May 16, 2010

Nirmal Lifestyle mall is a landmark in Mulund. With plenty of spaces open to the sky and designed around huge trees, the mall is unlike the typical closed cut off artificial architecture of most malls. There is also a huge residential complex behind the mall.

Nirmal Lifestyle was conceptualized and born of the vision of one man, Dharmesh Jain.  During the real estate slump, he wrote a book titled, ‘There is a winner in you’. Most of the book is filled with homilies such as ‘Work hard’, ‘Be quality conscious’ etc. However, there is one interesting chapter on his father, the late Mr. S.P.Jain, the founder of the company.

Mr.Jain Sr., although diabetic, was a fitness freak. He was Dharmesh’s best friend and could discuss all matters freely and frankly. Apart from encouraging his son to think big in business, he also guided him on personal matters. Dharmesh was in love with a girl called Anju but there was no positive response. The father gave various tips over a long period with the result that finally, Anju consented to marry Dharmesh.

On the day of the engagement, his father, in his excitement forgot to take his regular medicines. He suffered a brain haemorrage and his movements were severely restricted. Typically, there were murmurings that the girl has brought bad luck to the family. A few days later, Jain Sr. called all his relatives to his room. He then mentioned that Anju has brought good luck to the family with her arrival. If it had not been for her, he would not have survived. From that day, Anju replaced him as his father’s best friend.