Dr. Kailash Goenka: The Driving Force Behind the Success of Sankalp Group

In the busy streets of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a young man named Kailash Goenka stood before his modest restaurant in 1980. Little did he know that this small establishment would be the foundation of an empire spanning continents.

The Indian entrepreneurship scene has its shining stars, and one such star is Dr. Kailash Goenka, the Chairman and Managing Director of Sankalp Group. From an epicurean to a benefactor, he is everything in between on this entrepreneurial journey characterized by creativity, hard work, and flexibility by distinctive business leaders of our time.

As customers flocked to taste his innovative South Indian cuisine, Dr. Goenka's vision grew. He began his ground-breaking journey in 1980 with the launch of the first Sankalp restaurant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It all began as a local business and has expanded to an international concern with over two hundred and fifty eating joints around the world. This unprecedented growth in such a short span is attributed to the inherent ability of man, his vision, and his relentless pursuit of quality.

With each passing year, Dr. Goenka's ambitions expanded beyond the kitchen. During his leadership, Sankalp Group further expanded its business wings in many fields, such as hospitality, manufacturing and distribution, packed foods, and finance. An important development was the opening of the first Ramada Hotel in Ahmedabad in September 2010, as well as the Ramada Encore at the Statue of Unity in October 2019.

Dr. Goenka's journey took a monumental turn when they got associated with the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), bringing the iconic Taj brand to Ahmedabad. A new canopy opened for hospitality in the city with Taj Skyline and Taj Gandhinagar Resort & Spa. The most recent undertaking by the group, the Comfort Inn in the Kevadiya District, inaugurated in 2023, is an added advantage in enhancing its dominance in the hospitality market.

"Our vision is to create value in every sector we enter," Dr. Goenka stated. "We're committed to bringing quality and innovation to our customers, whether in dining, hospitality, packaged foods, or education."

The story of Sankalp's growth is also a tale of culinary innovation. Dr. Goenka's creative gene is most evident across Sankalp Packaged Foods, which deals in a wide range of 'Easy to Use' products. The purpose of this business is to bring close-source, quality Indian food products to the global market, available in convenient packs following the advancement of time.

From a single restaurant to a conglomerate, the Sankalp Group's ascent has been nothing short of remarkable. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing enterprises in India. It has received many accolades worth mentioning. The organization has been featured twice in the Guinness Book of Records. His personal journey mirrors that of his company. In 2021, he was featured in the Forbes India December issue, titled "Roaring 50s". Various national and international bodies have recognized the group for its excellence in entrepreneurship and hospitality, and they have consistently won the Times Food Award from 2008 to 2023. However, it's not the end, but the beginning.

As we look back on the four decades since that first restaurant opened its doors, the journey of Dr. Kailash Goenka and the Sankalp Group is a heartfelt reminder of what is possible when leaders have imagination, continue evolving themselves, and meet all ethical requirements. Starting from nothing much at all, it has now grown into something that is changing lives for people with very different backgrounds all over India and even beyond.