Much before India rode on the start-up bandwagon, the seeds of entrepreneurship began mushrooming during the reign of the British Raj. It was the Swadeshi movement back then when Mahatma Gandhi urged Indians to wear khadi fabric and make salt as it could weaken the British hold on India. Buying and selling British goods would only mean giving more monetary control and power to the Englishmen. In defiance of British rule, freedom fighters burnt heaps of British goods at the crossroads. Burdened under high taxes, and high prices of consumer products, Indian brands such as Amul, Mysore Sandal Soap, Boroline, Asian Paints, Keventers, Parle G and S Chand group emerged during the pre-independence era that rose to become timeless and iconic. There are many more such Indian brands. The Indian brands sought to bring economic freedom by reviving domestic products and manufacturing processes.

As India celebrates its 75th Independence Day, let us have a look at how such Indian brands have become a household name. 

Swadeshi brands 

The majority of the brands that took birth during the pre-independence era, were competing with British goods as a part of the Swadeshi movement. The brands latching on the patriotic sentiment developed consumer products that focussed on affordability and revived the old Indian remedies that were on the verge of extinction. One such brand is Dabur. Dr. S.K. Burman, founder of the Dabur brand, infused Ayurveda in its products. Allopathic medicines the British made were expensive. He developed small tablets that helped in digestion and began selling chyawanprash to boost the immunity of children. Those small tablets of digestion are today’s Hajmola. 

Brands that are every generation’s favourite

In today’s era of Starbucks and Café Coffee Day, yet at a roadside tea stall, we would ask for a pack of ParleG biscuits. Biscuit – a sweet British snack people had mostly with tea was expensive for the Indian masses. In 1939, the Chauhan Brothers, deeply rooted in Swadeshi, felt it was their responsibility to sell affordable glucose biscuits to Indians after leaving their textile business since it included transactions with Europe. Today as well, in local train stations or crowded bus stops you will find people munching on a Rs 5 pack of ParleG happily. ParleG became the first Indian FMCG brand to cross the Rs 5000 crore mark.