Overview

• Ram Chandra Agarwal, afflicted by polio as a child, overcame multiple business failures to launch Vishal Mega Mart, India’s first value retail chain, in 2001.
• By 2007, Vishal Mega Mart had over 170 stores and a ₹2,000 crore valuation, but rapid expansion and the 2008 financial crisis led to a ₹750 crore debt and a sale for ₹70 crore in 2010-11.
• Agarwal rebounded in 2011 with V2 Retail, which grew to over 150 stores and achieved a market valuation of approximately ₹5,600 crore by 2024.
• In May 2025, a viral meme trend about security guard jobs at Vishal Mega Mart turned the brand into a nationwide cultural phenomenon on social media.
• The meme wave has reignited interest in Agarwal’s entrepreneurial journey, highlighting his resilience and the evolution of India’s value retail landscape.