They managed to secure a personal loan from their followers, Sunita and Sarwan Sam Poddar.
Yoga guru Ramdev and his company Patanjali have become household names today with a market capitalisation of Rs 55490 crore. However, their journey began with humble origins with a couple played a significant role in their success.
In 2006, Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna embarked on establishing their company, despite lacking even a bank account. They managed to secure a personal loan from their followers, Sunita and Sarwan Sam Poddar.
Sunita and Sarwan 'Sam' Poddar, residents of Scotland, displayed their support by purchasing Little Cumbrae Island for two million pounds and gifting it to Baba Ramdev in 2009. By 2011, they held a substantial number of shares in Patanjali Ayurved, making them the second largest stakeholders in the company after Acharya Balkrishna.
Sunita's life was deeply influenced by Baba Ramdev, particularly in her journey to weight loss through yoga. Inspired by him, she convinced her husband to donate the island and a considerable amount of money. Subsequently, Sunita became the trustee of Patanjali Yog Peeth Trust in the UK.
Sunita, born in Mumbai and raised in Kathmandu, is now one of Glasgow's wealthiest women. She offers yoga classes and trains yoga teachers, having met Baba Ramdev during his visit to Glasgow. On the other hand, Sam Poddar, born in Bihar, moved to Glasgow at a young age. Sunita joined him after their marriage at the age of 18.
Sam, an engineer by profession, ventured into entrepreneurship by purchasing a home-care business in the 1980s. Sunita, initially managing a gas station, later joined her husband's business, contributing to its success.
Baba Ramdev's early struggles, as he mentioned not having enough funds even for the registration of Divya Pharmacy in 1995, are indicative of his journey as a relatively unknown yoga teacher.
With the surge in Ramdev's popularity, the Poddars extended substantial loans to support the expansion of his company. Presently, Sunita holds the position of CEO and founder of Oakminster Healthcare, a renowned home care and rehabilitation service in Scotland. Their philanthropic efforts and contributions were recognized through features in various publications in 2011.
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