G. V. Keshav Reddy, grandson of G.V. Krishna Reddy, the founder chairman and managing director of infrastructure conglomerate, the GVK group, Friday announced launching of a social enterprise to promote the pride of being Indian within the youth.
The Indian, as the apparel company is named, will also help the under privileged under its giving initiative.
With the slogan 'one for you, one for me', the company, based on e-commerce model, will give one product to the needy for every product sold.
"If someone buys a shirt, we will give another shirt of same quality and design to an orphan, someone living on street or someone who is deprived of amenities," said Keshav Reddy, the co-founder and director of the startup.
To start with, the company will sell online Polo shirts, designed with Indian flag and its logo, a peacock, the national bird.
The Indian has tied-up with Rajdhani, which will make the quality Polo shirts at its facility at Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. The all-inclusive price of the Polo shirt has been fixed at Rs.999.
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The startup has also joined hands with Gati Ltd for cash on delivery services. It hopes to reach 7,000 places across the country and almost all tier VI towns.
"As we wanted to reach out to all these towns, we preferred e-commerce model," explained Keshav Reddy, who is still studying engineering at University of Michigan.
The company, which is taking off with a small investment of Rs.4 lakh, hopes to sell 5,000 shirts in the first year. It also plans to launch other products city based Polo and T-shirts with designs of monuments and freedom fighters, jackets, eyewear, shoes and school bags.
"This is something I am passionate about. I see tremendous scalability in future. It is small startup but we want to strengthen and make it self-sufficient to help the society," said Keshav Reddy, son of G.V. Sanjay Reddy, the vice-chairman of GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd.
"They (my father and grandfather) have given all the support I needed but I want to do something on my own and make sure it goes through. I wanted to try something new," he said.
While making it clear that he will not continue with this venture in future, the junior GVK said if the initiative becomes large and self-sufficient, he would put somebody to handle it.
Keshav Reddy said he started the initiative inspired by noted industrialist Naveen Jindal, who launched Flag Foundation of India at young age to instill in citizens a sense of pride in the national flag.
Ishaan Dodhiwala, co-founder and director, said it would be for profit organization. "We will not be labeling ourselves as someone doing only for charity. We will have reasonable margin even after giving initiative," he said.
The cost-effective business will use social media for marketing. "Our value proposition will be the quality products. We will make it sustainable," added Ishaan.