New Delhi, Jan. 20 -- The love for chemistry at school got Subhasish Chakraborty to pursue a Bachelor of Science Honours from the University of Calcutta. He topped his batch and secured a gold medal on graduation in 1976.

Chakraborty's education led him to start a chemical distribution business in 1987, which in turn shaped his future in the most unexpected way. He realised a major gap when it came to distribution services, whether through the postal network or courier companies. It resulted in him starting DTDC Express Ltd. in 1990, though he faced several challenges during the early days.

"Banks were hesitant to provide loans, citing the lack of collateral security. I could only raise Rs.70,000 after pledging my wife's jewellery to st...