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Saumya Vardhan: Riding High on the $ 30 billion Blue Ocean
EXCERPTS
DIVERSE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
In the Indian context, religion and the religious conventions had deep-rooted connections with the day-to-day lives of the people`. Religious conventions were an omnipresent force in the homes and lives of most Indians long before smartphones and e-commerce entered the picture. India was home to a diverse range of belief systems, with a special inclination toward spirituality. Hindu communities in India followed a broad spectrum of religious customs that ranged from marriage to business and the practices were often split between the home and the temple. As per a survey, 89 percent of households in India spent money on “performing religious rites at home,” which included religious offerings, materials for puja, rituals and ceremonies, and charities. It was observed that Indians did not hesitate to spend their hard-earned money on visiting places of worship. Religious tourism was a booming sector in the country with 50 percent of leisure travel in India being related to it. Temples and popular pilgrimages attracted thousands of visitors. Vardhan felt the scenario was just right for her to launch a start-up venture in the religion space.... |
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THAT INCIDENT…
Delhi-based Vardhan was convinced that there were at least two things on which Indians did not mind spending beyond what they could afford – weddings and religion...
LAUNCHNG SHUBHPUJA
Soon after doing due diligence in the area, in 2012, Vardhan moved from London to New Delhi to hoist her entrepreneurial flag in the religious e-commerce domain. ..
GROWTH
Officially launched in 2013, Shubhpuja, with its apt caption “Connecting to God in one click”, witnessed quick acceptance as an official religious services provider...
MODUS OPERANDI
Vardhan was driven by the vision to revolutionize the mammoth Indian religion industry. This, according to her, was possible only by educating people so they could appreciate the rich history and culture of the country...
POPULARITY
In 2014, Shubhpuja bagged rank #2 in the category of most inspiring start-ups in India on a popular startup portal www.yourstory.com and was featured by more than 30 global media houses that included Forbes, CNBC, LA Times, Voice of America, New York Magazine, OMNI TV Canada, CNA Taiwan, Zee News, Hindustan Times, Economic Times, and Indian Express...
CHALLENGES
As in the case of any other start-up, Vardhan’s too was not devoid of challenges. In fact, there were more uncertainties because she had chosen a road less traveled and one that was sensitive...
EARLY SUCCESS AND THE ROAD AHEAD
In a year’s time – by 2014, Shubhpuja developed about 100 clients that included international clients from Russia, the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK....
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 A Glance at Major Hindu Festivals and Rituals
Exhibit 2 Shubhpuja’s Products/ Services with Prices- at a Glance
