Baba Ramdev The Next "RURAL EMPEROR"

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Ramkrishna Yadav who found sculptures interesting so he went on a long journey to old gurukuls in and around Haryana. There he learned the secret to a healthy life which he wanted to share with the good people of his village without any consideration. This secret was Yoga therapy and internal healing.In order to pursue this, he started training the villagers, this boy realized that this was the true purpose of his life and went on to find peace through meditation and self-learning. He opted for the well-known Sanyasi route and embraced the color saffron with proud.

This story might not sound familiar to you but the name born through these events may recapture your attention- Baba Ramdev. Every legend has a humble start and this was his, since then he has not looked back. The man who made Yoga the new and hip thing of this decade and converted it into a morning ritual for people of every age group and also co- founded one of the most successful consumer brands- Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.

Patanjali is known for its vast range of organic products, if you pick up any product in the market today, there is a good chance that an organic alternative for the same would be available with Patanjali stores.

The Absolute Homage

Patanjali is known to be the father of Yoga and Ramdev’s inspiration for creating a brand that is based on the power of nature. The brand derives its values from the elements that Mother Nature freely provides us, it uses them to create diverse product lines such as medicinal, cosmetic, food and beverages. The slogan of the FMCG giant sums it up perfectly- “Prakratikaashirwad”.

The company employs more than 2 lakh employees and is known to have earned an annual revenue of Rs.5000 crore in the previous year, it also racks in a growth rate of 150 % as far as sales are considered. They also have valuable collaborations with Future group, Pittie group, Reliance retail, Hyper Bazaar etc. which combined with its 4700 retail stores provides it with incredible exposure. The future even holds retail outlets at railway stations and airports for the brand.

However, very less people are aware that the first brick of the castle was put up back in 1995 with Divya Yog Mandir Trust and was solidified in 2003 when he started appearing on Aastha TV.

The King Rises

Ramdev Baba is rumored to have a net worth of Rs.1100 crore in property and cash, moreover his international acclaim as a Yog Guru is envy worthy. He has taught several sensations such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shilpa Shetty and seeks to influence the political scenario through endless protests against black money. It is safe to say that the name “Ramdev baba” is synonymous to Yoga therapy, physical fitness and Indian culture in other countries such as America, Canada etc. There are several reasons that Ramdev baba is called a king but further more factors that has thrown light at him as a rural emperor. Let us see why?

·         Roots
He was born in a small district in Haryana and has attended school around the same region and thus is influenced deeply by the village culture.

·         Living
A man who is worth that amount but still lives as a Sanyasi and eats organic food from the farm defines simplicity only a rural native can comprehend. The man is loved by many industrialists who would be happy to provide him with comfort and usher him with luxury at their expense but choses a simple lifestyle on a daily basis.

·         Products And Brand
Patanjali might have ventured into various product lines but its basic structure remains intact, for most parts these products use raw material derived from rural interiors to add authenticity to them.

·         Aspirations
As far as the public is considered, he has a loyal following devoted to his idea of simple living, he aspires not to live like a millionaire but to make real difference through empowering the villages of India. His constant struggle to achieve the same has earned him love and support from rural India.

Rural is next big market for Patanjali after a successful foray into urban landscape where you can find products across all the markets right from mom & pop store to modern trade. Next level growth can only come from rural expansion with wide distribution network and availability of product range in block/tehsil level villages.

Rural ride will not be as smooth as it has been in urban level as many challenges are there which are faced by rural marketers. We will only have to eagerly await his business acumen for rural penetration and how it turns out in his favour in times to come.