Imprinting Inspiration On The Path Of Success

Prakash Ghodke, Typographica Press Services

He came to Pune in 1963, studied at BMCC, use to sleep in the Hanuman Tekdi Mandir, took bath on the municipal tap in his young age when his counterparts use to ride in Fiat’s and soak in luxury.

He was working on a petrol pump, and use to get 5/- rupees for a few hours. Later the time changed when he used to fill petrol worth thousands on the same petrol pump.

Prakash Ghodke who is affectionately known, Kaka Ghodke, tried a lot of businesses before trying his luck in printing.

Currently 75 years old—an age when others reach for their walking sticks—Kaka guides budding printing entrepreneurs to reach for the stars. Although his prowess has made him an icon in the print industry, Kaka is a farmer by heart and deeply spiritual in his beliefs, regularly donating food and other essentials to the needy.

Making of an Icon

Prakash Ghodke started out as a trainer in the 62nd Maharashtra Battalion, in 1963. A year later he transferred to the forest department. He soon realized that typical office jobs could not satisfy him; he needed something more challenging. Print was still in its infancy in India at the time. As chance would have it a friend of his father’s was setting up a printing press in Pune. Prakash joined him, and in 1970 at ‘Dutta Prakash Mudran’. The press was rechristened Typographica’in 1975.

Driven by Quality

Word of Typographica’s quality and Kaka’s ethical approach soon spread, and business flourished. Soon he was able to purchase the same property where he had started his press on a rental agreement. Kaka’s commitment to delivering the highest quality means using only the best. Currently, Typographica has multi colour offset printing machines, digital printing machines, Binding setup. All machines are imported from Japan and Germany. This obsession with quality has in turn won Kaka a big and loyal base of corporate clients.

Ethics Meets Excellence

Not all business dealings proceed smoothly, and like others, Kaka too has faced his share of late and unpaid bills. But his emphasis has always been on mutual understanding and smooth functioning. “My path was not always smooth. I have experienced many ups and downs in my entrepreneurial journey. Sometimes work got cancelled, sometimes financial or time pressure was there. However, I learnt to find the way out of the problem. I am satisfied as I earned goodwill, social status and respect,” he says.

As in sales efforts, so too in his procurement, Kaka’s dealings are transparent and fair, which is why suppliers line up to win his orders. 20-strong workforce also enjoys the same measure of fairness. Every employee is provided with insurance covering travel between home and workplace.

Quality and integrity, the twin pillars that both support Typographica and propel its growth—also drive Ghodke Kaka’s wife Jyoti and younger brother Pradeep, who have been with him since the inception of the business. His younger son Nileaysh, an MBA, has also joined the management of the business, recently. His elder son Rajesh is an IIT graduate and also a successful entrepreneur in software industry.

Industry Recognition

Ghodke Kaka has been on the Board of Directors of ‘The Poona Press Owners Association’ for more than 20 odd years. He is also been a Governing Council member of ‘All India Federation of Master Printers’ since the past 20 years.

Kaka’s unit, Typographica has been awarded ‘National Award for Excellence in Printing’, and will soon receive an ISO certification.

Holistic Living

As he has throughout his life, Ghodke Kaka still continues to keep himself busy in various activities. Meditation and exercise are daily routines. Every week he travels to his native place in Satara district to work on his farm, where he cultivates onion as a major crop as well as other food grains, and sugar cane. While he is a farmer at heart, he understands the need to look beyond traditional cultivation techniques to improve farm yield.

His ancestral home in the village Lonand has a temple where Ghodke and their family celebrate Ram Navami Utsav and Gurupaurnima. They also serve ‘warkaris’during the Ashadhi Wari since the past 70 years.

“The new generation is ready to work smart rather than hard. One should do internship in the initial phase to understand the importance of time management, decision making and patience. Be happy at your end,” says Kaka sharing his business mantra for the next-generation of entrepreneurs.

www.typographica.co.in
info@typographica.co.in