From a Lakh to 165 crores: Faruk Patel's inspiring journey,which has just begun!

“The Bold approach of Self-Assuredness (Domineering) nurtures even in the Adversity of Privileges.” A person whose life personifies this adage is Faruk Patel, the Chairman and Managing Director of Surat-based Seven companies under the Brand Name - KP Group, which includes two Public Listed Renewable Energy Companies.

Faruk, who comes from humble family background, laid the foundation stone of KP Group with a capital of Rs. 1 lakh over 25 years back. As a result of his vision and untiring efforts, the Group is a multi-crore rupee business empire today, with the two listed entities alone - solar power developer KPI Global Infrastructure Ltd and wind energy projects developer KP Energy Ltd - having a market cap of over Rs. 165 crore. The five other group companies are also doing very well in their respective businesses and have grown in the same manner.

Faruk, whose father Mr. Gulam Ali Patel was a bus conductor, had set his sights high since he was a young boy. After completing a diploma in textile engineering, he set up his first venture with the acronym KP, which attributes from his native village “KOTHI” and his surname “PATEL” i.e. KOTHIWALA PATEL, in the year 1994. The name KP, today, has become a brand and prefix to the companies under the group. The firm started with the business of construction contract, and later forayed into mobile phone tower installation under the parent company KP Buildcon Pvt. Ltd. After executing hundreds of projects in 16 states, pan India over a period of 13 years, Faruk decided to persify, and forayed into the renewable energy space, by setting up KPI Global Infrastructure Ltd (KPIGIL) in 2008, a solar power business, followed by Wind Energy in 2010 with KP EnergyLtd. Both companies are primarily focused on Gujarat, and have a successful track record.

KPIGIL owns more than 70 MW of solar power projects so far in Sudi, Bhimpura, and Tanchha villages of Bharuch, while developing another 36 MW projects which are under execution or in planning stages. Faruk has set an ambitious target of developing 1,000 MW solar power projects by 2025.

The other listed firm KP Energy Ltd is an end-to-end turnkey solutions provider for wind power projects. The company is managing 200 MW wind power generation at present. It is also working on the 250.8 MW project near Dwarka awarded by CLP India in 2020. Its total order book is over 1GW, which is targeted to be executed in the next two-and-a-half years.

Asked about the secret of his success, Faruk says, “I have always set high targets for myself, and have worked hard to achieve them, which compels me to think differently from others and take the road less travelled. I work as hard today as I used to, back then in 1994. Of course, there have been many ups and downs over the last 25 years, but these have only strengthened my resolve. My courage to resolve any issue stems from the belief of my team leaders and HOD when they bring any unsolved issue as a last resort to me. This gives me the belief that I am capable of solving any challenge in front of me. I believe if you have faith in God and keep working hard, success will be yours.”