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.