How a School Dropout and His Friend Built a Rs 125 Crore Turnover Air Cooler Business

Hailing from a modest background, Kalpesh Ramoliya started working part-time as an office boy while he was in Class eight to support his family, and finally dropped out of school after Class ten.

The turning point came when, through sheer hard work, he rebuilt his life and, at 25, launched his first business in 2006 with his friend, Harshad Sorathiya, from a small 10x10 ft room in Rajkot, Gujarat.

Built from Scratch! Kalpesh Ramoliya has come a long way from his humble beginnings when he started his business with Rs 50,000 (Photos: Special Arrangement)

With an initial investment of Rs. 50,000 from Kalpesh’s maternal uncle, the duo started manufacturing cooling towers and fibre roof sheets for commercial and residential use.

In 2010, they shifted to air cooler manufacturing under the brand Raj Cooling Systems, now registered as Raj Cooling Systems Pvt Ltd. Scaling up gradually, the company has now crossed a turnover of Rs 125 crore.


What began with just two employees - the founders themselves - has now grown into a workforce of 300+, spanning departments such as sales, marketing, accounts, finance, and quality control. Kalpesh is the Managing Director, while Harshad serves as Director in the company.

Their product range includes domestic coolers, tent coolers, and industrial coolers. Recently, the company diversified into large commercial fans, commonly seen at airports and railway stations, offering 7-8 varieties. Their coolers are priced from a minimum of Rs. 2,000 to a high-end 15-foot commercial air cooler costing Rs. 3 lakh.

With a combined production capacity of 10,000 coolers per day across their four units, 95% of their revenue comes from air coolers, while 5% is generated from fan sales.

Raj Cooling Systems has a combined production capacity of 10,000 coolers per day across their four units

Raj Cooling Systems derives 93% of its business from offline sales through channel partners, with the remaining 7% coming from its website. The company does not sell on any third-party e-commerce platforms.

Kalpesh, 44, was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His father worked as a mill worker in a textile mill in Ahmedabad. When the mill shut down, Kalpesh was still very young, and the family moved to Rajkot, where his father started a small factory.

This was a challenging period, as they struggled to survive on minimal earnings. His mother was a homemaker, and he had a younger brother, whom the family sadly lost a few years ago.

Reflecting on his early years, Kalpesh shared, “I would call my childhood crucial and full of struggles. While my classmates were enjoying life, I was working part-time jobs to support my family. I couldn't afford to compare myself with others and think, ‘Oh, they have this and I don’t have’.”

Although he never resumed formal education after Class ten, Kalpesh has remained committed to self-improvement. For the past eight years, he has been taking online business courses through the Smart Entrepreneur Program, which provides training, short and long-term courses, seminars, and online learning opportunities for entrepreneurs.

“We hired our first employee eight months into the business. The initial years were tough, with losses in the first two years. But things improved when we realised the importance of skilled management and staff. Once we started hiring the right people, our business began to grow,” Kalpesh traced the growth of their business.

“We achieved our first Rs. 1 crore turnover in 2016, followed by Rs. 26 crore in 2020, and Rs. 85 crore in 2024.” The company has since continued on a steady growth trajectory, with no looking back.

The company’s head office is in Rajkot, Gujarat, with additional offices in Ahmedabad and Rajkot, covering a total area of approximately 13,500 square feet. They also own a 3.5 lakh square feet warehouse in Ahmedabad, along with additional warehouses in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Rajkot to support their manufacturing operations.

Raj Cooling Systems exports air coolers to 25 countries

Raj Cooling Systems operates four manufacturing units in Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Gujarat, spanning a combined area of 6.5 lakh square feet. The company serves both B2B and B2C markets.

With a network of over 300 channel partners across India, it follows a B2B model, supplying products directly to partners who store inventory in their warehouses. These partners then distribute the products to over 5,000 dealers nationwide under the B2C model.

Domestically, their strongest presence is in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and the southern states, with a growing footprint in other regions as well. Internationally, they export to 25 countries, including Dubai, Africa, China, Kuwait, the US, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.

“If the temperature is 50+ degrees, as it is in Dubai, our commercial coolers can bring it down to 26 degrees. Our air coolers are fitted with radiators for cooling instead of the age-old khus traditionally used. The products are also energy-efficient,” said Kalpesh.

Sadly, Kalpesh has lost both his brother and father. He now lives in Rajkot with his mother and family. His wife, Bhavna, is a homemaker. Their elder son, Jaimin, has recently joined the business and manages the brand department while pursuing a part-time MBA. Their younger son, Shivam, is currently focused on his studies.

Kalpesh lives in Rajkot with his wife, mother, and two sons

Kalpesh advises young entrepreneurs to prioritise skill-building and maintain focus. “Focus on skill-building. Skill development and up skilling are key to long-term success. Step out of the comfort of your air-conditioned offices and engage with people on the ground. Learn different systems and processes, and implement them effectively”

In his free time, Kalpesh enjoys reading books and studying business case studies.- ©TWL