Bangalore enterprise blossoms
Rama Karaturi gained the idea for his rose-growing
business when he searched, without success,
for a bouquet of roses for his wife in Bangalore.
The city was a rose-free zone, so he decided to
start growing them himself. Initially, he opened
two greenhouses growing just roses. He used his
own savings, so took a considerable risk, but his
confidence in the growth of flower-giving at times
of major festivals encouraged other investors too.
He sold the flowers in India, but his business also
became one of the first in India to start exporting
flowers on a large scale. Rama worked long hours
to make his business a success. The business,
called Katuri Networks, has grown at a tremendous
rate, helped by Rama's all-round business skills.
He recently bought out a large rose-grower in
Kenya and his business is now the world's largest
cultivator of roses and Rama achieved this in a
little over ten years.
[9 marks, 15 minutes]
1 Rama is an example of a 'business entrepreneur'.
Explain what is meant by this term.
2 Outline any three characteristics of Rama's
[3]
personality that led to the success of his enterprise. [6]
