Did You Know Nataraj & Apsara Pencils Are Owned By The Same Company? Story Of Hindustan Pencil Ltd

Do you remember which pencil brand you used in your childhood? I believe it must be Nataraj or Apsara. They are the most widely used and famous pencil brands in India.

During childhood, pencils were the most important part of our lives. The first time we held the pencil in our hands and wrote our first word might not be remembered by us, but to our parents, it was a very precious moment.

We have used a variety of pencils throughout our lives. Sometimes we buy them due to their outer color, any design, eraser, or sharpener added at the back, and many such things. But mostly, our parents brought us the Nataraj or Apsara pencils because of their good quality and build.

There was also a phase in our lives when we compared both Nataraj and Apsara with each other to find out which one was better. It was because we never knew that both Nataraj and Apsara were owned and produced by the same company. That company was Hindustan Pencil Ltd.

All about Hindustan Pencils Ltd.

Hindustan Pencil Ltd. was a company founded in 1958. It was founded by three friends who had some dreams and aspirations for their future. These friends are B. J. Sanghvi, Ramnath Mehra, and Mansookani. These three best friends decided to open a pencil manufacturing company.

Their dream of starting a pencil company led them to Germany. There they learned the art of manufacturing a good-quality pencil at a low cost.

After coming back to India, they started turning their dreams into reality. They started manufacturing low-cost, good-quality pencils for all. These friends named their firm Hindustan Pencil Ltd. With their efforts and trust, they created their first brand, namely Nataraj.

As time passed, Babubhai Sanghvi took the position of C.E.O. of the company. He took the company to greater heights and developed many new products under his reign.

Currently, Hindustan Pencil Pvt. Ltd. has taken over 60% of the pencil market. Also, its two main brands, Nataraj and Apsara, are worldwide famous, with distribution in over 50 countries.

The success story of Nataraj and Apsara pencils of Hindustan Pencil Ltd.

After being developed in 1958, Hindustan Pencil Ltd. produced many stationery products. The company had much success in India, and after becoming famous in India, it went worldwide, selling in over 50 countries.

In 1958,  the company launched its first product, or brand, named Nataraj Pencil. This brand is quite famous for its good quality to date. After this, the company launched its second pencil in the year 1970, named Apsara Pencil. This pencil was launched as a drawing pencil, but people started using it as a normal pencil.

At present, Nataraj and Apsara hold the biggest positions at the Hindustan Pencil Company. They not only deal in pencils but also many other stationery products.

All of this made Hindustan Pencil Ltd., India’s biggest pencil manufacturer, and seller, The company claims to have a production of over 8 million pencils every day. Along with this, they also produce many other stationery products for sale together. These products are sharpeners, erasers, scales, colored pencils, and many others.

The Pencil Village

Oukhoo Village is located in the Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir. This village comprises 250 houses. It has 17 manufacturing units with 4000 employees.

This village provides the majority of the raw materials for producing pencils. That’s why it is also known as “The Pencil Village of India”. They supplied the pencil slats to some of the biggest pencil producers in India, including Nataraj, Apsara, and Hindustan Pencil.

Oukhoo Village alone contributes 90% of the raw materials for producing pencils in India.

After producing the pencil slats in Oukhoo Village, These slats were sent to manufacturers in Jammu, Chandigarh, and Gujarat to complete the remaining process of production. This allows pencil manufacturers to make the finished product.

Nataraj and Apsara pencils

Nataraj Pencil is one of the most popular pencil brands in India. They are known for their good quality and are quite famous among students and artists as their first choice. This brand is favored by many because of its affordability and reliability.

Generally, Nataraj pencils have red and black strips throughout their length. This made them different from other pencil brands. Nataraj not only deals in graphite pencils but also colored pencils and other stationery stuff.

Apsara Pencil is also one of the most famous pencil brands in India. They are famous for their good quality, as they are most widely used among students, artists, and professionals. They are quite known and famous due to their durability and performance in drawing and writing.

Apsara Pencil has a very large range of different pencils. But the main and first pencil of Apsara had a blue and white strip similar to that of Nataraj. Apsara also deals in other stationery products like colored pencils, HB pencils, erasers, and many others.

Dual-Product Approach by Hindustan Pencil Pvt. Ltd.

Hindustan Pencil Pvt. Ltd. has taken a dual-product approach to the success of its company. The company has two main products, namely Nataraj and Apsara. They are the game changers for the company, as Nataraj offers affordability and resistance, while Apsara offers the same with a sense of luxury.

It is also clearly visible in the brand’s taglines: Nataraj (Phir se champion) and Apsara (Five Marks Extra). With these taglines, it can be seen that they are trying to attract a variety of consumers.

This shows their dual-brand strategy, which made the two siblings’ brands a competitor in our eyes and created a very successful business for them.

The Legacy

The company was founded by three friends, namely B.J. Sanghvi, Ramnath Mehra, and Mansookani. But B.J. Sanghvi became its CEO and started creating his legacy. After his passing, his company was succeeded by his children, Harendra and Kriti Sanghvi.

They are currently the managing director of Hindustan Pencil Ltd. Their legacy was going to be taken over by their children, named Bhowmik and Dhruman. They are also in direct association with the company and hold some important positions there.

The Sanghvi family has always been dedicated to the success of Hindustan Pencil Ltd. They were wholly associated with the company.

From childhood till date, we have always had pencils. We have seen the growth of Hindustan Pencil Ltd., i.e., Nataraj and Apsara. They will always inspire aspiring entrepreneurs who have started doing business with stationery products.