Propelled Towards Success

MARWAR talks to Akshat Ghiya, who chose to broaden his horizons by building his own company, Glazetech Industries, rather than working in the family business.

Text: Joseph Rozario
Photographs: Amit Sankhla

He spent his childhood in Italy, teens in Switzerland and young adulthood in America. With a successful family business in Italy and opportunities galore, there was no reason for this young entrepreneur to start his own business in the heart of Jaipur’s industrial hub. Yet Akshat Ghiya faced all challenges head on, armed with will and vision.

Different worlds

Ghiya has his roots in Rajasthan’s Khandelwal community, and is the son of Brijesh and Namrata Ghiya, who are settled in Italy. Starting with an English school in Italy, he went on to Aiglon College, a Swiss boarding school, before going to Northwestern University in Chicago, where he studied Economics and International Relations. Notwithstanding the challenges of adapting to different environments, Ghiya feels lucky to have grown up in three different countries. “My childhood experiences have taught me about many different cultures and moulded me into an extroverted, adaptive, and curious person,” he says.

Off his own bat

Ghiya established Glazetech Industries (P) Ltd in late 2004, which manufactures colour-coated aluminium coils and aluminium composite panels used for cladding facades. Ghiya’s obvious talent for business may have something to do with the fabled business sense that Marwaris are said to possess, but more importantly, it stems from an inner drive to be successful.

be successful. “I did not want to have a business handed over to me; I wanted to create something on my own,” says Ghiya. “I decided that the family business (which deals with precious stones) in Italy could wait a few years, and maybe, I would be able to create something bigger, better, and entirely mine.” Towards this, Ghiya has had the support of his parents, especially his father, who has been his mentor since childhood. “Despite having an old established business, and despite my being the only son, my parents supported me.”