How the Bhilwara bros built a flourishing IT hardware biz from scratch

June 6, 2016

When Lokesh Kasat came to Pune in 2001, he had already made up his mind on starting his own business. He studied for his diploma in computer hardware networking and worked as a trainee engineer without a salary. Now, he runs a computer refurbishing and rental business, along with his brother, which has an annual turnover of Rs 4.5 crore.

Hailing from Bhilwara district in Rajasthan, Kasat finished his diploma studies and worked as a system administrator in a firm. He was keen on starting his own venture and in 2004 he quit his job and gave newspaper advertisements for a door-to-door service as a computer doctor. He had about five to six customers daily.

“The first six months were a struggle. I would cover an average of 100 kms every day on my bike, riding to different parts of the city where I was needed. I have no relatives here either so I had to start from scratch,” Kasat narrates.

In 2006, after his brother Pankaj Kasat joined, the duo purchased their first office and Global Networking Resources (GNR) Pvt. Ltd. was born. They had more clients and started receiving annual maintenance contracts as they targeted corporates. Though neither of the brothers could complete their formal education, they now have 42 employees under them, all of whom that hold graduate and postgraduate degrees in engineering. The Kasat brothers also work as mentors and are dedicated to making every trainee’s experience as practical as possible. Committed to making every experience count, the brothers started GNR Institute in 2011 that offered a job-oriented industrial training course.

“More than 500 trainee engineers have worked with us. When I was doing my diploma studies, we hadn’t been shown a single computer part until three months. Theory is important but on the field it is the practical work that matters,” says Lokesh Kasat.

The Kasat brothers have been settled in Pune for over a decade now. When asked about what keeps them glued to the city, they said that it was very easy for them to assimilate with the people here. “We haven’t faced any language barriers. It’s so easy to mix up with people belonging to other cultures. It’s such a safe city with great internal infrastructure,” explains Pankaj Kasat. “Pune is a growing city and there is no shortage of resources. If we stayed back in Rajasthan, we wouldn’t have been able to succeed the way we have in this city!” exclaims Lokesh Kasat. His brother adds that they’re especially fond of the city because of the weather.

Both the brothers hold a significant attachment to prominent landmarks in Pune. The elder Kasat is a loyal visitor of the Mahalaxmi Temple in Sarasbaug while the younger brother is an ardent worshipper at the Dagrusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple in Budhwar Peth.

GNR Solutions is looking at a bright future ahead as the Kasat brothers plan on expanding the venture to cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur and Gurgaon.

“Hard work and the right attitude are crucial for a successful business. The tree of our enterprise has grown and now we’re waiting to savour on the fruits,” states Lokesh.