Nehru Was The Brain Behind This Cosmetic Brand That's A Part Of Every Indian Woman's Makeup Kit
We know Nehru as this great political figure who fought for our country's independence from the British and went on to become the PM. Nehru, a believer of democratic socialism, implemented many policies that improved India's economy as well as its image on the international platform.
But did you know that this great politician was also the brain behind one of the most popular cosmetic brands today?
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Back in the 1950s, India was a newly independent country with a frail economy. Nehru, who was sworn in as the country's first PM, was concerned that women from middle and upper class families were spending their foreign exchange money on buying imported cosmetic products.
Nehru realised that there were no Indian cosmetic products in the market to compete with the foreign ones. So, he decided to find a solution.
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Nehru approached JRD Tata, the French-born entrepreneur of Indian origin, who was also the only businessman at the time capable enough of bringing about a revolutionary change in the whole scenario.
Tata did an extensive research on the Indian market. His main aim was to come up with a product that not only appeals to the Indian women, but is also affordable.
So, with a hint of sophistication borrowed from a French Opera of the same name and a touch of desi feel from Lakshmi, the Indian goddess, Lakmé was born.
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Finally, in 1952, Lakmé started its operations as a subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills. Simone Tata, Naval H. Tata's wife, joined as its managing director in 1961 and went on to become its chairperson in 1982.
Simone Tata is also credited with popularizing Lakmé in India.
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Later, in 1996, Tata sold Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever for Rs 200 crore.
Today, Lakmé is not only a household name in India, but also an incredibly popular cosmetic brand on global level. It makes for such an interesting story that a beauty brand that finds a place in every India woman's makeup kit was actually the brainchild of our first PM!