Prashant Talwalkar Managing director, Talwalkars Better Value Business was always in my blood. I wanted to do nothing else,” says Prashant Talwalkar, the man behind the eponymous health chain brand. It’s rare to meet someone who’s so focussed and knows exactly what he wants from life. But Talwalkar, the managing director of Talwalkars Better Value, is that sort of person. Talwalkar had a very normal childhood by all standards. He did his initial schooling from Sharda Ashram, Shivaji Park, Mumbai, and then shifted to BPM School. Later, he graduated in science from Jai Hind College, Mumbai, and also started doing his LLB from National College. That, however, remained an unfinished story as he ended up not completing his law degree. He has no regrets on that account, though. Says Talwalkar: “Studies were never my forte. I was always more keen on sports and never came second on the field.” Prashant Talwalkar is the third generation in the health business. Talwalkars was established in 1932 and is India’s largest chain of health centres. It has 50,000 members and 33 ultramodern branches across major cities in the country. And even though Prashant inherited the business from his grandfather (the original Mr Talwalkar) and father, he never took his place for granted. “Just because it was handed down to me doesn’t mean that the road was easy. In fact, it was all the more challenging because I had to live up to their name and reputation as well as take the business forward under a different set of circumstances,” says Talwalkar. He also wanted to be thoroughly trained in the business, as “our family didn’t believe in being a boss from the first day”. So, two years were spent learning, right from cleaning the gym to maintaining it. This apprenticeship stood him in good stead as he got acquainted with different aspects of the business. “My objective was to absorb and learn as much as I could. And I did just that by becoming an expert in every facility that we had, which included massage, bodybuilding and yoga,” says Talwalkar. This helped immensely as knowing the business inside out meant that no one could take him for a ride. Talwalkar details some of his early problems. Says he: “Initially, there was a 300 per cent duty on goods, so it was difficult for us to get the equipment. Also, India was not really looked upon as a country with growth potential (with reference to the fitness business) as the culture of eating well was firmly entrenched. Thus, the equipment was costly and we got absolutely no discounts.” Today, things are very different. All that he needs to do now is to give a call and suppliers come scurrying to his side, with amazing offers in tow. This leap of faith from the suppliers’ side required a lot of doing. But Talwalkar has a simple mantra. “Be creative and people will follow you. Also, give what you promise and stand by your commitments,” says he. The strategy has paid off well. The beauty and health business — at Rs 500-600 crore — is huge and is slated to touch Rs 2,000 crore in the next two years. This has been possible mainly due to an attitudinal change. “Everybody wants to look and feel good, so the potential in this field is huge,” smiles a satisfied Talwalkar. But he is not a man to sit on his laurels. He is forever thinking up ideas to improve his business. This is what explains the gym-in-the-mall concept for which his firm has tied up with Pantaloons. “We want to serve everyone and want to touch the 100 gym mark. So, despite the fact that the business is family-owned, we decided to venture out for expanding our dream and have joined hands with Gawande Consultants,” says Talwalkar. He also wants to enter the spa business and build gyms for corporate houses. With so much on his plate, does he find time to unwind? “Of course,” he says. “I like watching English movies and take off on a family vacation for at least eight to 10 days, twice a year. I also follow Sukyo Mahikari (a spiritual training from Japan) which is all about soul healing.” Sukyo Mahikari believes in the art of the True Light that purifies the mind and the body. The mind is another matter; but Talwalkar has probably a better way of purifying the body. Based on a conversation with Shibani Chattopadhyay in Calcutta