From ₹55 Salary to ₹1,250 Crore: The Ajanta Clock Story

In 1971, a science teacher earning ₹55 per month was recruited into a partnership because three businessmen needed someone with a science background. Odhavji Raghavji Patel had no business experience, no entrepreneurial ambitions—just six children to feed and limited resources. For three years, the company saw only losses. The other three partners quit. But the teacher stayed. Today, Ajanta-Orpat Group is the world's largest wall clock manufacturer, generates ₹1,250 crore in revenue, exports to 45 countries, and employs over 4,500 people. This is the story of how a reluctant entrepreneur became the "Father of Wall Clocks" and built an empire that quietly ticks in millions of Indian homes.

The Reluctant Beginning: A Teacher Becomes an Entrepreneur (1971)

Odhavji Raghavji Patel was born into a Gujarati farming family. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming a pilot. After completing his B.Sc., however, his traditional and conservative family did not support pursuing that dream. Instead, Odhavji chose teaching, starting as a science teacher at a high school in Morbi, Gujarat, for a salary of around ₹55 per month.

He taught science for 27 years, but as years passed, he realized his resources were severely limited. With six children to raise, a teacher's salary wasn't enough. Odhavji wanted to do something bigger but was unsure what a science teacher could do on his own.

The opportunity came unexpectedly in 1971. Some people in Morbi wanted to start a clock manufacturing business and were looking for partners. Odhavji did not hesitate. In 1971, he and a few partners pooled in ₹1 lakh and started Ajanta Transistor Clock Manufacturing Company. From a small, rented premises, he and his partners started making mechanical clocks.

Odhavji was recruited as one of the partners in the company purely because the three other businessmen wanted someone with a science background. With no prior business experience, Odhavji found himself in a business partnership where he was initially the odd one out.

The Dark Years: Losses and Loneliness (1971-1974)

For the first three years, the company only saw losses. Making mechanical clocks required precision, imported components, and market understanding—none of which came easily. Sales were slow. Cash flow was terrible. The business seemed doomed.

One could argue that Odhavji's lack of business background is the reason why the company exists today. When losses continued mounting, the initial group of three partners decided to exit the business. They had other ventures, other options. For them, this failed experiment was a write-off.

But Odhavji decided to stay on and make it work. He had invested not just money but hope. Teaching paid ₹55 monthly—this business, despite current losses, represented possibility. So the science teacher who never wanted to be a businessman became the sole owner of a failing clock company.

Father and Son: The Partnership That Changed Everything (1975)

In 1975, Odhavji inducted his 19-year-old son, Pravin Patel, into the business. Until then, the company focused on making manual wall clocks—mechanical clocks that required winding. The market was limited, competition was growing, and profitability remained elusive.

Then came the decision that transformed everything. In a move that changed the fortunes of the business, Odhavji and Pravin travelled to Japan and Taiwan in 1975. There, they discovered quartz technology—a revolutionary system where clocks used an electric oscillator regulated by a quartz crystal to keep time. With this technology, clocks no longer had to be wound.

They brought the quartz technology to India, becoming the first to introduce it east of the Suez Canal. The business was rebranded as Ajanta Quartz. This wasn't just adopting new technology—it was pioneering a category in India.

The Breakthrough Product: 'Janta' Clock (1985-1986)

India's first quartz clock, called 'Janta', was launched in 1985-86 and gained immense popularity in the market. The name itself was brilliant—'Janta' means "the people" in Hindi, positioning the clock as accessible to all Indians, not just the wealthy elite.

The Janta clock delivered on its promise: accurate timekeeping without winding, affordable pricing, and reliable performance. Word spread rapidly. Retailers demanded more stock. Orders multiplied. The science teacher's gamble was finally paying off spectacularly.

Scaling Production: The Women Workforce Revolution

As demand exploded, Odhavji and Pravin faced a new challenge: scaling production from 100 clocks per month to thousands. They needed a large, reliable workforce willing to work in manufacturing.

After Vanitaben (Odhavji's family member, exact relationship unclear from sources) joined the company, Patel managed to convince women and their families from villages within a 65km radius—such as Paddhari, Tankara, Maliya, Dhrol, and Morbi—to work at Ajanta. The company provides bus transportation to all these employees, driven by the women themselves on designated routes every morning.

The opportunity caught the attention of women from the region. A large number of them thronged Ajanta's facilities and showed interest in joining work. Odhavji and Pravin gave employment to a large number of women workers to scale production. From making 100 clocks per month, they reached 1.35 crore clocks per year. Today, the group has a massive workforce of over 4,500 women.

"The women learnt discipline, value of time and how to make money working at the factories. All these learnings help them in running their family and dealing with their family members and people around. This has helped make society better," Odhavji Patel said about his workforce.

According to Nevil Patel (third-generation leader and current Chairman), the company wouldn't have reached its position today without the female workforce, both in manufacturing and management. "From my mother to every female employee that we have now, they are the backbone of the company," he said.

Diversification: The Birth of Orpat (1991-1996)

In 1991, Odhavji opened a new factory—Orpat Industrial Estate—which had eight buildings, each meant for different types of operations. The name "Orpat" was derived from Odhavji Raghavji Patel's initials: O.R. Patel.

Between 1991 and 1996, Ajanta introduced another subsidiary called Orpat and launched calculators and telephones. He continued importing machinery and key components from Taiwan and Japan, making the company and its products the most competitive in the domestic as well as international markets.

In 1996, Ajanta Orpat started making telephones and calculators. In a short span of time, the company also became India's largest calculator manufacturer. Soon enough, Orpat began manufacturing different consumer electronics and home appliances such as room heaters, mixer grinders, choppers, hand blenders, fans, and even switch boards.

Corporate Entities: Formal Structure (1989)

As the business grew, formal corporate structures were established. Ellora Time Private Limited was incorporated on December 4, 1989, as part of the Ajanta Group to handle manufacturing of calculators, educational toys, telephones, multimeters, and related products.

Also in 1989, Ajanta Watch Limited was incorporated to handle watch-related businesses. This entity was later renamed Ajanta India Limited, reflecting the broader scope beyond watches.

The Unofficial Title: World's Largest Wall Clock Manufacturer

Nevil credits his father Pravin Patel with the company's foray into such a wide category of products. Speaking about his father, Nevil says: "Even today when you meet my father the first thing that will strike you is how non-entrepreneur like he is. His pride comes in making India proud, building something that will last the test of time. He is not one to care much for the numbers and impact that the company makes."

Bagging the title of the World's Largest Wall Clock Manufacturer was one such moment in Pravin's entrepreneurial journey. While there's no official global ranking body for wall clock manufacturers, industry sources and the company claim this distinction based on production volume—1.35 crore (13.5 million) clocks annually.

The Founder's Legacy: Odhavji Patel (1925-2012)

Odhavji Raghavji Patel, popularly known as "ORPatel," became known as the "Father of Wall Clocks" in India. Despite building a massive business empire, he never stopped his teaching passion and remained connected with many academic institutes, community, and cultural associations.

He worked tirelessly on water-harvesting in the water scarcity region of Saurashtra, Gujarat—a cause close to his heart given his farming family background. His company's renowned brands—Ajanta and Orpat—transformed the wall clock industry in India.

Odhavji passed away on October 18, 2012, at the age of 87 in Morbi, Gujarat. He left behind a legacy that extended far beyond business—social impact through women's employment, environmental work through water harvesting, and educational engagement throughout his life.

The Third Generation: Nevil Patel Takes Charge

Nevil Patel, Odhavji's grandson and an engineering graduate from the United States, represents the third generation of leadership. Under his guidance, the Ajanta-Orpat Group's turnover reached ₹1,200 crore in 2019-20 and ₹1,250 crore in recent years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Nevil made a remarkable decision: not a single employee was let off. "We resumed work sooner than metro cities because ours was in a green zone with 30 percent workforce, maintaining all social distancing norms. We didn't delay any payments or salary cuts during the lockdown period," Nevil told ThePrint.

Nevil currently manages the marketing division with a vision towards making the company a household name. Meanwhile, his father Pravin Patel, who joined at age 19 in 1975, continues managing Sales, Quality Control, Finance, CSR, and Public Relations while being deeply involved in production plants and technology development.

Current Status: A Manufacturing Giant (2021-2025)

As of 2025, the Ajanta-Orpat Group operates as a fellowship of companies headquartered in Gujarat with a 50-year legacy. The group employs over 4,500 workers (primarily women) and maintains a network of 450 depots and 50,000 retailers in the Indian market while exporting to 45 countries across the globe.

The group operates one of the largest manufacturing plants in the country at Samakhiyali in Gujarat's Kutch district. The diversified portfolio includes:

Clocks: Wall clocks, digital clocks, pendulum clocks, musical clocks, cuckoo clocks under Ajanta and Orpat brands Home Appliances: Mixer grinders, juicers, kettles, choppers, hand blenders, toasters Heating Products: Room heaters, oil heaters, quartz heaters Electronics: Calculators (India's largest manufacturer), telephones Electrical Products: Fans, switches, LED bulbs, LED TVs Green Energy: Solar power systems, windmills through Ajanta Energy Pvt. Ltd.

Market Presence: Every Home Has One

Rahul Sharma, a distributor in Gurugram, says: "When people walk into the store to buy a wall clock, they ask specifically for Ajanta Orpat and that speaks volumes for the brand. The quality and durability of the product are excellent and that is what keeps the brand going."

For 45-year-old Rita Baruah, a school teacher: "Even as a child, we only had Ajanta wall clocks, somehow it was the go-to brand for clocks. Now, in my own home, where I have moved into after being married, I have three wall clocks and all are from Ajanta. It's been like a whole journey with the brand."

According to Divya Yadav, 58: "Ajanta wall clocks have evolved over the years" maintaining relevance across generations and technological changes.

Customer Service: Pravin's Weekly Ritual

Even today, complaints and accolades sent to the company portal are looked at by Pravin Patel at least once a week. "He needs to be able to get a sense of what the customers are looking for. It is very important to him," Nevil explains.

Understanding regional differences matters deeply. For example, the way a person from North India uses a mixer grinder will be very different from someone from the South. These small differences make or break products.

The motto of the company since its inception in 1971 has always been to ensure products are affordable and, at the same time, of the highest quality.

Why Ajanta-Orpat Succeeded

Founder's Perseverance: When three partners quit after three years of losses, Odhavji stayed—that decision made everything possible.

Technology Leadership: Being first in India to introduce quartz technology created massive competitive advantage.

Women Workforce: Employing 4,500+ women from surrounding villages provided reliable, committed workforce while creating social impact.

Quality-Price Balance: Premium quality at affordable prices captured mass market.

Continuous Innovation: From mechanical to quartz to digital clocks, constant technological upgrades maintained relevance.

Diversification: Expanding to calculators, home appliances, and electronics provided revenue stability beyond clocks.

Distribution Excellence: 450 depots and 50,000 retailers ensured nationwide availability.

Family Commitment: Three generations maintaining founder's values and vision created continuity.

Customer Obsession: Weekly review of feedback by second-generation leader demonstrated commitment to quality.

The Legacy: 54 Years and Counting

From a science teacher earning ₹55 monthly to the world's largest wall clock manufacturer generating ₹1,250 crore annually—Odhavji Raghavji Patel's journey defies every entrepreneurial playbook. He didn't want to be a businessman. He joined reluctantly. He stayed when others quit not from ambition but necessity.

Yet that reluctant beginning created something extraordinary: a company that democratized timekeeping in India, employed thousands of women, pioneered technologies, diversified into multiple categories, and became synonymous with reliability across three generations.

Every time someone checks an Ajanta wall clock—in a Mumbai apartment, a Delhi office, a village home in Gujarat, or an Indian household in Dubai—they're experiencing the legacy of a teacher who refused to give up when partners quit, who traveled to Japan seeking better technology, who believed in women's potential, who built not for numbers but for lasting impact.

Because some legacies aren't measured in profits alone—they're measured in the 1.35 crore clocks that tick faithfully in homes worldwide, in the 4,500 women employed with dignity, in the 54 years of consistent quality that made "Ajanta" synonymous with "clock" itself.

That's not just a business success story. That's Odhavji Raghavji Patel's gift to India: time, measured not in hours and minutes, but in generations of trust.