Meet man, who built Rs 97335 crore company with just Rs 1 lakh, his business is...

How much we know, not everyone of us is able to take a bold move and work hard to achieve something bigger than our visions. Some inspirational stories teach us how to start and grow ourselves with every step.  

Rajeev Juneja is such an individual who grew from a shy person to a person who gained confidence and courage to build a billion-dollar company. Juneja comes from a modest lower-middle-class family who fought with financial insecurities. But soon his life took a drastic turn when his elder brother, Ramesh Juneja coaxed him into joining the pharmaceutical industry and they started working together to build a company that continues to dominate the pharma industry.  

Rajeev Juneja was only 19 when he dropped out of college and entered the unknown territory of pharmaceuticals. It laid the groundwork for a pioneering journey in pharmaceutical entrepreneurship. 

Rajeev Juneja’s first day in the pharmaceutical industry was in 1984 when he was only 19. He had then dropped out of college and started working as a representative for the generic drugmaker that he had co-founded with his elder brother.  During his initial days there, his elder brother Ramesh Juneja had strictly instructed him to leave the house by 8.30 am and not come back home before 10 pm.  

Rajeev Juneja’s journey  

Rajeev was given the tedious task of networking with staff at a medical college near their home in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. He said, “For the first two days, I didn’t have the courage to meet any doctor.” Although, he slowly increased his confidence and started observing experienced reps to learn their techniques for engaging with doctors and showcasing promotional content. 

The brother duo started Mankind Pharma in 1995 which was a bold move for many reasons. Firstly, in pharmaceutical industry in India which was held at the top with big players making a mark is quite difficult. Secondly, the Juneja brothers started with a mere  

capital of Rs 1 lakh rupees. And thirdly, Rajeev Juneja and his brother dived into a highly competitive market. But what benefitted them was their unique approach and deep understanding of the Indian market dynamics.  

Rajeev Juneja, 58, is the vice-chairman of Mankind Pharma and his brother Ramesh Juneja, 68, is the company’s chairman. The company is based in Delhi.  

In an interview to Forbes, Juneja said that Tatas were their biggest inspiration and has a portrait of JRD Tata in his office with the word ‘admiration’ beneath it. “Our dream was to always turn Mankind into an institution and dreams should always seem impossible.” 

Mankind Pharma is a leading generics company, generating $1.05 billion in revenue, mostly in India. Backed by investors Capital International and ChrysCapital, the company also produces well-known condom and pregnancy test kit brands, with international operations led by Arjun Juneja.