Thinking out of the box

It was in 1976 that first generation entrepreneur Surat Singh Malhotra, fondly know as Namdhariji, established the Namdhari brand in Hyderabad after moving here from Delhi. “Back in the ’70s, I experienced the nawabi and laid-back culture of the Hyderabadis, but saw an amazing opportunity in this part of the country. I decided to start a rental business in the service industry which lacked innovation back then. Four decades later, the journey is still on,” says S. S. Malhotra, CMD, Namdhari Business Group, who is also Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Lesotho, South Africa. His constant curiosity and eye for detail with a deep understanding of the operational aspects of an event, helped him turn Namdhari, which began as a tent house supplier and decorator into one of the leading event management companies in Hyderabad. Along with younger brother, Jai Inder Singh Malhotra and sons, Dharam Pal Singh and Maninder Singh, today, he has taken his business to great heights. 

Namdhari Events N Promotions has planned celebrations for some of the most well-known personalities across diverse fields. “We have clients from all fields — from government employees to private, from corporates to entrepreneurs, from high society to middle-class. Big or small, we enjoy catering to all. The punch line is ‘never say no to anyone’. Treat every opportunity as a challenge and deliver,” says the man, who started his journey as a tent manufacturing marketing representative.  Being the eldest son of the family, the pressure was always high. Surat Singh attributes his success to his wife’s constant support. “My wife, Surinder Kaur Malhotra agreed to move out with me and supported me in all my endeavours. She even invited my family members to join the business. With very little amount in hand and a passion to become an entrepreneur, it was sheer willpower and hard work which helped me establish my base in a new market zone,” he says.

The perfectionist, with a keen eye for detail, makes sure that an event is balanced right from the design stage. Says Singh, “It’s important to have a strong design aesthetic and discipline. Of course, it is also paramount to stay true to a venue.” Talking of initial challenges, Singh says, “The city’s nawabi culture meant that everyone was far too relaxed to explore the scope and opportunities available for growth. When I tried to sell new ideas to the city, no one was ready for them. They didn’t allow the change as that meant investment.” He adds, “While one initiates or launches a product in the open market and accepts the change, it was very difficult to make our place amongst the age old existing establishments. However, the sheer thrust towards new avenues, new ideas and breaking the age old shackles of the past was key to the future of brand Namdhari.”

With no formal education in business management, Surat Singh identified the vacuum in the market for a reliable and quality supplier, while understanding the importance of innovation, planning and efficient execution. The foremost principle of his company is ‘Customer is God’. Over the years, he has acquired the reputation of never saying ‘no’ to any customer, whatever their need be. “Even after 40 years of hard work, there’s no stopping. Wherever the challenge, I still go there with my innovative ideas, knowledge of the subject, experience and a hunger to achieve,” says the proud man, who brought the tent house business from the unorganised sector to the organised one.