GLOBAL INDIAN ORIGIN AWARD 2012
SINDHISHAAN is proud to convey the wonderful news that our patron Mangharam Harwani is the proud and deserving recipient of the 'Outstanding Business Leadership Award', a category falling under Global Indian Origin Award 2012, for his outstanding entrepreneurial feats and noble activities. This award was conferred on him on 26th May 2012, in New York on the occasion of the book release of “Hundred Most Influential Indians in the World.” The Global Indian Origin Award is the most prestigious award given by Global Indian Origin to the selected personalities in recognition of their achievements in the business domain as well as other spheres of life. SINDHISHAAN is extremely proud of his achievements and confident that he will continue to excel in all his future edeavours. We are thrilled to carry excerpts about Mangharam Harwani as appearing in the book.
A MAN OF DESTINY BY CHOICE
Urged by his conviction in the myriad possibilities of life as also the scope for their turning into realities with his missionary zeal and hard struggles, Mr. Mangharam Harwani, the Chairman of Sunico Group, Denmark, has made historic successes in his diversified business enterprises. His devout patriotism has contributed substantially towards strengthening the bilateral relationship between Denmark and India for their common good.
As the legend goes, once Napoleon Bonaparte took a knife and scratched his palm claiming if fortune lines of a man are on his palm, he has created the same for himself by carving out the fortune line on it. His daring act and the words delivered by him are just suggestive of his self-confidence and unflinching determination to prove that man is one of the most vital factors in the making of his destiny. Mr. Mangharam Harwani, the Chairman of Sunico Group, Denmark, in today's world, is also a man of such aplomb for whom destiny is mostly a matter of choice rather than a matter of chance; and it is well expressed in his strong will power, untiring efforts and the landmark successes he has made in his business enterprises. Today, the Copenhagen-based Harwani is the leading entrepreneur of Indian origin in Denmark, dealing especially in mobile phones and other telecom goods, besides accomplishing successful diversification in his business activities such as film-making and real estate. Besides being a successful journalist by choice, he is also accredited with being the only entrepreneur in the Indian communities across the globe to become the top supplier of mobile phones, which of course, is a distinct feat in this field. With an annual turnover of over US$ 1 billion, Sunico also won the award as the largest and best distributor in Denmark. Thus, it has made its distinct niche not only in Denmark but also in the world markets of mobile phones.
Calling him a jack of all trades or a man with diversification, Harwani has never fixed an end-point for anything; he rather makes diversifications in his business that become turning points in the process of making new avenues for himself. So, Sunico under the deft leadership of Harwani diversified itself in many domains of business activities. Though it's a family business, all its activities are regulated under the leadership of Mangharam Harwani, the man behind establishment of such a colossal biz-empire.
Today, Sunico is one of the leading suppliers in Denmark. Besides making a distinct recognition in telecoms, Sunico has also started the real estate business in many parts of the world besides taking up equity and forex trading. With their dedication and hard work, the Harwanis are constantly on the move to rapid expansion of their business reaching out to new enterprising spheres and making their existence quite sound. Mangharam Harwani's hard work and practical experiences have been the driving force behind his company reaching new destinations of success. “I can't go to bed if there's even one unfinished task of the day,” asserts Harwani. It suggests his resolute determination to execute anything and take rest only if the self-assigned task is accomplished. That is why he reaches office at 6:30 a.m. while the time to open the office is 09:00 a.m. It is in his nature to peg away at any work until it gets completed to the best of his satisfaction.
As a versatile genius, in 1991 Harwani in association with the Bollywood legend Dev Anand, had launched an Indo-Danish film 'Pyar Ka Taraana' which was released in India in 1993. Under the banner of Sunico Productions, the film not only put Denmark on the world map, but also for the first time it introduced the colours of Bollywood to the Danes. Subsequently, Indiavision was established as the first Indian terrestrial TV channel in Denmark, which is dedicated to providing entertainment to both the Danes and the Indians.
Harwani's big hit was 'Pyar Kare Dis', a Sindhi film with a social theme which brought a revolution in this sphere since making a Sindhi film till then was considered to be a precarious game, and his venturing into this new field met with the severe criticism from all corners. Even his friends and relatives called him a 'fool' for taking such an ad lib step. To promote the film, he distributed DVDs of the film to the Sindhis all over the world and that too, free of cost, and the film won accolades from all corners. The film was telecast on Asia Pacific TV Channel which Harwani had given for broadcast free of cost.
It has generally been found that after making a landmark achievement in the business sphere, the zest to pen something starts fading out, and it so happens due to the lack of appetite for making more money through one's commercial activities, as also owing to the lack of time that restrains one to write on any topic. But the case is quite different with Harwani. As a man of diverse interest in his preoccupations, he never vacillated in pursuing his favourite hobbies. Having a passion for journalism, Harwani has also established himself as a freelance journalist. Through his treatises, he focuses on India's socio-political life. Among his exemplary accomplishments in the field of publications has been a Directory of Indians in Denmark, which Harwani had published there, covering the details of all the Indians living in Denmark. The directory contains information about their business etc. besides details about the Indo-Danish joint ventures, collaborations, Danish Aid to India, Indian companies having offices in Denmark, Danish companies having offices in India. Though this was Harwani's personal effort to publish this since 1990 every year, this document had become a sort of official document, which is referred by Danish and Indian Governments for reference.
Harwani's association with the press has brought him closer to many international political figures. One of the most noteworthy events was his trip accompanying the former Indian Prime Minister, late Mrs. Indira Gandhi when she had paid her official visit to Denmark in 1983. In 1987, he got the opportunity to accompany the Danish Prime Minister, Mr. Paul Schulter on his official visit to India when Harwani interviewed the then Prime Minister, late Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. Mr. Harwani had also published the only English magazine from Denmark namely, “The Indian Mirror” covering news from India and Denmark.
Following the family trend, Harwani has always laid great emphasis on their adherence to the cultural values and family traditions. That is the reason why his children speak Sindhi themselves, and have never swerved from the righteous track as established by their ancestors. Representing India in Denmark with his commercial feats and other valuable contributions, Mr. Mangharam Harwani has been playing a key role to keep the Danes and the Indians in amicable relationship, which is his great achievement in Denmark. Today, both the countries stand to gain substantially by virtue of their enhanced socio-economic and political relationship. Harwani's contribution to strengthen their mutuality has been highly applauded.