This is the story of India’s first online Ayurveda store Nirogam.com. Based out of Faridabad, Haryana Nirogam was started by an engineering college dropout Mr. Puneet Aggarwal. When he started, Puneet didn’t have any knowledge about start-ups, VC, funding, etc. He started Nirogam as a normal businessman and took bank loans to start his business.
The internet boom of the 1990s in the USA and UK was a boon for Nirogam. Now let’s see how an engineering college dropout established India’s first online Ayurveda store.
Initial Struggle
Alongside his study of class XII, Puneet used to attend coaching classes for IIT admissions. During that time, in August 1995, the World Wide Web (WWW) was launched in India. Puneet quickly learned about the world wide web and found ways to earn money from this.
He started learning HTML and assisted people who wanted to build their websites and also sold them webspace. He helped people in sending emails and charged ₹ 25 for sending one email. During this period, he came in contact with Dr. Pushpa Khanna who needed a new web page to print her research. Dr. Khanna wanted Puneet to discuss her research with universities on her behalf.
First Step to Success
Dr. Khanna had developed a unique medicine from the bitter guard for diabetes, which she named “Gaur Din”. She also wanted Puneet’s assistance in selling this medicine. On the other hand, Puneet’s father’s factory was shut down due to the workers’ strike, and he needed money. So he had to do something quickly to earn food for his family. Dr. Khanna’s diabetes treatment was ready. At that time, diabetes was a major problem, so there was a huge market for this.
Launch of Online Ayurveda Store
During Dr. Khanna’s research work, Puneet contacted all universities by email, and by the time the product was launched, he had a large email database. Today, what is called e-marketing, at that time, this work was done inadvertently by Puneet. He priced the product at $ 35. He sold 12 bottles in the first month and then 18 in the next month.
Puneet says, in the year 2000, internet marketing was easy due to lack of competition. There was no e-market in India. Apparently, Puneet wanted to sell this product in the USA market, where there was a rush of e-commerce. He also said, at that time there was no website selling products and supplements, therefore, success was relatively easy. People abroad wanted to adopt Ayurveda but they were clueless about authentic medicine suppliers.
Expansion of Ayurveda
There was a need to make people aware of Ayurveda so that they could understand their body types and choose Ayurvedic medicines accordingly. Ayurveda says, you need to understand your body first and then you will be able to balance it by consuming appropriate medicine. According to Puneet, Google search is a great help these days, but Nirogam can explain how Ayurveda can be helpful for you. Once people can understand this, it would be a success for Nirogam.
The acceptance of Ayurveda is better than before, but we have a long way to go. Today, a wide range of Nirogam Products are exported to more than 100 countries worldwide. Some of the most selling products for Nirogam are Diabetes Kit, and “Cure Garden” to enhance immunity.
Today, approximately 40% of women are affected by PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) and unfortunately, modern allopathy has no medicine for it. But there is a medicine for the same in Ayurveda. Ayurveda suggests a classical remedy “Kachanar Guggulu”.
Apart from this, people also purchase Organic Chyawanprash of Nirogam. Initially, the products were sold in the USA and UK, but now due to the increased internet penetration, they are gradually being sold in other countries as well.
Future Vision
Nirogam foresees a great future in veterinary ayurvedic medicine. They are already developing nutritional feed to fight poisoning in horses. Nirogam feels that Ayurveda can also promote products for cats and dogs. The irony is that people are confused as they don’t know where to start or whom to ask. There are very few reliable platforms or doctors to rely on.
Puneet wants to make their search easier by launching a platform that will have a pool of reliable Ayurveda doctors to satisfy their curiosity and serve them. Anyone can seek advice in a moment and consult experts without hesitation. Ayurveda is an ancient science and has limitless opportunities. Nirogam is aiming to provide overall guidance to people to lead a healthy and happy life.
To know more about Nirogam, please check:- Website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter.
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