Young Santiago chased his dream, fought against several odds and finally reached his goal in Paul Coelho?s Alchemist. Girish Malhotra has not read Coelho?s novel that inspired many across the world to follow their heart, but he too firmly believes that one should always act upon his/her dreams in order to succeed in life.

?Unless you dream big you cannot succeed in life. Having seen a dream you must have the determination and patience to realise it,? says Malhotra, owner of Kashmir Vastralaya, Hotel Chinar and Chasme Shahi restaurant and president of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

So is ?dreaming big? his success mantra? Malhotra smiles and says honesty is another important step to success. ?A businessman has to be honest and truthful. I often hear people saying that one cannot be a honest businessman. But I beg to differ. I have achieved so much without giving up on my principles.?

Malhotra further advises, ?A businessman should also take care of his customers? needs. One cannot climb up the success ladder by ignoring the interests of his/her customers,? he says.

Malhotra also staunchly believes in family ties. He feels success is impossible without the support of near and dear ones.

Malhotra runs Kashmir Vastralaya, along with his brothers, Kamal and Sanjay and his uncle, Chandra Mohan Kapoor. His sons Sandeep and Manish and other family members also help him from time to time. ?Kashmiri Vastralaya is a one-stop shop for the entire family. It is a complete shopping experience. Other than things of daily use, one will get fashionable items too.?

?My father, Shadi Lal Malhotra, migrated to Ranchi from Muzaffarabad (now in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) before the Partition. In Ranchi, he joined his brother-in-law Kala Ram Kapoor?s business. He used to run an Army canteen. Today, Kala Ram Kapoor?s son Chandra Mohan Kapoor is the head of the family. We all look up to him,? says Malhotra.

In 1957, Shadi Lal Malhotra established Kashmir Cloth Store and then in 1964 he started Kashmir Vastralaya. But Kashmir Vastralaya in its present form came into existence in 1987. Malhotra started looking after the shop from 1974. ?It was not a dream run for us. We faced a lot of financial difficulties in the beginning. But our hard work, honesty and perseverance paid off. We soon earned a good reputation and clients started pouring in,? says Malhotra.

Malhotra further adds: ?The customer is king. The customers? interests and needs are our top priorities. We ensure that we have the best of brands and quality products. And all this at a very reasonable price. Our customer service has always been excellent.?

On the increasing competition in the business world, Malhotra says: ?We keep a constant tab on the market. We hold daily meetings to discuss changing trends and developments in the market. We also visit other metros and foreign countries to get a feedback on the latest fashion trends. We update our collection accordingly.?

According to Malhotra, there are many more new ventures in the pipeline. The Malhotras are planning to open a departmental store, a shopping mall and a five-star hotel.

According to Malhotra, the state capital offers a conducive atmosphere for businessmen. But he feels there is always scope for improvement.

Malhotra also feels that Ranchi offers far more facilities to businessmen than Patna, where the rangdari system has dealt a blow to traders.

But apart from business, Malhotra takes time off for other activities as well. Last month he became the president of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

On how he strikes a balance between his personal and professional life, Malhotra says: ?I don't find much difficulty in managing time for my family, business and my social obligations. It comes naturally to me. Inner conviction is my guiding force. If you believe you can do something, then time should not be a constraining factor. Conviction can do wonders.?

Malhotra has a spiritual bent of mind and relaxes by meditating every morning. He is also a fitness freak and makes it a point to exercise early every morning. That keeps him fit even at the age of 51.

Malhotra says he is lucky to have a supportive wife. ?My wife, Rekha, has stood by me through all the good and bad times. She boosts my morale when I am down and is my best friends. I don?t know what I would have done without her,? he says.

Malhotra says one must have self-confidence to realise his/her dreams. ?After you see a dream, which is a picture of what you want, you should start working honestly in that direction. One must also have dedication and determination to reach his/her destination. And there is no short cut to success. This does not apply only to business, but to any other field,? says Malhotra.

Malhotra feels young entrepreneurs should first chalk out a detailed plan of their project. ?If you work hard towards your goal, success is bound to be yours,? he added.

Navtan