Hinders, stumbles and challenges in life not only cause pain, but also open the door to new possibilities. How to embrace the possibility? It depends on the person. 52-year-old Laxman Neupane (Chintamani) of Hunga, Chhatrakot Rural Municipality of Gulmi, is one of those who have embarked on a journey of success by embracing similar challenges.
He had to struggle for a long time for a ‘successful’ entrepreneurial journey in the country’s hospitality sector. He came to India in search of employment from the hills of Gulmi. Worked there for a long time. He did not want to leave his family and go to India for employment. If there were employment opportunities within the country, they would not go abroad.
Let’s do something by investing ourselves, capital was a problem. Finally, if we talk about employment, there was no enterprise environment in the village. Government job was the choice of most of them. It was common for those who were not interested to go abroad in search of work. Even while working in India, Newpane’s mind could not be settled. There was a lot of buzz going on about returning to the country and starting some new work. But what to do after returning to the country? He saw three options to return to the country – investing in the travel, garment and hotel sectors. At that time he was a permanent employee of Garden Silk Mills Company in India. He recounts that he returned to his native land with the determination to work in one of the three options after failing to work in that company. For that, he made a contract with his employer. He said that if he could not invest in any sector within 10 years of coming to the country, he thought of returning to the old company. According to this thinking, he came to Nepal in 2054. At that time, his great-grandfather Vishnu ran a hotel in the village.
‘Among the three options that I put forward, we needed a vehicle for traveling, we had to set up an industry for garments, which was not possible with a small investment,’ he said when met at the office of Siddharth Business Group of Hospitality in Tinkune a few days ago. came, then opened a snack shop and entered this area.
Lakshman says that ‘Virgin Destination’ Tikapur is suitable for operating a ‘snack’ shop with professional preparation. In response to the question that why did he go so far when there was a possibility in Lumbini, he said, “If I had started working in Butwal in Rupandehi, many people I knew would have come to bump into me, wherever I turned right and left in Butwal, I would have met Gulmeli.” It used to be said that the person who walks like a hero washes the dishes, few people knew him in Tikapur, so I went there.’ He said that he had sought a loan of Rs 50,000 and invested for that. At first, he hired an assistant to help in the shop. “From washing the dishes to delivering lunch to the customer’s table, I used to do it myself,” he said, “My wife helped me for a year, then I managed it myself.” He had already handed over the money he had earned in India to his father and brother. ‘There was no question of asking for that money again,’ he said, ‘If I had asked my father and brother for money, I would not have progressed so much, so I took a loan at 24 percent interest and started the business.’ made a plan For that, he chose Nepalgunj, a major city in the Midwest. From Tikapur, he came to the city of Nepalgunj, 90.3 km away, in the course of business expansion. Decided to start Siddharth Cottage in Nepalgunj. His sons-in-law Mukti Bhandari and Krishna Bhandari supported him as two of his partners. He left the responsibility of Tikapur business to his younger brother Keshav. He started his hospitality business in Nepalgunj in the year 2057 and has not turned back since then. From Tikapur in the Far West, he has taken the business forward to the Far East.
‘After three partners, the work became easy, we had to get everyone to work again,’ he said, ‘Then we came up with a plan to expand the branch in Kathmandu.’ Siddharth’s group at once reached Kathmandu, a distance of 527.2 km from Nepalgunj. After coming here, Hotel Siddhartha started in Sundhara, Kathmandu in 2058. Later, in 2060, Siddharth Cottage, Restaurant and Bar was opened in Tinkune. “Rather than a plan, there was a need to open a branch to meet the demands of the time and the challenges of that time,” says Lakshman, “Then the responsibilities increased, we expanded its branches to deliver Siddharth’s services to various cities through Tikapur, Nepalgunj and Kathmandu.” He said that he has decided to proceed as Siddharth Business Group. However, this name could not be registered. According to him, the company was registered in the year 2061 as Siddharth Business Group of Hospitality as the hotel was also operating along with the restaurant. 6 siblings in a
family. She is Myla. Now most of the family members are in this area. Son-in-law Mukti Siddharth, the first partner in the business, is looking after the overall office management as a secretary in the group. Bhandari is ranked second in the organization after Neupana. Another son-in-law Krishna looks after the cafe brand under the group. Railo Bhai Krishna is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Samagra Group. Eldest brother’s son Santosh is Hospitality CEO. Eldest brother’s younger son Sanjay handles the design and interior design. Kaila Bhai Mahendra is looking after the management of Siddharth Cottage in Butwal and five star hotel Siddharth Vilasa in Bhairahawa. Younger brother Keshav looks after Siddhartha’s branches in Nepalgunj and Surkhet. Krishna Bhandari is handling the business of Kathmandu.
According to Laxman, there are many people who have recently become partners in the business and who have worked in international hotel chains. “No matter how much I earn, my children don’t say what good my father did,” he said, “so what I give to my children is education and culture.” He says that he does not run after wealth. So the children say that they will decide their own path. “Yesterday, daily life could be done with less money, now it costs more, even though the money has decreased compared to yesterday, the expenses have increased,” he says, “even if I die tomorrow, the organization I gave birth to will not die, because the foundation of the organization is good, the generations to come will also have better opportunities.” The business that started from a snack shop in Tikapur has now reached five stars. The first five-star hotel of the group, Siddharth Vilasa, has been operating in Anchalpur, Siddharth Nagar, Ruppandehi for about a year now. He said that the future goal of
group is to expand the chain of hotels abroad. “We have come to this situation today by eating how many hunders,” he said. ‘A lot can be done with the team,’ he says, ‘we are thinking of working with managerial responsibilities not only in the country but also abroad, we cannot invest but we have proposed that Siddharth will take the responsibility of management and gradually make his place in India.’ He thinks that investment can be increased in India. He said that some of the hotels, cafes, and restaurants in all 77 districts of the country are trying to work even if they are operating or managing them with their own investment. This group is managing the hotels that are operating in different locations along with its investment.
There is a five-star hotel in Bhairahawa, while the hotel in Buddh in Kathmandu is a four-star hotel, but the labeling has not been completed. The hotel in Surkhet is in the process of four stars. Under the management of Siddharth, hotels are operating in Birtamod in Jhapa, Sauraha in Chitwan, Nuwakot, Chandrauta in Kapilvastu, Lamhi in Dang and Mahendranagar in Kanchanpur. There are restaurants and cottages in operation in Old Baneshwar, Tinkune, Dhobighat, Butwal, Nepalgunj. Manmohan Cardio and Trivi Teaching Hospital, Jawalakhel, Nepalganj have operated S Cafe. Land is ready for Siddharth Biotic in Gulmi and Palpa. “This land is for opening an agricultural farm,” he said, “the work is not done yet, but we will start soon.” He said that hotels in Tikapur in Kailali, Chisapani in Karnali, Surkhet, Nepalgunj, Bhairawa, Butwal, Chumlingtar, Sundhara, Buddh in Chitwan were being operated with his own investment. Siddharth Hospitality Mart is operating in Thinkune. Siddharth Group also operates a mobile phone dealer, an IT company and a travel agency. Neupane tells that they are preparing to build cottages in Dhangadhi and Butwal.
‘Now we are upgrading the resort in Chumlingtar, we are moving Siddharth Cottage in Butwal from there, we are also preparing to expand the branch in Dhangadhi,’ he said, ‘We are going to provide continuous service even in the midst of challenges.’ was fighting. The conflict ended after the peace process. Shortly thereafter, a devastating earthquake struck. The country was hit by a blockade. He said that due to the covid-19 epidemic, there is a compulsion to kill more people. He says that economic recession started after covid. “When starting the business, it seemed like there would be a silver circle in the cloud, that there would be some light in the future,” he said, “Now that is not the case.” There is only what will happen tomorrow, there is more confusion about what will happen.’
A big market for Nepal is India. “Since India is close, we are working on how to provide packages and bring Indian tourists there,” he said, “some Chinese people also come to us for services.” . Tourists have to be taken to tourist destinations by car. “However, the road infrastructure is not good, there are problems everywhere,” he said, “when the road infrastructure is weak, the tourism industry has to suffer.” Siddharth has been diversifying his investments. Gulmi has its own coffee farm. Its organic coffee is available to guests at hotels, restaurants and cafes. He said that he is preparing to expand it as well.
Whether you come to Nepal from India or from other countries, you will taste all kinds of Nepali food, he said. “We have paid more attention to hospitality, rather than what others have done,” he said. He told that. In a span of 26 years, the number of partners has increased to about 80 people. “Some time ago, when I went to India, I met with Nepali businessmen who are doing well there and discussed it. Now let’s look back to the place of birth from the place of work. Let’s not forget Nepal,” he said. I have been proposing that we work together.’ He told that
is also offering the same to those in other countries. “I have been asking you to join Siddharth, even if it’s a little bit,” he said, “let’s all create a chain together, let’s become an international brand ourselves, if you have the ability, I propose that I give you the position of president. For me, position is not an asset, let’s do something. All we have to do is to do well.” Neupane said that to maintain Siddharth’s brand in the crowd of hotels, cafes and restaurants, attention is paid to quality. ‘Good food, good culture is a big thing in this area, it is to create an atmosphere that makes Siddharth happy when he arrives,’ he said. We pay attention to the services we provide so as to make them feel that it is mine.” The number of daily wage earners and interns in construction is around 1500. “Siddharth’s entire team is like a family, everyone’s idea is to make it better, to provide better service,” he said. “We will only be able to improve the government system,” he said, “The revenue team should not only come and impose fines, they should improve these things, what is their responsibility to look into this, they should not just eat commissions and impose fines.”
– Bimal Khatiwada
Source: eKantipur