Entrepreneur Stories
Coal Cart To An Audi: The Inspiring Story Of Savitaben Kolsawala
Let’s admit it, being a woman in the startup world is difficult. It’s even worse when you are a woman belonging to the Dalit community. But defying all norms and destroying stereotypes the story of this Dalit woman will definitely light a fire in your hearts.
Savitaben Kolsawal was born in a Dalit family that belongs to the industrial capital of Gujrat, Ahmedabad. She was used to facing harsh economic conditions from the very beginning. Later when she married a bus conductor, conditions did not improve much. Suffice it to say she has had to learn how to support her family and help her husband who was struggling to manage daily meals.
It was because of such situations that she decided to start earning herself. But the first obstacle she faced was that not many were ready to give a job to an illiterate Dalit woman. Drawing inspiration from her parents, she started to sell coal to the local shops. She went door to door to sell the half burnt coal that she collected from mills because she didn’t have enough money to buy coal. She faced her second biggest obstacle here. Businessmen refused to buy coal from her claiming that as she was a Dalit woman they didn’t know if they could trust her or if she would run away the next day with all the coal.
Slowly but surely she built a long list of loyal customers despite the many challenges. Her hard work and dedication began to reap results and bear fruits. With the benefits that she generated she set up a small coal shop. She expanded her business to small factories working in the ceramic sector. She then started visiting different factories for distributing coal and collecting payment and there she learned how factories are run.
Liking the whole idea of a ceramics factory, she decided to start one of her own. She saved money from her small shop and invested in a small ceramics factory. Savitaben became an entrepreneur and hasn’t looked back since. She sold the ceramics she made at cheaper rates and established herself in the ceramic industry and entrepreneurial world. She started Premier Ceramics in 1998 and ventured into the export of various ceramics products by 1991 by establishing Sterling Ceramics Ltd.
She started off with a cart to sell coal and now has a fleet of luxury cars at her disposal including Audi, Pajero, BMW, and Mercedes. She’s one of those pioneering strong women of India who has changed the way businesses are established and developed.
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Apple has unveiled the new MacBook Air with M5 chip, starting at $999 for 13-inch and $1,299 for 15-inch models. The MacBook Air M5 boasts a 2nm M5 chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 50 TOPS Neural Engine for seamless AI tasks like real-time translation and 8K editing. Up to 22 hours of battery life, Thunderbolt 5, and Wi-Fi 7 make it the ultimate ultraportable, now 10% thinner at 0.44 inches with fanless cooling.
Key MacBook Air M5 features include Liquid Retina XDR display (500 nits, nano-texture option), 12MP Center Stage camera, and six-speaker Spatial Audio. Colors like new Sky Blue join Midnight and Starlight. Pre-orders are live today, with macOS Sequoia 15.4 enhancing Apple Intelligence and iPhone Continuity for students, pros, and remote workers.
Why buy MacBook Air M5 now? It outpaces Snapdragon X Elite rivals with ecosystem magic and future-proof performance, eyeing top 2026 laptop sales. CEO Tim Cook calls it “more capable than ever.” Visit apple.com for M5 MacBook deals and specs.
Delhi NCR-based gaming startup Zupee has acquired Mumbai-based microdrama platform Vertical TV in a deal valued under INR 40 Cr. This move strengthens Zupee Studio, its short-video arm launched in September 2025, by integrating Vertical TV’s expertise in bite-sized dramas like romance and thrillers.
Facing challenges from India’s 2025 real-money gaming ban, Zupee valued at $1 Bn after raising $120 Mn has pivoted to non-gaming content, including recent layoffs of 40% of its workforce. The acquisition builds on its November 2025 purchase of Australian AI firm Nucanon for interactive storytelling, targeting its 200 Mn+ users with engaging, mobile-first formats.
This deal underscores the rising microdrama trend in India, helping Zupee diversify amid regulatory pressures and compete in the short-video space dominated by quick, shareable content for on-the-go audiences.
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