Looking at where they stand now, it is easy to think that the brothers had all come from a privileged upbringing. “Far from it, nothing came easy. We were taught to think and act as leaders from an early age because both our parents worked full-time. My siblings and I often had to quickly step up to take charge of the household while our parents were away,” shares Sharan.

Ashvin fondly recalls their father running the family business from their home in Petaling Jaya while their mother was a career banker.  “We spent a lot of time with my father as he would drop us off at school and we would often have lunch together.”

Growing up, Sharan says both he and Ashvin actively participated in the family business. Whenever a new shipment of sarees and fabrics arrived at their home, the two elder siblings would sort and organise the goods before doing their homework. It was something that they both did dutifully and without complaint. 

Though Mukesh was too young at the time to participate in the family business, he quietly absorbed and observed the various aspects of the operations. “I found entrepreneurship to be deeply fascinating and it was what drew me to join the family business after I completed my studies,” he says.

Having been involved in most aspects of the business, the brothers have seen and done it all, so much so that they can trade places with each other and do the job just as well.

Sharan says with certainty that he could take a year off and the business will continue to run smoothly under Ashvin and Mukesh’s leadership. That being said, each of the brothers has a mind of their own and are very opinionated, but they will hear each other out. Sharan says whenever there is a new idea, the brothers will bounce it off each other and come to an agreement to implement it when at least two of them agree. 

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When it comes to lessons from their late father, Sharan says the one most important lesson he learnt was the need to be decisive. “Make the decision, even if it might be wrong, at the end of the day you need to make a choice. Admittedly, he never always did this himself but he said it enough that all of us practised this.”

When asked what their father would say to them if he were still here today, Sharan says he believes that his father would be immensely proud of their achievements. Ashvin concurs, saying never in his father’s wildest imagination would he have expected that the brothers would take the family business to greater heights, turning it into a long-term sustainable business. 

“He would never admit it,” says Sharan good-naturedly, “but my father’s smile would say it all and if he were here today, I think he would be beaming with pride.”

For the full story, pick up a copy of the February 2022 issue at the newsstands or get the digital copy here. 

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