The famous name Fevicol, owned by the Indian company Pidilite Industries, first came into force in 1959. It was introduced as an easy-to-use glue for carpenters. Fevicol, which is used as a gum, is used for bonding paper, cardboard, thermocol and plywood. The brand is currently marketed in 54 countries, including more than 50,000 locations in India.
Though everyone is very well-versed in the brand, Fevicol, not many know the man behind the brand. It is none other than Balvantray Kalyanji Parekh, also known as ‘India’s Fevicol Man’. He is the first-generation entrepreneur for post-independence India, who introduced Pidilite Industries in 1959 in the Indian markets.
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Despite having a degree in law, Balvantray started his own venture driven by entrepreneurial aspirations. Fevicol was his brainchild, which acted as a transformative force for carpenters, engineers, artisans and the general public. Today, let us explore the life of Balvantray Parekh, the man who introduced Fevicol to the world.
Balvantray Kalyanji Parekh was born in a Jain family in Mahuva town of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat. After finishing his initial schooling in Mahuva, he attained his law degree from Government Law College Mumbai. Balvant’s father wanted him to become a magistrate like his grandfather. However, just like any Gujarati, Balvant desired to become a businessman. Not many people know this, but Balvant took part in the Quit India Movement.’
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While studying law, Balvant got married to Kantaben, and without any jobs in his hand, the duo faced financial burdens. To make a living, Balvant started working in a dyeing and printing press. He later joined a wood trader’s office as a peon and lived in the warehouse. Here, Balvant started developing contacts and began supplying a list of import-export items cycle, areca nut, and paper dyes from the West.
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When Balvant was working in a firm that represented Hoechst in India, he got his first major break. He was invited to Germany for a month by the managing director of Hoechst in 1954. When the company decided to go alone after its managing director's death, Balvant along with his brother, Sushil Parekh started a dye and chemical unit with the title Parekh Dyechem Industries. At Parekh Dyechem, Balvant started manufacturing pigment emulsions used for textile printing and acrylic-based dyes.
During this time, Balvant realized that the Indian adhesive market was dominated by glues made from animal fat, and at this moment, he thought of manufacturing white glue, which he named ‘Fevicol’. The product was established under the brand name Pidilite Industries Private Limited in 1959. The name ‘Fevicol’ was inspired by the German company that made a similar product ‘Movicol’. The word ‘col’ means something that binds two things and ‘Pidi’ was taken from ‘Parekh Dichem.’
Fevicol emerged as a user-friendly adhesive for woodworkers. From fixing broken dishes to repairing furniture, people trusted the brand, Pidilite for providing quality adhesive with a resilient nature. Apart from Fevicol, Pidilite later launched products like Fevikwik, Dr. Fixit, and M-Seal. In 2006, Pidilite focussed on in international expansion with factories set up in the United States, Thailand, Dubai, Egypt and Bangladesh.
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The famous Fevicol logo with the ‘Elephant Symbol’ was created by Ogilvy and Mather, and it became an instant hit with its consumers. The creative commercial and advertisement of Fevicol were a hit during the 80s and 90s. With time, Pidilite Industries made a gigantic name for itself in the consumer market with a net worth of around 44.65 billion USD in 2020.
Balwant Parekh struggled a lot to achieve his dreams. His belief that nothing is impossible if one pursues their dreams turns true with his determination. Apart from being a successful entrepreneur, Balwant Parekh has also done a lot of social welfare work. He helped and provided support in starting an Arts and Science college in Mahua, Gujarat.
He also donated Rs. 20 million for Bhavnagar’s Science City project. In 2009, the business tycoon founded the Balvant Parekh Centre for General Semantics and Other Human Sciences in Baroda, Gujarat. In 2011, The Institute of General Semantics in Texas conferred him the prestigious J Talbot Winchell Award. He is the first Asian to receive the honour.
Balwant Parekh was often hailed as a remarkable person with a complex personality. He was a voracious reader, and his personal library showed his interest in literature, science, law and medicine. He was ranked 45th on Forbes Asia’s list with a fortune of 1.36 billion USD.
In 2013, Balvant Parekh passed away at the age of 88. After his death, his son, Madhukar Balvantray Parekh took charge of the business and is running it successfully. As per a report in 2019, Madhukar was named the 16th richest Indian with a net worth of USD 7.5 billion.
Balvant Parekh’s journey from a peon to India’s Fevicol Man is an inspiration to millions. He proved that dreams do come true if the approach is towards the right direction.
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