The red and yellow packet has been a staple in every Indian. Be it any kind of spice such as Chana Masala, Garam Masala, or Deggi Mirch, MDH has been an integral part of Indian cooking for decades. But have you ever wondered who is the owner of MDH? Here is everything that you need to know about this brand and how it became the
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What Does MDH Stand For?
Before we go into detail about the owner, let's understand the meaning of MDH. MDH is an acronym for Mahashian Di Hatti. It is a name that is more than a century old and has a fascinating story of survival and success.
Who was the Founder of MDH?
MDH's journey started not in Delhi, but in Sialkot. Dharampal Gulati's father, Chunnilal Gulati, used to run a spice shop in Sialkot named as Mahashian Di Hatti (commonly known as Deggi Mirch Wale).
Post-Partition in India in 1947, everything was lost. Dharampal Gulati came to India and moved to Delhi on 27th September 1947with only ₹1,500 to start his life. He had to work as a horse-cart puller before restarting his life.
With the amount that he had, first he bought a horse-drawn passenger carriage for ₹650 and he used to drive it from New Delhi Railway Station to Qutab Road and Karol Bagh to Bara Hindu Rao at the price of two Annas per person for a few days.
He did not give up. In 1958, he opened a wooden shop in Karol Bagh, New Delhi and began his father's spice business again with the same name. That was the story of how MDH started.
The MDH Spices website mentions: “After the partition of the country, he came to India and reached Delhi on 27th September 1947. At that time he was having only Rs.1500/- with him. Out of this amount he purchased a Tonga for Rs.650/- and drove it from New Delhi Railway Station to Qutab Road and Karol Bagh to Bara Hindu Rao at two Annas sawari for few days.”
“Thereafter he bought small wooden khokha (Shop/ Hatti) measuring 14ft. x 9 ft. at Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi and started his family business of ground spices and again raised the banner of Mahashian Di Hatti of Sialkot “DEGGI MIRCH WALE“, it adds
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Who is Mahashay Dharampal Gulati?
Mahashay Dharmpal Gulati started his career selling spices. He was born on 27 March 1923 in Sialkot, and dropped out of school at the age of 10 and worked at various jobs before joining his father in the spice business.
He was quite iconic due to his marketing skills. Unlike other brands that employed actors and celebrities to promote their brands, Dharampal Gulati became the face of MDH's ads with his trademark red turban and long, white moustache. This became a very familiar face in the country.
Who Owns MDH Now?
On 3 December 2020, Dharampal Gulati passed away. His son, Rajeev Gulati, now heads the company, and is the new face of MDH. The business remains family-owned and has refused all offers to acquire the company.
Forbes mentions: “Third generation scion Rajeev Gulati runs Delhi-based spice manufacturer MDH, which makes a range of Indian spices, including curry powders. Gulati became chairman after the death of his father Dharampal Gulati, who was the face of brand appearing on all the packs and in TV commercials.”
MDH is more than a spice company. It is the story of a school dropout who came to India and built a brand that is trusted around the world. The story of Mahashay Dharampal Gulati is truly inspiring from a wooden shop in Karol Bagh to becoming a global brand.
