A Dialogue with JC | Pure Body and Soul: Kent Man Gupta vows to make pure and healthy India

When you were studying at IIT had you thought you will become owner of such a big company?

I couldn't have said I will become owner but yes my dreams were big...

When did you complete your education and how it started?

I completed  engineering in 1975 and then I did masters in petroleum from Dehradun.

Where did you do the first job?

I got an opportunity to work with Indian Oil Corporation Limited for 11 years. In 1973, the oil prices went up three times... government had launched a campaign to save oil...today also it is mandatory to save oil and maintain the output.

What do you have to say about Ujjwala Scheme?

It's very good scheme...when a lady cooks food on wood fire there is lot of pollution in the room and this scheme of government, which has brought cooking gas to households of poor, will free them from pollution.

How the idea of Kent RO came up in your mind?

We used to make equipment which would save oil... in 1997 both my children suffered from jaundice...then there was no water purifier at home and I felt the quality of water is getting deteriorated. I started searching for water purifier in the market but couldn't get one. Then I created a purifier which looked good...then I thought when I am finding it difficult to get a purifier, how other people could get that...then the idea struck my mind.

Where have you set up the plant?

First I started from Noida only...then in 2003 a government policy came which offered benefits for setting up plant in hilly areas. I went to Roorkee.

In this business what is your biggest contribution to the society?

When we started this we did various innovations and found that RO filters out some essential minerals along with impurities. So, we went for patent which retains minerals while filtering impurities. We set up a process which would reduce wastage of water. The innovation which we did in RO is a contribution to the society.   

There is how much rise in the problem of polluted water and  what do you feel?

This is a big problem. I can say this with authority that in next 25 years you won't be able to drink pure water in foreign also. We are going industrial and increasing pollution...and we are polluting water the most...today water of Ganga and Yamuna have got polluted...this only we have done...we have discharged chemicals in water bodies and polluted them...this kind of pollution is not only happening in India but abroad also.

It is said that only 2.3% water is pure across the country?

I won't be able to say how much pure is the water. A small dirt can pollute the entire pond.

It is estimated that the market is Rs 3500 crore and you enjoy share of 35%, How do you feel?

I don't look at my share, I see how many people are using purifiers. I think it's a long way, only 3% people use purifiers.

You have got a plant in Roorkee, do you visit Hardwar, Ganga?

I compulsorily go there once in a month and I have got about 1000 workers there...I keep a tight vigil on the production.

What do you think Narendra Modi's campaign of Clean Ganga will it be successful?

Of course, if government puts dedicated efforts into it, it will definitely happen. It may get delayed but it will happen... we will have to reduce dumping of chemicals, reduce use of fertilisers and chemicals in agriculture. I have complete faith that we will be able to get Ganga clean.   

What is your plan for next 5 years, what is your roadmap?

See, not only water air has also got polluted...my plan is to find solution for every problem and we are offering solutions to people... we are introducing all products in the market.

What new products are you introducing?

We have introduced air purifier for rooms... so that people can get pure air at least in homes...we have produced an ozone gas through which chemicals are removed from vegetables after cleaning them in water.

What is the price structure of the equipment, are people able to afford it?

It's a big challenge for us how much a common man can afford... water purifier comes in the price range of Rs 15-18,000, air purifier in  Rs 10,000, vegetable cleaner in  Rs 6,000... people may or may not afford.

You are opening 12,000 more retail outlets?

We would like to sell more and more products.

You are doing business with how many countries?

We are doing business with 12 countries including  Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

How much easy is doing business in foreign countries as compared to India?

I am not manufacturing in foreign countries. We are exporting, sending products to distributors there and we are able to do business easily in whatever country we dealing with..

Then do you need NOC from here?

The new government has created positive business environment in the country...if we face any problem, officers are there to help us out.

Are you making any movie on Kashmir as a part of CSR activity?

We have made a film... this is a short film in which we have showcased beauty and issues of Kashmir..this is a 6-minute musical documentary.

How idea of this film came?

Last year, we constructed toilets...then we thought we should do what other don't... people have started forgetting beauty of Kashmir...and Prime Minister has also said  that issue of Kashmir cannot only be resolved by bullets but through dialogue.

You must have met people in Kashmir during shooting, what do you think are their problems?  

The problem is not at social level, it is on political front...Pakistan is not able to understand that this age is not of competition but of cooperation...our neighbours should understand that country can prosper only through peace.

What is the impact of demonetisation on your business?

Our business is based on white economy. Whatever our retailer sells, it is recorded...the impact is very less and now  things are getting back on track.

What is the impact of GST on business?

GST is a very good reform in this country...small scale businesses have been affected...small traders have been affected badly. But I am happy that Prime Minister has said that he will resolve this.

What is the biggest contribution of Modiji in this country?

The biggest role of a leader is to infuse confidence in public, and I think Modiji has done this extremely well. This is a big thing.

You have keen interest in spiritualism as well as in business, how it happened?

I have got influence under the tutelage of my Guru...in 1996, I met Sri Sri Ravishankar.. and after studying his books, my interest in spiritualism rose.

What wishes are left in your heart?

My wishes are just to provide pure air, pure water and pure vegetable to public so that they stay away from diseases.