Shiv Ratan Agarwal, the founder of Bikaji Foods International and widely known as “Babuji,” died on Thursday, April 23, at the age of 75, reportedly of a heart attack. Agarwal fell ill suddenly while staying at a hotel in Chennai, where he had travelled with his family for his wife’s treatment after her recent bypass surgery. He was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead by attending doctors.
Agarwal, who had no formal higher education beyond the eighth grade, built a snack-making empire from humble beginnings. He learned to make bhujia — the spiced, fried gram-flour snack famously associated with Bikaner — from his uncle and began by preparing and selling it by hand. Over decades he scaled the business into a nationwide and international brand.
Family roots link Agarwal to the Haldiram legacy: he was the grandson of Gangavishan Agarwal, associated with the Haldiram name. The family businesses later split, and Agarwal struck out on his own. In 1986 he established Shivdeep Food Products, and in 1987 he launched Bikaji Bhujia; the Bikaji brand was formally rolled out in 1993. He is credited with industrializing the traditionally hand-made Bikaneri bhujia, introducing machinery for large-scale production and modern packaging, and investing in advertising — moves that helped popularize the snack beyond India’s borders.
Under Agarwal’s leadership, Bikaji expanded its product range and global reach. The company now produces more than 250 items and is present in some 32 countries, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Russia, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. Bikaji’s products are exported to over 40 countries worldwide.
Today the business is run by Agarwal’s son, Deepak Agarwal, who has steered the company to a strong position in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. The company’s market capitalization is reported at approximately Rs 17,331 crore, while Shiv Ratan Agarwal’s personal wealth was stated at around Rs 15,279 crore. Following his death, the family and the business are expected to continue under Deepak Agarwal’s leadership.
Original Source: https://prathamkhabartv.com/bikaji-founder-shiv-ratan-agarwal-passes-away-know-in-assamese/
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Publish Date: 2026-04-24 18:22:00
