Rupesh Kedia: On the Right Track

Belonging to a Marwari's family, Rupesh Kedia entered into IT in the year 1987, with a small software company. Since then, his business had undergone major transformations. Toady, he has grown his company's stature as an international manufacturer for mobile phones, peripherals and smartphones. And soon, he will enter into the fray of operating software. Hailing from Jhunjhunu, Rajathan after dropping studies, he developed a software accounting application, which he later started selling to other clients as well, and set up his own firm Software India. However, due to growing competition from MNC software companies, he decided to shift to another line of hardware trading business and set up the second firm Computer Supermarket in the year 1995.

He claimed to be pioneered into IT hardware trading business and was the first to offer 1-year warranty on imported products across Rajasthan. But as more and more channel partners and distributors started populated the trading market, it was becoming difficult for Kedia to sustain its business with low margin, which as a result forced him to set up his own internationally procurement center in China in the year 2002. This business started flourishing by leaps and bounds not only in India but in other Saarc countries as well. The success of importing its own brand of peripherals did well for the company's growth. Later, Kedia decided to manufacture its ‘Mass' brand of products in Rajasthan.

"We were very keen to start our own production in India, but lack of government stimulus for manufacturing as well as complicated duties and taxation made us shift our base from India to China. It has been 10 years now that we are manufacturing here. Having said that, we are still waiting for the government to push manufacturing and announce some packages so that we can revive our manufacturing locally," said Rupesh Kedia, director, Computer Supermarket.

CHALLENGES

"There had been no big challenge in terms of technology, funds and capabilities," he says, adding, "We have always pioneered into adopting new technologies and move forward as per the trend and technology needs." Currently, Kedia has four companies in India, which are existing but not in operation-Software India, Computer Supermarket, Mass Peripherals, wherein its Top ahead distribution company for MobiGo brand of bar phones are still active and selling 20,000 units of phones in Maharashtra, Gujarat and North East in a month, and two companies in China including

R&D and manufacturing plant.

FUTURE

The company is currently building its own operating software for the tablets. "We are building our SIPOS OS for the Vietnam government. Other than India, we are planning to position in other

developing countries. At the China factory, we produce 30,000 bar phones available in 13 Indian local languages and Android based smart phones in a day for different Indian and MNSc companies," he added. The company has capabilities to produce high-end feature smartphones at half of the price.

PERSONAL FRONT

In his family, Kedia has three lovely daughters and one son. Interestingly, all the family members can affluently speak in Chinese language. He spent most of his time in China. In fact, Kedia, has written a Chinese learning book in the year 2006. Talking about his future plans, Kedia promptly says, "In next 5 years, my plan is to actively enter into Indian politics."