‘I Had To Succeed, It Was War For Me’

Prachi Raturi

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The room is enlivened by its two orange walls, a Hussain adorns another one, two awards rest on a side table and the chairs are almost transparent. Abhishek Khaitan, joint managing director of Radico Khaitan Ltd studied in Delhi’s Modern School, then on Humayun Road, but later moved to Barakhamba road. “After that, I went to Bangalore to study engineering in industrial production from the BMS College of Engineering and then for a managerial finance and marketing accounting course from Harvard, USA.”

Why business after studying engineering? “Oh, I think I always wanted to do business. Firstly, because my family was into it and it always fascinated me.” But he had never thought about what kind of business he would do, he admits. In fact, it was only while he was studying in Bangalore that he thought of liquor as a potential business. “Bangalore was so vibrant. International brands were being launched and spirits and drinks seemed like a fun business,” he says.

The thought matured more when difficult times came calling. Khaitan was studying in the US when the family business broke up. “My father and uncle went their separate ways. I was already engaged by then and we were in a crisis. It was quite a difficult period,” he remembers. But he was not going to give up, neither was his father. In fact, that was when Lalit and Abhishek Khaitan thought of launching their own brand of liquor. “We had been supplying spirits to leading brands and its seemed very logical to start our own brand,” says Khaitan Jr. The decision was not taken very positively by people around them. “Many multinationals had launched their products in India, failed and gone back. The market was still very young. But I am an eternal optimists,” he smiles.

The father-son team began their research. Right from studying the market to people’s preferences, the basics were all worked out. A year of planning later, the Khaitans launched their first label on August 8, 1978. It was called ‘8 PM’ a malt whisky, which soon caught the market’s attention. Many things fell in place. 8 PM was launched on the eight of August - 08.08. The brand was named 8 PM because we wanted a name that could be pronounced easily, but yes, I like the number eight. It is my lucky number.”

A year after it launched, 8 PM entered the Limca Book of World Records, having sold one million cases in its first year. “I did not have the time to think about apprehensions, success or even going back on my decision. In fact, I did not have the option of thinking I could lose. I had to succeed, it was war for me.” From then on, every battle has been won.

Today, the group is a Rs 620 crore liquor manufacturer. Right from the lower segment to premium brands like ‘Special Appointment’ and ‘Signature’, Radico Khaitan has made its mark.