04 April,2011 07:03 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
After taking voluntary retirement from police, Wadekar aids wife in small-time herbal business transforming it into huge venture
From earning Rs 15,000 per month to an annual turnover of Rs 18 lakh in a span of three years, little did 49-year-old Jaywant Wadekar know that his fortune would turn for theu00a0 good, once he aids his wife in her small business.
The early days: Jaywant Wadekar when he was a constable
Wadekar's wife used to sell and promote food supplement tablets of a known herbal brand from home and earned meagre profits from the business. After taking voluntary retirement from the police force, Wadekar employed his skills as a salesman and contacts to expand the business. With some more investment of money and hard work, the returns started to become apparent and profits continued to grow with every passing month.
Changed fortunes: Jaywant Wadekar and his wife Surekha during a
recent foreign trip to Kuala Lumpur
Wadekar admits that his annual turnover is almost Rs 18 lakh and he diligently pays his taxes. "I opted out of my 26-year-long service because it is was high-tension job and required me to work at least 12 hours a day," he said. "Working in any service, under other people, seldom gives you a chance to prosper or aspire big. I broke that barrier to start on a venture of my own."u00a0u00a0
Wadekar, who was living in a two-room house at the Police Colony in Shivaji Nagar, has now purchased a 2 BHK lavish flat at a posh locality in Mukund Nagar. His two-wheeler has been replaced by a new car and as any other successful businessman, he too has toured Malaysia, and several countries in Europe. Wadekar said that he had purchased property worth Rs 1.5 crore and aspiring to earn over a crore per month.
His wife Surekha Wadekar, said: "My husband's moral support in the beginning and later his physical participation made a small venture big."u00a0From starting with a salary of Rs 7,000 per month, Wadekar has come a long way. "I used to go barefoot to the school, and now we are paying Rs 1.25 lakh fee for my son who studies in an international school. Now I can also afford to donate Rs 50,000 to my school at Rajgurunagar to purchase new benches," he said.
