Sahara Shree lived in this house on rent, the house decorated for Diwali was shining till Tuesday, but the news of his demise spread sadness.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Expansion
The life story of Sahara Shri Subrata Roy is very interesting. He struggled a lot to travel from zero to the top. Started his career by selling salty snacks in Gorakhpur. Selling snacks in the name of Jaya Products on his Lambretta scooter. In 1978, the foundation of Sahara Group was laid in a small office in Gorakhpur. Under Roy’s leadership, Sahara expanded into several businesses. Roy’s empire spread across sectors ranging from finance, real estate, media and hospitality. Even after reaching the pinnacle of success, never forget the old times. During a program in Gorakhpur, he made all his life experiences public.
Subrata Roy came to the felicitation ceremony organized at Gorakhpur Club on 18 April 2013, in which he openly presented various aspects of his life in front of everyone. Told that Gorakhpur was my workplace and I am familiar with the streets here. Got educated and started business from here. Kanak Hari Aggarwal of the city says that he was also involved in that program. Sahara Shree had said that he started traveling on scooter and non-backing from here.
Started business from one room office
With two chairs and a scooter, he traveled to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore from an office room on Cinema Road. When he had some capital, he started a clothing and fan factory in an industrial area in 1978. During this time, Lambretta used to sell fans and other products from the scooter. Along with delivering fans to the shops, he used to make the shopkeepers aware about small saving. Between banking needs and employment opportunities, Sahara’s ‘Golden Key’ scheme proved to be revolutionary in which the lottery held from time to time strengthened the lower middle class. In the year 1983-83, businessman friend SK Nath separated and formed Rapti Finance. In the same year, Subrata Roy opened the company’s headquarters in Lucknow.
13 never forget close friends
Subrata Roy may have been born in Bihar, but he started his business from Gorakhpur. Initially he used to ride on a scooter. He never forgot his 13 close friends who supported him in his bad times. When he became the owner of crores, he included all his old friends with him and gave them a big position in the company.
Tried his hand from airline to cinema
Started as a chit fund company in 1978 with one scooter and 42 investors, Sahara gradually made its place in all the industries of the country. Subrata Roy Sahara tried his hand in sectors like real estate, telecom, tourism, airline, cinema, sports, banking and media. His company also expanded its footprint in New York and London. There was a time when the prestigious Times Magazine had given the title of Sahara Group as the company providing the most employment in India after Railways. Subrata Roy Sahara calls his company a family and calls himself its guardian.
Used to make rounds from politicians to actors
Till a few years ago, he was counted among the select industrialists of India. Famously known as “Sahara Shree”, Subrata Roy Sahara had influence in every field, be it a leader or an actor, many people used to follow him.