Behind every successful man is a woman, and in the case of Zerodha founders Nitin and Nikhil Kamath, it is their mother, Revathi Kamath. Revathi has broken the stereotypical image of an environmentalist and has been balancing her super-successful business as well as her passion for social initiatives.
She is not just proud of her sons, Nitin and Nikhil’s success, but also stands tall as their guiding light. The Kamath brothers’ father, Raghuram Kamath, was an executive at Canara Bank and passed away in 2023. Revathi has been a source of inspiration for her sons, Nitin and Nikhil. To be an example herself, Revathy led the path for her sons. Let us delve more into Revathi Kamath’s success story.
Revathi Kamath began her entrepreneurial journey with a flower business
Revathi Kamath started her flower business with just Rs. 500, and it later grew into Calyx, a successful event management company. Her husband, Raghuram Kamath, brought her flowers when he came back from his job, and she soon started liking flower decoration. Once, she borrowed Rs. 5000 from a friend and presented a floral arrangement at Wipro, which gave her a project of Rs. 45000.
She rented a floral shop for Rs. 500 and began selling flowers. She approached many leading corporate companies for events and gradually started getting a lot of orders. Soon, her own management company, Calyx, was born. She soon received a landscaping project at Bosch, and her presentation got her a project worth Rs. 4.5 lakhs. Her landscape business flourished, and there has been no looking back since then.
Revathi Kamath is a crusader for the environment
Apart from being a successful businesswoman, Revathi Kamath is also known for her environmental work. At a Sinhasi Social Impact Initiative seminar, she spoke about the need to reserve India’s vanishing wetlands. One of her notable works was the transformation of Somanahalli Lake in Kanakapura, where she helped recharge 300 borewells and 200 open wells.
She also helped in restoring lakes like Naganayakanahalli, Mukond, and Katte. Her efforts made her a global figure. Revathi heaped praises on her sons, Nitin and Nikhil, for supporting her charitable works. Speaking about the same, she said:
“They’ve always had giving hearts… I raised them to believe that making a difference matters more than making a profit. My sons, especially Nithin, tell me – ‘You do it with your own money and don’t depend on any organisations, only then people will recognise you.’ Nikhil at times will transfer money for a project to me without asking anything.”
Revathi Kamath is a Veena maestro
Revathi was born in Shringeri into a Brahmin family, who placed a lot of importance on culture. Her father, N. Krishnamurthy, was a lawyer-turned Veena instructor. Her early life was surrounded by the melodious tunes of Veena, emphasis on education and the importance of culture. Her grandparents were renowned Sanskrit scholars, and her father-in-law was the founder of Mysore Sandalwood.
Revathi was trained under the esteemed Veena Venkatagiriyappa and loves playing the instrument whenever she gets time. Sometime back, Revathi garnered the limelight when a video of hers went viral, in which she was seen playing the Veena at Rama Mandira in Rajajinagar.
Revathi Kamath is a woman of strong values. Despite her vast empire and successful business, she is hailed for her humility and love for instilling the same values in her sons, Nithin and Nikhil Kamath.
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