Union Budget Reaction: Mr. Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, MD, Bikano
“First of all, the government must be congratulated for a comprehensive well-considered budget in what was an extremely taxing economic backdrop thanks to the Covid-19 battle. Now that lives have been saved and we are to feel even safer in the coming month’s thanks to the largest Covid vaccination programme in the world which is underway – the government has to think of livelihoods. And in that respect, taking the right policy measures in the budget 2021 for urban infrastructure, transport, textile, fisheries and encouragement of startups, along with disinvestment and Atma nirbhar Bharat programme and production-linked incentive’s (PLI) with a special focus on 13 sectors would generate sufficient and sustainable employment. Only this would lead to stable incomes and higher purchasing power which would, in turn, generate demand for FMCG and food products and services. Furthermore, the allocation of substantive funds for roads, highways and railways will improve the distribution network and efficiencies of food products and services leading to even higher demand and consumption thereby giving a huge fillip to the latter”, said Mr. Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, Managing Director, Bikano.
Business Profile of Mr. Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, Managing Director, Bikano
Mr Shyam Sundar Agarwal, the Managing Director of Bikanervala, is a second-generation entrepreneur who carries forward his father’s legacy with a thumping success. He belongs to the Lalji family from Bikaner city in Rajasthan, famous for its namkeen shop, which later gave way to the ‘Bikanervala’ brand. In 1950, Mr Shyam’s father and uncle moved to Delhi in the wake of expanding their traditional business. They started a shop with the name of Bikaner Bhujia Bhandar in the Paranthe Wali Gali of Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area. In 1965, at the age of 16, he also joined his father’s shop and learned the art of making sweets. Since then, there was no looking back.
Keeping abreast of the latest trends in the field of sweets and namkeen items, Mr Shyam Sundar Agarwal launched Bikano in 1988 to sell the products in air-tight packaging. In 2003, he came up with quick-service restaurants with the name of Bikano Chat Cafes, to serve fast food with minimal table service. Having served the group for more than 55 years now, he has created new benchmarks for Quality, R&D and Innovative Processes that have fetched thriving results for Bikanervala.
Together with his son and the Group’s Director, Mr Manish Aggarwal, he has taken the group to so far untouched heights. As a token of acknowledgement for his selfless contribution to the Nation, Mr Shyam Sundar Agarwal also received the Lifetime Achievement Award, by Ram Nath Kovind, President of India at Platinum Jubilee Conference of All India Food Processors Association in 2018.
