An Atmanirbhar Bharat is a country we all will live and thrive in: Kanhaiyalal Lohiya

Hyderabad: Kanhaiyalal Lohiya, Chairman, Lohiya Group, from his modest roots in Janjila, Rajasthan, now leads one of the most respected edible oil brands 'Gold Drop' with a turnover of Rs4,300 crore in 2021.

As a first-generation engineer Kanhaiyalal Lohiya started the edible oil business in 1987, with a refining capacity of 15 tons per day (TPD). The current refining capacity is now 1550 TPD with presence across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Kanhaiyalal Lohiya's plan for Atmanirbhar Bharat, has been in motion since the early days of the first refinery factory with state-of-the-art machinery and world-class Belgian technology coupled with sophisticated packing plants for refined oils and vegetable fats. Mahaveer Lohiya, Managing Director, Gold Drop, says, "We are now invested in backward integration with palm plantations over an area of 100,000 acres. While raw palm oil is currently being imported from Malaysia and Indonesia, given the current situation, our investment in this plantation will minimize the dependence on imports and help achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils that is one of the goals of the Atamnirbhar Bharat mission."

"Fighting all odds, Lohiya ji - a first generation engineer from the family, graduated from REC Warangal (now NIT Warangal), specializing in Electrical engineering. This fighting spirit, his strong principles and value systems have been the driving force in building the Lohiya empire. He has instilled in us a strong focus on customers and quality right from the early days and this has not only built the Gold Drop brand that is known to every household but has also led us to consistently win several awards and being one of the most trusted brands", adds Mitesh Lohiya, Director, Sales and Marketing, Gold Drop.

The Lohiya group is now managed by three generations of the family. Kanhaiyaji Lohiya has passed on the legacy of the same principles and values he believed in, to the next generations who are carrying forward the vision of serving households with food products of the highest quality.

Kanhaiyalal Lohiya explains his vision, "India is an evolving nation with aspirations and a force to reckon with globally. We must be adaptive and sensitive to the market forces. Our focus must be future- ready with a firm grasp on the current scenario. And to grow, we must be flag-bearers to the needs of the entire nation. I believe we can and so, we must do. An Atmanirbhar Bharat is a country we all will live and thrive in."

Currently, the Lohiya Group has the largest edible oil refining capacity in Telangana with three factories located in and around Hyderabad and at Kakinada.

The commitment towards best quality products and service has been rewarded and appreciated by various prestigious and eminent organizations at both national and international levels.

Gold Drop has won the prestigious 'Asia's most trusted brand award' 2019, the only brand to win this award in Asia in this segment, awarded by IBC, USA.

It has also won the CITD national best quality gold medal for six successive years, and with the eminent 'Mark's -survey' placing Gold Drop in the top seven in India. The Lohiya Group has also won the 'best business house award in South India by ZEE Business and has also been featured in Forbes as one of the fastest growing business houses in the country.