Sarla Ahuja Built ₹8,244 Cr Empire Without a Degree

When circumstances closed every path, a woman made the sewing machine her weapon… and with that weapon built an empire, whose brilliance is surprising even global brands today. This is the story of Sarla Ahuja, who not only created an identity for herself, but also changed the fate of thousands of women.

The journey began with pain, separation and struggle

The year 1947, the country had become independent but Sarla's life was chained. After coming to India from Sindh (now Pakistan), her family was forced to wander from door to door. At the age of just 10, she lost her home, her identity and her childhood.

After reaching Delhi, the conditions were such that it became difficult to feed oneself, let alone study. Out of compulsion, Sarla started working in a sewing factory at an early age.

Marriage at the age of 16, then household responsibilities… it seemed as if her dream would die here. But Sarla was determined to start from where the world says “it cannot happen”.

When sewing machine changed her fate

In 1974, she started “Shahi Exports” from a small room of her house, with just one sewing machine and Rs 5,000.

The beginning was not easy. Limited resources, complaints from neighbors, hard work day and night… but Sarla did not give up. Slowly, the clothes made by her started reaching America and Europe.

At a time when even going out of the house was a social restriction for women, Sarla went to slums, taught sewing to women, gave them employment. For her, this was not a business, but a revolution.

Today more than 86,000 women are working in Shahi Exports. In 2007, Gap Inc. In partnership with , they also provided training to 75,000 women, with skills like communication, decision making, time management and financial literacy.

Company worth Rs 8,244 crore, 51 factories, 1.15 lakh employees
Today Shahi Exports has become India's largest apparel manufacturing company. This company, which supplies clothes to big brands like Walmart, H&M, Zara and GAP, has reached a turnover of Rs 8,244 crore.