MDH owner 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati passes away at 97

The owner of masala brand MDH, Dharampal Gulati, passed away on Thursday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest. Gulati, who was 97, was undergoing treatment at Mata Chanan Devi Hospital in Delhi for the last three weeks. According to reports, he was undergoing post-COVID treatment and suffered a cardiac arrest.

Fondly known as 'Mahashay', Dharampal Gulati was born in 1923 in Sialkot, Pakistan. After partition, his family moved to Delhi and started a spice shop called 'Mahashiyan Di Hatti' (MDH). He was also popularly known as ”Spice King.”

Gulati, a school drop-out, joined his father's spice business in the early days.

The company was officially established in 1959 and a manufacturing unit was set up in Kirti Nagar. Currently, the firm has 15 factories across the country. MDH manufactures nearly 50 different varieties of spices and also exports them to various parts of the world including Europe, UK, UAE, Canada, etc.

As of 2017, Gulati was the highest-paid fast-moving consumer goods CEO in India. He took home over Rs 21 crore as salary last fiscal. The government also honored Gulati with Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in the country in 2019.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal paid his tributes to the popular personality.  Dharm Pal ji was very inspiring personality. He dedicated his life for the society. God bless his soul,” he tweeted.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Twitter, India’’s most inspiring entrepreneur, MDH owner Dharm Pal Mahashay passed away this morning. I have never met such an inspiring and lively soul. May his soul rest in peace.”