A Safe Job and a Restless Idea
Dr Himanshu Gandhi had what most people would call a settled future — a government job as an administrative officer, with all the stability that comes with it. Yet that very stability left the entrepreneur in him uneasy. Looking closely at the market, he noticed that while there was no shortage of companies selling baby products, hardly any of them seemed to genuinely understand the trust and worries of parents. It was this gap between the consumer and the company that kept nagging at him.
Determined to fill that gap, he began his own research and, along with his team, set out on a risky journey roughly 10 years ago — one that has since turned into a remarkable success. The brand in question is the Indian baby-products company Mother Sparsh, whose products today carry the trust of millions of consumers.
It All Began With Just ₹10 Lakh
Himanshu started out with an investment of only ₹10 lakh. His thinking was clear: a baby-care product had to be designed specifically for Indian children. He began building products keeping in mind the local climate, the changing weather, and the sensitivity of children's skin. His entire focus stayed on solving the real problems parents faced, and on the strength of quality and transparency he soon won consumers over.
Betting on Trust, Not Glamour
Before setting up the company, Dr Himanshu noticed something crucial — most brands sold themselves on attractive packaging, fragrances and celebrity advertisements rather than on the genuine trust of parents. He decided that instead of glamorising the product, he would let its quality do the talking, since that is what actually earns trust. To do this, he combined the prescriptions of doctors who treat children with centuries-old traditional systems of medicine to develop his products.
Sampling Instead of Advertising
Himanshu admits that making products and running a company in the baby-care segment is far from easy. In the early days he had only limited personal savings and very few resources. That is precisely why, rather than pouring money into advertisements, he invested in product sampling and user experience. He sent his samples to hospitals and went out among people to understand parents' experiences firsthand.
The Strategy Pays Off: Revenue Touches ₹150 Crore
This approach gradually began to bear fruit, and within a few years Mother Sparsh came to be recognised as a premium, toxic-free brand. In financial year 2025, the company's revenue crossed the ₹150 crore mark. According to the company's website, more than 50 lakh parents have connected with it so far. The company estimates that its growth in financial year 2026 could be in the range of 40 to 50 percent, and it has already begun working on reaching new categories and new markets.
Big Investors Step In: ITC's 49.3% Stake
Given the brand's growing popularity and trust, large companies and investors have started betting openly on it. ITC, a giant in the FMCG sector, has raised its stake in Mother Sparsh to 49.3 percent. The company is confident that its products will penetrate the Indian market even more rapidly in the time to come.
Beyond Baby Care, Towards Family Wellness
Dr Himanshu now wants to take the brand beyond baby care and establish it as a family wellness brand. He explained that, alongside strengthening its existing categories, the company is preparing to step into the personal care and hygiene segments as well. While the emphasis so far has been on building an online presence, work is now beginning on expanding the offline reach. His view is that rather than chasing rapid growth blindly, the company is prioritising quality and trust.
