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Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
A Sweeping Reform India's Hygiene Sector: The Journey of a Visionary Disposable Hygiene Entrepreneur
In a nation as vast and diverse as India, every now and then, a visionary emerges from the heartland to leave an indelible mark on the global map. Alok Birla, the founder of Swara Baby Products Pvt. Ltd., is one such name. Hailing from Satna, a quiet town in Madhya Pradesh, Alok's journey coming from a middle-class family to becoming one of the biggest contract manufacturers of Hygiene Products in India is nothing short of extraordinary. Birth of an Entrepreneur Alok's father worked for the Birla group, managing the factory of Universal Cables in Satna, but Alok chose to carve his own path stand and create an independent business. As a young man with big dreams Alok applied his business acumen in various fields before making a decision to move to Pune in the year 2002. The defining moment came during a visit to China with a close friend, where a sanitary napkin manufacturing machine struck the cord! He immediately arranged for the machine to be imported to India, laying the foundation for a venture that would reshape the hygiene industry. Setting up the manufacturing facility close to New Delhi, the next challenge Alok faced was to find clients. With confidence and a 'never-say-never' attitude he approached everyone no matter how big or small. This determination won him a noteworthy breakthrough – he cracked a deal with Kimberly Clark USA (KCL). The multinational KCL hired Alok's Company as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) for its Feminine Hygiene brand ' Kotex .' This made Alok's company the first-ever OEM globally for KCL's Kotex in the Southeast Asian market — a landmark feat for an Indian entrepreneur. From Women Hygiene to Baby Care Following his success with Kotex, Alok's attention turned to baby care. In 2009, he struck another major deal — this time with Hindustan Unilever (HUL) for the popular baby diaper brand ' Huggies .' By now, his reputation in the disposable hygiene segment was solid, but his ambitions were far from over. When HUL and KCL parted ways in 2016, Alok saw it not as a setback, but as a fresh opportunity. With over a decade of industry experience, he had a deep understanding of products, the market, and supply chain. Alok had a vision for the Indian market - He knew what products to tap; it was just a question of executing his idea. That was the birth of Swara Baby Products! Swara Baby Products: Built in Madhya Pradesh, Trusted Across the Globe Returning to his roots in Central India, Alok pinned down Indore City to establish Swara's state-of-the-art manufacturing unit. With global exposure and a visionary business acumen, he built an international-quality facility — a rare sight in any Indian industrial zone. The first product off the line was Baby Pull-Up Diapers, a segment that was booming. Alok's vision with Swara Baby Products Pvt. Ltd. is to be the first-choice contract manufacturers of hygiene products globally. He has a reputation of stringent quality control and extreme attention to detail. This made Swara the preferred manufacturing partner for leading brands such as Huggies, Amazon, Himalaya, and MotherCare, Reliance, Cipla, Patanjali among many others. The real milestone came in 2019, when Procter & Gamble (P&G) — makers of Pampers — selected Swara as their exclusive OEM partner. To this day, Swara is the only third-party manufacturer P&G has worked with globally. Diversification and Global Expansion Not one to rest on his laurels, Alok tapped the adult hygiene segment in the same year, adding another layer to Swara's portfolio. Within a few years, Swara Baby Products became a one-stop OEM for baby care, feminine care, and adult care — manufacturing for almost all the major brands in India. The next phase was global outreach. With its MNC-level work culture, ethical sourcing, and world-class R&D, building relations with international clients was smooth. Swara attracted attention from Middle Eastern and African markets, bagging partnerships with global chains like Carrefour and Lulu. Sustainability and Innovation: Tree-Free Diapers & BIS Certification Innovation has always been the bedrock of Alok's philosophy. Through years of exposure, experience and the itch to learn, he along with his team of experts have developed some high performing, radical products. In 2024–25, Swara launched India's first Tree-Free Diaper Technology , cutting down the usage of wood pulp in a diaper by 93% producing a lightweight, garment-like baby diaper. Adding to this achievement, Swara became the first Indian company to receive BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification in the hygiene category — even before multinational giants operating in India. These milestones showcase the company's dedication to quality, compliance and sustainability. Cricket, Community, and a Green Heart Beyond business, Alok Birla is generous and passionate with a never-say-die attitude. A lifelong Cricket enthusiast, he has always been connected with the game in some way or another. In 2024, he got a great opportunity to be associated with Madhya Pradesh Cricket League (MPL) , a brainchild of H.H. Yuvraj Mahanaaryaman Scindia Ji . He owns a team called Rewa Jaguars in the State's Cricket League organized by GDCA extending his support in multiple ways to the Game as well as the State of MP. Alok took his sports participation a notch higher when he proposed a Green Initiative powered by Rewa Jaguars. In 2025, Madhya Pradesh Cricket League (MPL) saw a Green Initiative powered by Team Rewa Jaguars sponsoring plantation of 10 trees for 1 dot ball in the tournament. The result? A staggering 14,000 trees come alive across Madhya Pradesh — supporting the environment and rural farmers. Alok Birla – A Role Model Alok Birla's journey is a shining example of what a focused, resilient, and values-driven entrepreneur can achieve on a national and global level. From humble beginnings to manufacturing for the world's biggest brands, he has remained rooted and driven. Through Swara Baby Products, Alok has planted seeds of numerous projects uplifting and enlightening the people he joined hands with, assisted growth and progress of the hygiene industry, put his country on the global map and created socially responsible business models. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a business enthusiast, or someone looking for inspiration — the story of Alok Birla and Swara Baby Products is bound to make you pause, reflect, and explore more. Explore More: Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. 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India Gazette
08-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Madhya Pradesh League a platform where young players get the opportunity to prove themselves, says Rewa Jaguars owner
Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 8 (ANI): Rewa Jaguars owner Alok Birla believes the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) is a powerful platform for aspiring cricketers to showcase their talent at the big stage. The Madhya Pradesh League will begin on June 12 at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Shankarpur, Gwalior. With a vision that extends beyond just participation, Rewa Jaguars owners are focused on creating a franchise that nurtures players both on and off the field. 'I want to create a franchise where players are getting benefited both in terms of their livelihood and in terms of their opportunities, because my vision is not only to participate in MPL but at the same time give them personalised coaching and make them mentally and physically fit. So, my thought was always that if players stay with the franchise, then they can grow even more,' said Alok Birla, owner of Rewa Jaguars, as quoted by the MPL press release. 'In life everybody wants to have an opportunity where they want to showcase their talent or showcase their calibre or showcase their skills. This happens everywhere in life. So, Madhya Pradesh League is something where it's a platform, it's an opportunity, it's a tournament where you can get yourself exposed for the next levels,' he added. The owner of Rewa Jaguars cited the example of Shivam Shukla, who hogged the limelight during the last season of the Madhya Pradesh League, and was eventually brought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for Rovman Powell in IPL 2025 last month. 'Like Shivam Shukla is the right answer to this question. Last year, he played in the Madhya Pradesh League, and now he is playing for KKR. So, that's how everybody looks for playing the Madhya Pradesh League,' said Alok Birla. 'It's a platform given by Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association where things are going to be very good for all those young talents who are born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh towards cricket,' he added. Even Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had described the Madhya Pradesh League as a launchpad for young players in recent address in Gwalior during the inauguration of the second season of the Madhya Pradesh League. This time there will be a women's league as well for the second season of Madhya Pradesh League. Chambal Ghariyals, Bhopal Wolves and Bundelkhand Bulls are the teams that will compete in the women's league. Speaking about his vision of investing in the women's cricket, Mr Alok Birla said, 'As of now I don't have any, you know, thought process of buying any or owning any women's team. But yes, I am very much dedicated to work for girls, which I am doing by promoting two girls in Indore, who are playing in Dev Academy.' Organised by Gwalior Division Cricket Association (GDCA) under the aegis of MP Cricket Association, the MPL will get underway from June 12. Men's team: Gwalior Cheetahs, Bhopal Leopards, Jabalpur Royal Lions, Rewa Jaguars, Indore Pink Panthers, Chambal Ghariyals, Bundelkhand Bulls. (ANI)
Mint
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Madhya Pradesh League a platform where young players get the opportunity to prove themselves, says Rewa Jaguars owner
Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 8 (ANI): Rewa Jaguars owner Alok Birla believes the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) is a powerful platform for aspiring cricketers to showcase their talent at the big stage. The Madhya Pradesh League will begin on June 12 at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium in Shankarpur, Gwalior. With a vision that extends beyond just participation, Rewa Jaguars owners are focused on creating a franchise that nurtures players both on and off the field. "I want to create a franchise where players are getting benefited both in terms of their livelihood and in terms of their opportunities, because my vision is not only to participate in MPL but at the same time give them personalised coaching and make them mentally and physically fit. So, my thought was always that if players stay with the franchise, then they can grow even more," said Alok Birla, owner of Rewa Jaguars, as quoted by the MPL press release. "In life everybody wants to have an opportunity where they want to showcase their talent or showcase their calibre or showcase their skills. This happens everywhere in life. So, Madhya Pradesh League is something where it's a platform, it's an opportunity, it's a tournament where you can get yourself exposed for the next levels," he added. The owner of Rewa Jaguars cited the example of Shivam Shukla, who hogged the limelight during the last season of the Madhya Pradesh League, and was eventually brought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for Rovman Powell in IPL 2025 last month. "Like Shivam Shukla is the right answer to this question. Last year, he played in the Madhya Pradesh League, and now he is playing for KKR. So, that's how everybody looks for playing the Madhya Pradesh League," said Alok Birla. "It's a platform given by Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association where things are going to be very good for all those young talents who are born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh towards cricket," he added. Even Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had described the Madhya Pradesh League as a launchpad for young players in recent address in Gwalior during the inauguration of the second season of the Madhya Pradesh League. This time there will be a women's league as well for the second season of Madhya Pradesh League. Chambal Ghariyals, Bhopal Wolves and Bundelkhand Bulls are the teams that will compete in the women's league. Speaking about his vision of investing in the women's cricket, Mr Alok Birla said, "As of now I don't have any, you know, thought process of buying any or owning any women's team. But yes, I am very much dedicated to work for girls, which I am doing by promoting two girls in Indore, who are playing in Dev Academy." Organised by Gwalior Division Cricket Association (GDCA) under the aegis of MP Cricket Association, the MPL will get underway from June 12. Gwalior Cheetahs, Bhopal Leopards, Jabalpur Royal Lions, Rewa Jaguars, Indore Pink Panthers, Chambal Ghariyals, Bundelkhand Bulls. (ANI)
