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Dhandha: How Gujaratis Do Business
Dhandha, meaning business, is a term often used in common trade parlance in India. But there is no other community that fully embodies what the term stands for than the Gujaratis.
Shobha Bondre’s Dhandha is the story of a few such Gujaratis: Jaydev Patel—the New York Life Insurance agent credited with having sold policies worth $2.5 billion so far; Bhimjibhai Patel—one of the country’s biggest diamond merchants and co-founder of the ambitious ‘Diamond Nagar’ in Surat; Dalpatbhai Patel—the motelier who went on to become the mayor of Mansfield County; Mohanbhai Patel—a former Sheriff of Mumbai and the leading manufacturer of aluminium collapsible tubes; and Hersha and Hasu Shah—owners of over a hundred hotels in the US.
Travelling across continents—from Mumbai to the United States—in search of their story and the common values that bond them, Dhandha showcases the powerful ambition, incredible capacity for hard work, and the inherent business sense of the Gujaratis.
Shobha Bondre’s Dhandha is the story of a few such Gujaratis: Jaydev Patel—the New York Life Insurance agent credited with having sold policies worth $2.5 billion so far; Bhimjibhai Patel—one of the country’s biggest diamond merchants and co-founder of the ambitious ‘Diamond Nagar’ in Surat; Dalpatbhai Patel—the motelier who went on to become the mayor of Mansfield County; Mohanbhai Patel—a former Sheriff of Mumbai and the leading manufacturer of aluminium collapsible tubes; and Hersha and Hasu Shah—owners of over a hundred hotels in the US.
Travelling across continents—from Mumbai to the United States—in search of their story and the common values that bond them, Dhandha showcases the powerful ambition, incredible capacity for hard work, and the inherent business sense of the Gujaratis.
296 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2013
165 people are currently reading
1471 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 105 reviews
July 24, 2021
A collection of various successful Gujaratis. Most of them settled abroad.
This is second work of the author. I would like to more of hers in English.
This is second work of the author. I would like to more of hers in English.
October 14, 2017
Being a Gujarati myself, I felt very proud to read this! The stories are inspiring and the ideals of determination, perseverance, hard work, courage and the excellent business sense of the entrepreneurs described in this book are exemplary and motivating to emulate.
From stories of domestic shores to success in USA, the grit and never say die attitude of the Gujarati es penned down gives many valuable business lessons as well as personal and emotional lessons. The translation is crisp and to the point.
Of all the stories and incidents narrated, I liked best the anecdote of "The Circle of Life" revolving around the life and business of Mohanbhai Patel. His fire power personality combined with a intuitive business acumen and tremendous problem solving skills made for a gripping and exciting read!
I would say that this a must read business book without the usual jargon s and terms found in majority other business related books and reads. It is easy to read and a provides a refreshing view on the lives and times of business and their founders with plenty of takeaways to be taken!
From stories of domestic shores to success in USA, the grit and never say die attitude of the Gujarati es penned down gives many valuable business lessons as well as personal and emotional lessons. The translation is crisp and to the point.
Of all the stories and incidents narrated, I liked best the anecdote of "The Circle of Life" revolving around the life and business of Mohanbhai Patel. His fire power personality combined with a intuitive business acumen and tremendous problem solving skills made for a gripping and exciting read!
I would say that this a must read business book without the usual jargon s and terms found in majority other business related books and reads. It is easy to read and a provides a refreshing view on the lives and times of business and their founders with plenty of takeaways to be taken!
January 12, 2014
This book is collection of stories which narrate the success stories of Gujaratis. I have heard a lot about this community but this book gives us insight of the success ingredients of Gujaratis.
These success stories describe that it is the simplicity, humbleness, relationship building and honesty that leads to success. Moreover I learned that these qualities are the core values of any Gujarati and is wired in his DNA. One more thing I learned and loved about Gujarati people is the trust and respect they give to the women. Most of the stories explained that many a times businesses were lead by women and they played very important role in shaping the business by their hardwork and risk taking abilities.
This community has now earned by respect.
About the book: It is a collection of very stories written in simple English and beautifully narrated.
These success stories describe that it is the simplicity, humbleness, relationship building and honesty that leads to success. Moreover I learned that these qualities are the core values of any Gujarati and is wired in his DNA. One more thing I learned and loved about Gujarati people is the trust and respect they give to the women. Most of the stories explained that many a times businesses were lead by women and they played very important role in shaping the business by their hardwork and risk taking abilities.
This community has now earned by respect.
About the book: It is a collection of very stories written in simple English and beautifully narrated.
August 18, 2020
A must read for every budding entrepreneur.
September 22, 2021
An inspiration for those who wanted to work for themselves rather than working for others. Author has precisely elaborated the stories of Gujratis who has earned the name worldwide.
May 28, 2013
We're well aware of how enterprising the Gujarati community is, and we got a taste of it on screen when the film Kai Po Che opened to critical acclaim earlier this year. A book that captures some of the community's successes in running businesses is therefore a welcome addition to our knowledge pool and perception about this strictly vegetarian community. Dhandha: How Gujaratis Do Business is a translation of Shobha Bondre's well received Marathi book.
There must have been many successful Gujarati businessmen to choose from, but Shobha profiles a select few viz. Jaydev Patel, the New York Life Insurance agent credited with having sold policies worth billions of dollars, diamond wizard Bhimjibhai Patel, motelier Dalpatbhai Patel who got elected as a Mayor in a US county, Mohanbhai Patel, who we must remember every time we squeeze paste from alluminium collapsible tubes, and Hasu and Hersha Shah, owners of over a hundred hotels in the US.
A common thread running through each of their stories is the incredible amount of hard work, perseverance and patience each of these people had to build their existing business empires. Despite being from fairly conservative backgrounds, and their aversion to meat and liquor, some of these profiled individuals have made their mark in alien lands through consistent labor, often doing double shifts to raise enough capital and taken risks no matter what the odds.
The contribution of their spouses cannot be underestimated and the author must be congratulated on documenting their side of the story as well. The ladies' version of the events in this learning curve does add a more humane dimension to their success stories. What's also remarkable is that the profiled gentlemen have retained their humility, and were blessed to be surrounded with people who supported and guided them on their path. Each of the business families written about in this book also gave back a lot to their rural roots in Gujarat, and their generosity and ability to remain rooted to their origins is commendable, especially in the face of powerful ambition.
Two thumbs-up for the the first person narrative structure of the book - it managed to create a far greater empathy with each of the interviewed businessmen.
It's really difficult to pick a favourite amongst all the inspiring stories in this book, but the particular rise of Bhimjibhai Patel and how he became one of the country's biggest diamond merchants, is a tale that'll stay with me for a very long time.
This one's solid, feel-good, inspiring non-fiction for the masses. Do check it out.
There must have been many successful Gujarati businessmen to choose from, but Shobha profiles a select few viz. Jaydev Patel, the New York Life Insurance agent credited with having sold policies worth billions of dollars, diamond wizard Bhimjibhai Patel, motelier Dalpatbhai Patel who got elected as a Mayor in a US county, Mohanbhai Patel, who we must remember every time we squeeze paste from alluminium collapsible tubes, and Hasu and Hersha Shah, owners of over a hundred hotels in the US.
A common thread running through each of their stories is the incredible amount of hard work, perseverance and patience each of these people had to build their existing business empires. Despite being from fairly conservative backgrounds, and their aversion to meat and liquor, some of these profiled individuals have made their mark in alien lands through consistent labor, often doing double shifts to raise enough capital and taken risks no matter what the odds.
The contribution of their spouses cannot be underestimated and the author must be congratulated on documenting their side of the story as well. The ladies' version of the events in this learning curve does add a more humane dimension to their success stories. What's also remarkable is that the profiled gentlemen have retained their humility, and were blessed to be surrounded with people who supported and guided them on their path. Each of the business families written about in this book also gave back a lot to their rural roots in Gujarat, and their generosity and ability to remain rooted to their origins is commendable, especially in the face of powerful ambition.
Two thumbs-up for the the first person narrative structure of the book - it managed to create a far greater empathy with each of the interviewed businessmen.
It's really difficult to pick a favourite amongst all the inspiring stories in this book, but the particular rise of Bhimjibhai Patel and how he became one of the country's biggest diamond merchants, is a tale that'll stay with me for a very long time.
This one's solid, feel-good, inspiring non-fiction for the masses. Do check it out.
April 22, 2014
Dhandha is a very well written compilation of success stories of Gujarati businessmen in and outside the country. The book is a perfect depiction of how a business mindset works. How a Gujarati looks for a business opportunity out of nothing and how calculative he/she is while taking risks. Out of all the stories, I liked the first one the most which talks about how a poor fellow goes to become a diamond king. It highlights various points that need to be taken care of if someone wants to grow big - vision, desire to grow, honesty, skillset, extreme hardwork, unflinching dedication and optimism towards your goal. It's a good inspirational read.
I will give it a 4.5/5.
I will give it a 4.5/5.
November 29, 2013
Really good book by shobha bondre. inspirational stories .. must read ... business secrete of Gujjus.
February 26, 2014
With a wife and then a brother behind them. That's how Gujaratis do business. Apart from some serious insight, hardwork and will-power ofcourse!
April 11, 2014
One of the best books on Gujarati Mindset and lives of great mean who have shown us how big businesses are built. A must read for everyone.
November 13, 2017
Nice journey of couple of like-spirited entrepreneurs which is quite enterprising. Great part is all of them started from zero and made themselves.
April 4, 2022
Nice, simple read that highlights the powerful (but intangible) values of community/culture in business.
January 10, 2019
I found this book at someone’s office and I loved the title of the book which appeared to me to be very brash and bold. I wanted to read this book. It felt that the book was going to offer me secrets of the business methods of some millionaires of India.
The book didn’t disappoint me. I had always wondered how come there is no poor Punjabi's, why does Gujrati's are good at business and Marwari's good at accounting. No, the answer is not in this book, specifically. But you will get an idea about that from the book.
The book comprises of four separate stories of four different people who started from humble beginnings and went on the become rich beyond their imaginations. All of them are Gujaratis, as mentioned in the title.
The thing I learned, as far as my intellect goes, is that there are two things which matter most when it comes to becoming something in any field. First is Patience and second is perseverance and third and most important is taking active steps, even when you are not ready and even when you are scared like a pooping cat. Now these are things that we already know but the human mind has a problem – they want the proof of everything.
This book is a living proof that if a man desires about something and is ready to dedicate his entire life for the cause of it then he will become super successful someday. For some, the day comes earlier and for some, the day comes later, but the day always comes. The stories of four Gujrati’s mentioned in the book are highly inspirational and I would suggest that you must read this book. I have read this book twice and have also gifted it to many people. The writing is very simple and there aren’t too many complex words and sentences which makes it an easy read. The book I had had big fonts and more than enough space on the page which made it very soothing to read and in my case, write my notes.
Overall, a must read.
The book didn’t disappoint me. I had always wondered how come there is no poor Punjabi's, why does Gujrati's are good at business and Marwari's good at accounting. No, the answer is not in this book, specifically. But you will get an idea about that from the book.
The book comprises of four separate stories of four different people who started from humble beginnings and went on the become rich beyond their imaginations. All of them are Gujaratis, as mentioned in the title.
The thing I learned, as far as my intellect goes, is that there are two things which matter most when it comes to becoming something in any field. First is Patience and second is perseverance and third and most important is taking active steps, even when you are not ready and even when you are scared like a pooping cat. Now these are things that we already know but the human mind has a problem – they want the proof of everything.
This book is a living proof that if a man desires about something and is ready to dedicate his entire life for the cause of it then he will become super successful someday. For some, the day comes earlier and for some, the day comes later, but the day always comes. The stories of four Gujrati’s mentioned in the book are highly inspirational and I would suggest that you must read this book. I have read this book twice and have also gifted it to many people. The writing is very simple and there aren’t too many complex words and sentences which makes it an easy read. The book I had had big fonts and more than enough space on the page which made it very soothing to read and in my case, write my notes.
Overall, a must read.
April 18, 2023
Dhandha is a captivating and insightful book by Shobha Bondre that explores the world of Gujrati business families and their entrepreneurial spirit. Bondre presents a compelling narrative that takes the reader on a journey through the origins of the community, their migration to different part of the world and their rise to success.
The author showcases many successful Gujrati businessmen Bhimkjibhai Patel - India's biggest diamond merchants, Dalpatbhai Patel the motelier who went on to become the mayor of Mansfield county, Mohanbhai Patel leading manufacturer of cllapsible tubes and Hersha and Hasu Shah owners of over a hundered hotels in USA.
Overall, Dhandha is a must-read for anyone interested in business, entrepreneurship, or Indian culture. The book is informative, inspiring, and provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of Gujrati business families. Bondre's writing is engaging, and her passion for the subject shines through in every chapter.
The author showcases many successful Gujrati businessmen Bhimkjibhai Patel - India's biggest diamond merchants, Dalpatbhai Patel the motelier who went on to become the mayor of Mansfield county, Mohanbhai Patel leading manufacturer of cllapsible tubes and Hersha and Hasu Shah owners of over a hundered hotels in USA.
Overall, Dhandha is a must-read for anyone interested in business, entrepreneurship, or Indian culture. The book is informative, inspiring, and provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of Gujrati business families. Bondre's writing is engaging, and her passion for the subject shines through in every chapter.
January 6, 2021
The foreword to the book by 2 heavy weights is the only positive thing about this book. The reason for the 2 stars : if you were expecting a biz case study/ some anthropologist’s perspective on how this community excels at biz. You will be sorely disappointed.
5 celebrity NRI gujratis don’t make up the ethos of the community. If you are looking for personal struggle, highly glossed over version, this is the book for you .
Unfortunately, the book doesn’t mention how well integrated the community network is or how the community specific traits of entrepreneurs is passed on from generation to generation. The concept of family biz and strategic alliances , is all missed
Really disappointed
5 celebrity NRI gujratis don’t make up the ethos of the community. If you are looking for personal struggle, highly glossed over version, this is the book for you .
Unfortunately, the book doesn’t mention how well integrated the community network is or how the community specific traits of entrepreneurs is passed on from generation to generation. The concept of family biz and strategic alliances , is all missed
Really disappointed
December 7, 2017
Undoubtedly an interesting and inspiring read. Written in an extremely readable style, broken into short stories of success, it was a quick read. But its not as if one cannot see no pattern in the book. All the stories can be broken down to some basic elements which should tell you why Gujaratis succeed. I found relationship building, humility and relentlessness as the most important reasons behind their success.
June 30, 2021
Totally rubbish, an absolute waste of your time and effort. The stories are clearly overexagerrated and present the concerned individuals as saints, with stamina of head load workers, and honestly of a prophet. Instead of good ideas or inspiration, they writer has only lavished heaps of praises on the 6 businessmen (If i remember correctly) "protagonists", punctuated with their cock and bull stories.
I was seething with anger once I finished the book.
I was seething with anger once I finished the book.
January 21, 2023
I loved this book alot. After my friend suggested this book I thought it might be a simple story of gujaratis but I started it.
After reading the first story I was so mesmerized by it that i even got motivated in my own work.
The stories are drafted so well that you can feel the emotions, pain, hardworking, tough times and learn alot from it.
I read it very slowly because I feel so motivated that sometimes I started my work non-stop for days...and again came back to the page i left.
After reading the first story I was so mesmerized by it that i even got motivated in my own work.
The stories are drafted so well that you can feel the emotions, pain, hardworking, tough times and learn alot from it.
I read it very slowly because I feel so motivated that sometimes I started my work non-stop for days...and again came back to the page i left.
November 3, 2017
Inspirational
Anyone who wants to enter into business, must read this book. This book gives immense confidence and courage to start up business. One needs to learn from gujaratis that how dedicated, courageous and intellect they are in any field they are working for . Truly inspirational.
Anyone who wants to enter into business, must read this book. This book gives immense confidence and courage to start up business. One needs to learn from gujaratis that how dedicated, courageous and intellect they are in any field they are working for . Truly inspirational.
March 26, 2020
Exceptional book. Everyone has to read this book one time in life specially the people who thinks they are made for more with the life not for 9 to 5 job.
This book includes stories of successful hard worker businessmen . At the start they haven't known anything about their business still on their intitution they were able to make successful enterprise over the globe.
This book includes stories of successful hard worker businessmen . At the start they haven't known anything about their business still on their intitution they were able to make successful enterprise over the globe.
May 3, 2022
It tells you a few stories of successful Entrepreneurs from Gujarat(MahatmaGandhi's Home state), but doesn't go much in depth about their business practices. Still overall a good argument on the power of perseverance and quite a motivating read for most Indians and the translation has been done quite professionally.
May 6, 2022
Real Stories of building business empire by Gujarati businessmen but in brief. Overall leaves positive impact on readers but what I feel, this book shows good side only (though that's pretty expected) . Stories skip few events and move forward all of a sudden. The story of Mohanbhai Patel - "The circle of life" - is my favourite out of this bundle.
A good book. I Recommend.
A good book. I Recommend.
March 5, 2025
The book is inspiring and talks about few gujjus who have made it big in the business world. It's interesting because each of them knew a little about the domain but then put in the hard yards to make it successful. The writing is pretty simple and focus is more on the stories and interviews of the folks who have made it. Good one time read
October 5, 2025
If you're searching for inspiration to start a business this book can be a helping hand for you. Easy to read in simple language. One thing I want to say that I noticed while reading is that some idioms are used too frequently in almost every chapter. Overall the book is good with its monotonous style.
May 9, 2017
I love this book. This book consists of short stories about the Gujurati community & their way of doing a business. This is truly an inspirational book.
The language is easy to understand. Anyone who wants to start their business should read this book.
The language is easy to understand. Anyone who wants to start their business should read this book.
March 14, 2018
It clearly tells how Gujaratis people can turn the business into with their hard work and vision. It's great that it's there in their blood which makes even family members support the business in excelling.
June 23, 2017
Good book to read for all enterprising people.
March 15, 2018
Good book for all new entrepreneurs
Displaying 1 - 29 of 105 reviews