This is the stuff that movies are made of.
A man who worked in several small businesses assisting his father, becomes a business magnate.
A young man who came from Pakistan’s Sialkot during partition, becomes an inspirational business tycoon in India.
A man who rode a horse cart in Delhi, becomes a business leader and philanthropist running several hospitals and schools in and around the national capital.
Whichever storyline one chooses, there’s material befitting a rock star Bollywood A-Lister. It comes as no surprise then, that the inspirational ‘Mahashay Dharmpal Ji’ or late Dharmpal Gulati, the founder of spice major MDH, was the face of the brand. He remains the brand’s identity even after his demise in 2020, aged 98. And MDH remains on store shelves, ruling with the legacy he left behind.
The ready-ground spices were a hit all across, lending convenience to those cooking at home way ahead of its time. The Indian business in fact was preceded by stores by the same name Mahashian Di Hatti (MDH) started by his father before independence (1919) in Pakistan. As a young boy, he helped his father expand the chain. After the family moved to Delhi, Dharmpal returned to the spice business by opening a store in Delhi, in 1958. More stores and a manufacturing facility followed. The company was registered as Mahashian Di Hatti only in 1965.
MDH was in the news recently following reports of talks for it to be acquired by an MNC, which it has refuted since. The family’s stated intent is to carry the legacy forward.
