure was immense. On the other hand, Business seemed excellent, neither the investment was enormous nor the risk factor. Ashutosh comprehended the strategy perfectly, the minute he saw it, it took me a bit longer to understand the true potential of this wonderful business prospect. In fact, it was the perfect business, one that could be worked from the house in our leisure time. Later as I looked at other traditional firms, I was convinced that there is no better business strategy than the business. That was exactly how our business began.
In two years we created a thriving business and learned the basics of the industry from our mentors Crown Ambassadors. In 1993 we moved back to India and waited very excitedly for Business to open its Indian market. When the Indian market launched in May 1998 Ashutosh and I relaunched our firm with great zest. Our hard effort and never say die mentality is what has catapulted us to the Founders Diamond level. Of course we have gotten inspiration from our children Eshan and Aman. As Founders Diamonds we understand that our success lies in this noble and honest business.
The pleasure of success is considerably greater than all the moments of suffering. It is true that it has been a most wonderful experience in reaching this level but what makes me happier is the fact that we have been able to touch a million lives through our noble and honest enterprise. Since then we have been appreciating the possibilities that have been presented to us by the firm.
Don't allow anyone steal your dreams and never quit. This business has barely just begun! Ninety percent of your business will be built in the following years. Think about that. Top
Me & My Book Ashutosh Rastogi Dr. Ashutosh Rastogi is a flexible and highly qualified professional. Originally B. Tech from IIT, Kanpur, he holds Masters degree in Applied Science from the University of Toronto, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary, Canada. After a professional journey in the United States for more than a decade, he joined the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), where he established the Research and Technology Development Department and commanded the Strategic Planning Group. He has been professionally linked with the Research Advisory Council of Engineers India Limited and the Research Council of National Institute of Oceanography, Goa. Besides that, he has been a member of Tata Energy Research Institute, Advisor on PEERS programme, invitee to Indian National Science Academy, member of the Technical Group on Hydrocarbon Exploration for Petrotech 2001, Coordinator for Joint Workshop on Gas Hydrates under the Indo-Russian Long Term Programme, and founder and technical committee member of the National Gas Hydrate Programme. Dr. Rastogi is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Quest Group of Companies. During the past decade his aim has been to provide a holistic contribution to the development of the country so that there arises the ‘India of his dreams’ with new sources of energy, no unemployment, reform in agriculture and human resource development. An outstanding speaker and a creative writer with a number of patents to his credit, he has contributed several papers to scientific journals and symposia, plus having authored a multilingual book, Basis of Success: Human Relations (Safalta ka Aadhaar: Lok Vyavhar) (Safalta ka Aadhaar: Lok Vyavhar).
Book
As the title, India of Our Dreams, suggests, this book gives the reader a glimpse of the India we all aspire for – an India which is pollution-free, has abundant sources of clean energy, optimum employment and human resource development, right from the metropolitan cities and towns to the remotest villages. The text concentrates on what needs to be done to accomplish that dream. It opens with a picture of the ‘India of Today’, the myriad challenges and dilemmas that we face and goes on to outline what actions we can take to fulfil our ambition, no matter what walk of life we come from. The underlying theme is that, regardless of our economic and social level, all of us living in India have to go on the same route. Breathe the same air and drink the same water as people around us. We all have the right to a common minimum but good level of education, food and health care - no matter which section of the country, urban or rural, we reside. We have the rights, but we also have the duties that are binding; and both rights and duties go hand-in-hand. It is up to us to examine what we can do to ensure that we enjoy our rights. To text meticulously dives into the topics that influence the lives of all living in India. It quotes success stories, tried and tested experiments, outlines the actual and expected hurdles, and recommends the cures. All through runs strong the author’s conviction that we can make India better that the West that we envy since we have the greatest resource – human resource – in numbers as well as in intelligence and talent. We can harness it ourselves, or shift the buck to concerned agencies or government — the option is ours.
