Rags To Riches: A Man From North Bengal Who Left Home With Rs 100 In Pocket, Worked As A Dish Cleaner, Now Has Net Worth Of Rs 200 Crore

Success Story: We frequently hear that Bengalis dislike hard work, and as a result, they frequently lose out to communities in India that value hard work more and migrate to places like Delhi and Mumbai in order to increase their income and ensure their survival. Delhi too proved to be a challenge for Malay Debnath, who arrived from a dull village in North Bengal just after his Higher Secondary exams. But Debnath used his dream and perseverance to build a 200-crore business empire out of a mere 100 rupees. He only had 100 rupees in his wallet, but he needed to work to support his younger siblings and extended relatives back home. And he was aware that his only chance of surviving the journey we call life would come from hard work in a challenging city.

Malay Debnath: Early Life

Since Bengalis can work, contrary to the common perception that they are lazy people, Debnath's rags-to-riches tale serves as motivation for an entire generation. From a small village in the West Bengali district of Cooch Behar, young Debnath traveled to Delhi in 1988. Just Rs. 100 was all he had in his pocket, and half of that was spent on the railway fare. The proprietor of Debnath Caterers and Decorators, who began his life from nothing in the national capital, has now amassed a personal fortune of Rs 200 crore and owns assets throughout the nation, including tea gardens. He manages pantries on six trains in addition to his catering business.

Riches To Rags

The grandfather of Debnath immigrated to West Bengal in 1935 from East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Their family had a respectable social standing in the community and ran a weaving business. In order to create a school for the village's underprivileged children, his grandfather even provided land. His grandfather was highly esteemed by the villagers back then, and his family was equally revered. The fact that the school building is still standing is evidence of his generosity. But it's strange how time can make people shrink. Early in his childhood, the family suffered a major tragedy when their business was burned in a fire brought on by a political disagreement, leaving them in utter ruin. Debnath was only six years old at the time. Even though the family started their firm again, they were never able to recapture their former splendor, and by the early 1980s, the situation had gotten worse.

Gave Up Studies

Debnath, his older sister, and his two younger brothers, who were still in school, were living in poverty while their father looked for work. Debnath took care of the little tea business his family owned back in the village, mainly working before and after school. It continued for three years till he earned his Class 12 diploma, at which point he gave up his studies and went to Delhi with his mother's 100 rupees. Debnath still gets upset as he tells this tale and keeps mentioning how he used to pray to Devi Saraswati, promising that no matter what, he would put in a lot of effort.

Worked As Dish Cleaner

Debnath began working for a caterer after arriving in the capital. He was forced to put in extra time and effort, even cleaning the dishes and polishing the table. However, he was never upset. He understood that I had to start somewhere in order for him to get anywhere. While the majority of his mates quit due to the hardship, he gained the owner's affection and respect, and after a year, his pay went from just Rs 500 to Rs 3,000. Debnath even put in 18-hour shifts to send his wages home and use the overtime cash for his own meals and lodging in Delhi.

Rags To Riches

While this was going on, Debnath changed careers and later rose to the position of supervisor at a Delhi-based event management firm. Additionally, he completed an ITDC (Indian Tourism Development Corporation) course in hotel management. Debnath gained more exposure while working for this event company. He gained knowledge through the large parties that the corporation used to host. At these events, he also made many new friends who would later support him in starting his own catering company. Then the man who had shown that Bengalis can work hard too, began his ascent. Currently, he is appointed to oversee over 35 army mess facilities, including those in Delhi, Pune, Jaipur, Ajmer, and Gwalior. He has constructed assets worth about Rs 200 crore, including tea gardens in North Bengal. His two daughters are studying in Pune and Australia.

Debnath portrays a life of success and wealth, yet he actually lives a very humble life. His enthusiasm and tenacity helped him forge his destiny.