Sky is the Limit

From a calculator repairer to an owner of  the enterprise of  worth Rs 260 crore turnover, Kailash Katkar, founder and CEO of Quick Heal Technologies is an entrepreneur who has risen from the ground and took a giant leap in the sky of success.

Kailash Katkar, founder and CEO of Quick Heal Technologies does not come from any business background. He never entered into any business training school. Passionate to serve for homeland, he developed India’s renounced anti-virus software which has received global recognition. From an ordinary repair technician to head of multi crore enterprise, Katkar’s phenomenal success is an inspiration in many ways.

Kailash Katkar was born in a middle class Maharashtrian family in a small village in Satara district and brought up in Pune. His father was a worker in Philips and mother was a homemaker. It is said that financial crises make a person mature much faster. Katkar took up family responsibilities at a very early age. He took up jobs like screen printing and radio repairing while pursuing school in a bid to supplement family income. Katkar humbly admits that he was not very keen in studies and never got good grades. However, from childhood, he was more inclined towards machines.

“I never had much interest in studies. I used to get less marks in all subjects except Science and Mathematics”, recalls Katkar. His urge to learn about new and emerging technologies was his first step towards entrepreneurship.

Basics of Entrepreneurship

Katkar was passionate to learn new things in the field of technology and machinery. That landed him in a calculator repairing job. Calculators were new a concept that time and Katkar had an edge as he was the only calculator technician in Pune. Thanks to his bosses, he learned all skills of management right from accounting to marketing.

“Though my job to repair calculators, I learnt to repair other office gadgets such as Facet adding machines and ledger posting machines. I used to do everything, including sweeping,” smiles Katkar.

Early 1990s was a transition phase for both hardware and software industry. Soon Katkar recognized that computers were going to replace and eliminate all traditional devices. Katkar insisted his young brother Sanjay Katkar, CTO of Quick Heal Technologies to go for a degree in computers (BCS). That time the duo never thought that they would later develop a globally recognized anti-virus software.

Headed towards Entrepreneurial ship

Katkar finally decided to take an entrepreneurial leap in 1990 and started calculator repairing workshop along with a computer MNC with an initial seed capital of Rs 15,000 from his savings. Feeling confident enough, he decided to start his new venture known as CAT Computer Services in 1993 while continuing with his maintenance business. Viruses were active those days and antivirus was expensive. While working with computer MNC, Katkar received lots of requests for fixing computers infected by viruses. The general practice of AMC companies was to format machines and reload operating system. Sanjay, who used for practices in Katkar’s workshops started developing a basic model of antivirus software. He was looking for a solution which would clean machine without formatting. He did reverse engineering and created tools that remove viruses.

Katkar recognized the potential of the product and convinced his younger brother to stay in India and develop a domestic anti-virus that would serve the needs of Indian customers. That was an era when there was tremendous demand for Indian software developers in foreign countries. However, Sanjay decided to pursue his career in India. Finally, in 1995 the duo released the product and christened it “Quick Heal”.

Acceptance to Quick Heal

Quick Heal was the result of the needs of the Indian customers. Where MNC products used to just protect machines, Quick Heal had the capacity to remove virus without hampering files in it. Though Katkar’s product had all the features to compete with international brands, acceptance of Quick Heal was not easy in the initial days. People were apprehensive about the domestic brand. There was tough competition from existing MNCs and Indian companies. However, Katkar brothers were confident about their product.

Quick heal brought the first tool for some of the complicated viruses like Natash and One Half which was the major breakthrough in the success of the software. It started picking up in 1998-99 with many respected customers like Times of India getting on board. “Our key difference was that Quick Heal separated files and virus and would only clean virus. On the basis of the differentiation we got acceptance in the market”, says Katkar.

Learning from set back

Sanjay Katkar and Kailash Katkar

Unlike any other enterprise, Quick Heal also went through its low phases. As the anti-virus business started booming, Katkar decided to shut down his maintenance business. He appointed one national distributor who adversely impacted the business of the company.

“That was a big mistake. That distributor cheated us in payments and I had no option but to end distributorship in 1999. As I had closed my maintenance business, additional revenue stopped and we went through very bad financial crises.”

Katkar recalls that the duo many times decided to close down the business. However, their 'never let down' attitude postponed the decision. “At one point, in 1999, the business was in such a bad shape that we considered shutting shop since we were not even in a position to pay staff salaries. Thankfully, we decided to delay the decision by a couple of months, and during this period our hard work pulled us out of the crisis”, he says.

Katkar realized that to overcome losses he needed to change his marketing strategy. He appointed a team of dedicated marketing professionals and the days started changing drastically. He concentrated on small cities gradually shifting his focus to metros and then to overseas. The efforts fetched phenomenal success to the company.

Quality is top most priority

Katkar believes that quality work is most important. Customer satisfaction is the key of any successful venture. Once customers are delivered their desired expectations, the business automatically marches towards success.

“Young entrepreneurs focus more on ideas rather that quality. Business is a big risk and it should not be done from a business point of view, but from the customer’s point of view”, he says.

Katkar says that new entrepreneurs should concentrate on good work and keep on delivering what is the actual need of the business.

Aspires to be number one in the world

Quick Heal is all set to conquest the world and already on the path towards becoming number one Indian software player worldwide. Clocked about Rs. 214 crore in turnover in 2012-13, it stands for 30-35% market share in India's consumer anti-virus market. The company has aggressive expansion plans. It also plans to go for an initial public offering (IPO) to fund its expansion into new markets and products. Quick Heal has already spread its wings countries like Japan, Africa and the UAE.

Connected with roots

Despite of several recognitions and awards, Katkar is humble in nature and connected with his roots. He says the family, which faces financial crisis has very close bonding. His brother Sanjay and family members always boost his morale during the low phases. He loves to spend quality time with family. Katkar also engages in social activities through Rotary Clubs. He aspires to expand India’s footprints all over the globe.