Ravi Kumar Rathi
IBS Hyderabad, (‘99)

Proprietor
Venkatesh Paper Mart

About me…

I belong to a traditional Rajasthani business family though I am born in Hyderabad.  My ancestors came to Hyderabad more than 125 years ago. I graduatedfrom Badruka College, Osmania University (1997). I did my post graduation from IBS with majors in Finance and Marketing. I completed CFA in the same year 1999.
Immediately after IBS,  I moved to Mumbai, joined KJMC Financial Services Ltd, in their Merchant Banking & Investment Banking Division. Later I marketed IDBI Flexi cum Tax Saving Bonds Issues.

I returned to Hyderabad in December 1999 and got married in the same month. Now I am blessed with 2 kids, 5 year old Kushal, and 2 year old Vaishnavi.

My business interests…

• Distribution of Paper & Paper Boards as we are distributors of The Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd., Stock markets operations, Construction, Finance, Manufacturing of Coir Products, Mattresses under the brand name “Relaxwell” in Hyderabad & Kolkata.
• Director in Swastik Coaters Pvt Ltd., Satyam Shivam Papers Pvt Ltd., Managing Partner in Laxmi Paper Mart & Proprietor of Venkatesh Paper Mart, Hyderabad.
• Related to Trade & Society equally. Have been Secretary & Vice-President of A. P.  Paper Merchants’ Association. At present Managing Committee member of All India Paper Traders Association (FPTA).
• Managing Committee member of Rajasthani Graduates Association from past 4 years.
• Member of the Chapter Executive Committee, IBSAF, Hyderabad Chapter

My success mantra & advice to young entrepreneurs…

Being from a hard core business oriented family, I was used to giving orders, rather than taking them. After IBS, I moved to Mumbai and joined a Financial Services company. At this point of time, I received a million dollar advice from my father’s best friend Mr. Ranveer. He said, “Ravi you are joining another firm where you will be working under someone whom you don’t know. You are bound to receive orders which have to be followed and implemented. You are not habituated to this kind of atmosphere and hence this may lead to some sort of frustration. At this juncture, if you are able to face the situation and mould yourself accordingly by adapting to the new work atmosphere, you would always get courage to face any tough situation, but instead if you run away with frustration within days of joining, you would always be a loser.”

Similar things happened to me and I felt like crying on the very first day, but I stayed back and used to take up each and every day as a new challenge, which is helping me even today and gives me courage to take up any given task.

For perfect life…

• Be Busy         
• Be Healthy      
• Be Happy

Relaxing & de-stressing...

I listen to music, prefer watching laughter shows. I like swimming and practice Yoga to de-stress.

My friends / batch-mates of IBS...
I consider myself as a bridge between IBS or rather IBSAF and my batch mates as I regularly pass on information received from IBS to my batch mates through yahoo groups and vice versa.

Work – Life balance...

We have to maintain balance between life and work. Office work has to be done at office and the rest of the time one has to be with his FAMILY. You know, the full form of FAMILY is Father And Mother I Love You.

Lessons life has taught…

Think positive and be optimistic in each and every situation of life.

Ideals in life...

My Father, Late Shri Govind Lal Rathi, an achiever, a leader, a visionary, a jolly person at heart, he was loved by one and all, he was a youngster with youngsters, a kid with kids and a senior person with his age group. He has been the President of All India Paper Traders Association (FPTA).

Future of Paper Industry…

It’s no secret that supply of paper in India by the mills is less than demand.  In this view, future of Paper Industry looks good.

Except one or two, no other paper mill is in retail Sale, like ITC. For retailing, a lot of infrastructure is to be created by the mills, i.e., retail counters in main cities, executives and staff for running the retail stores and more. Moreover retailing can be done only for stationery items like note books and standard paper for printing purpose. Retailing as business for paper mills is a new segment. Distribution through dealers network is a time tested system of marketing of paper by this Industry. Corporate sale is also done through dealer network at present. Indian paper mills cannot sell their entire production through retailing or corporate sale.

Considering this fact, I feel that our traditional system of marketing through dealer network has to exist and play a vital role in paper trade. ◊