Latest news with #KMMammenMappillai
India.com
22-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet man, who spent nights on floor, has no business, then built Rs 600000000000 company, special connection to Virat Kohli
K. M. Mammen Mappillai faced many challenges in life. His family was doing a business but it couldn't sustain for a longer time. When the family incurred losses in business they didn't have a place to stay. He spent nights on the floor of his college in Madras (now Chennai). After several difficulties, he continued his education. After completing his studies, Mammen started his business on a small scale. He sold toy balloons on the streets of Madras. This simple start helped him to learn business tactics. During this time he was also working on smaller jobs. In 1946, Mammen established the Madras Rubber Factory (MRF). It was initially a small unit of manufacturing toy balloons. The money he earned from selling balloons he invested it in his new business. By 1952, Mammen found a new business idea of retreading old tires. He worked on this business which later became profitable. After this MRF entered into the tire industry. By 1961, MRF was operating in over 50% of the country's tire retreading market. The company launched its first tire factory, which was inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. MRF's became a household name in India as business expanded. In 1992, KM Mammen Mappillai received the Padma Shri award for his contribution to Indian industry. MRF also has its association with cricket. They collaborated with cricketer Virat Kohli which helped MRF Tires which gave them popularity. KM Mammen Mappillai passed away in 2003, but his company still contributes to the industry. Now MRF is the largest tire manufacturer in India. Their market capitalization of Rs 59,478 crore.
India.com
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- India.com
Once sold balloons on streets of India, later built business empire worth Rs 59,334 crore, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar were his...., he was...
Inspirational journey of KM Mammen Mappillai: This is a story of a boy who was born into a Syrian Christian family in India and used to sell balloons on streets. After his family faced significant financial distress after their assets were seized, the boy decided to take the responsibility to himself. We are talking about KM Mammen Mappillai, the founding father of MRF and what special connection MRF has with Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Who is KM Mammen Mappillai? KM Mammen Mappillai founded MRF in Madras in the year 1946 when he started a small toy balloon manufacturing unit. However, with years of hard work and passion, he transformed MRF into a global brand. How MRF was founded! Mammen's actual success journey started in the year 1952 when he identified an opportunity in tyre retreading. For those unversed, tyre retreading is a process where the tread area of used tyres is refurbished, which led to a significant change in the entrepreneurial journey of Mammen. Taking inspiration from the concept, Mammen invested his earnings from the balloon business into manufacturing tread rubber, which ultimately made MRF the first Indian company to manufacture tread rubber. Biggest milestone in life of Mammen The biggest milestone in the life of Mammen and MRF came when MRF's first tyre factory was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. As a result of the immense success that the company was showing, MRF launched its IPO, entering the Indian stock market with a boom. As years passed by, MRF became a symbol of success and today, it is India's largest tyre manufacturer with a market capitalization of Rs 55,417 crore. Additionally, MRF also has a long-standing association with cricket. Earlier, Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, often called the 'God of Cricket' was its brand ambassador and as of today, former Indian captain Virat Kohli is its current brand ambassador.
