Independence Day 2025: How Trade Restriction Painted Path for India's Largest Paint Company

During World War II, four friends founded Asian Paints in Bombay, capitalizing on the import ban on paints. Initially selling just five colors in small packets, the company's innovative distribution and affordable pricing led to rapid growth.

In 1942, while India was fighting for freedom under the Quit India Movement, four friends in Bombay — Champaklal Choksey, Chimanlal Choksi, Suryakant Dani, and Arvind Vakil — were quietly hatching a plan. The British had banned paint imports during the war, leaving Indian buyers with just two choices: Shalimar Paints or pricey foreign brands. Sensing an opening, the friends set up the “Asian Oil and Paint Company Private Limited” in a small garage.

The name? Randomly plucked from a telephone directory. The legacy? Anything but random. Eighty-three years later, Asian Paints commands over half of India’s paint market and sits proudly as Asia’s third-largest paint maker, operating in 16 countries. Its famous slogan — Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai — perfectly captures its promise: a colour and texture for every budget, from modest homes to grand corporate spaces.

Winning Over Every Corner of India

From day one, the founders wanted their paints in every home, big or small. In 1945, they ditched bulky tins and started selling paint in small, affordable packets — a game-changer for distribution and pricing. By working with local distributors in every nook of the country, they hit Rs 3.5 lakh in sales that year with just five colours: black, white, red, blue, and yellow. By 1952, turnover had jumped to Rs 23 crore — massive for the time.

Enter Gattu, the Mischief Maker

In 1954, Asian Paints took a bold marketing leap. They hired legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman to create a mascot. The result? “Gattu,” a cheeky boy with a paintbrush and bucket. Paired with the catchy line, “Don’t lose your temper, use Tractor Distemper,” he turned painting into a lifestyle upgrade rather than a boring household chore. Sales soared tenfold in just four years, and Gattu became a cultural icon for generations.

From National Leader to Global Player

By the mid-1960s, Asian Paints was bagging big corporate clients like British firm Balmer Lawrie. In 1967, it overtook foreign competitors to become India’s No. 1 paint company. Its global journey began in 1977 with a venture in Fiji — and it hasn’t slowed since, expanding across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Always a Step Ahead

The company’s secret weapon has been its ability to stay relevant. First TV ad in 1984? Check. Premium lines in the ’90s? Check. A website and call centres in the late ’90s? Also check. And when social media took over, Asian Paints was already there, rolling out campaigns that spoke to changing consumer values.

Take its “Royale Atmos” launch, fronted by Deepika Padukone, which tackled indoor air pollution and reinforced the brand’s image as forward-thinking and socially conscious.

Beyond Paint

Asian Paints didn’t just stick to walls. Over the years, it’s expanded into industrial coatings, wood and enamel finishes, bath fittings, and even kitchens — strengthening its position as a complete home solutions brand.

Recognition has followed: in 2004, it made Forbes’ Best Under a Billion list, and it’s earned honours like the British Safety Council’s “Sword of Honour.”

An Empire Built on Colour

What began in a wartime Bombay garage is now a global powerhouse — one of the rare pre-independence Indian companies to not only survive but thrive. And as long as walls need painting and homes need personality, Asian Paints seems ready to keep adding colour to lives for decades to come.