100 Years of Essel Group: Dr Subhash Chandra shares origin story of the name 'Essel'

The Essel Group marked 100 years of its journey on May 21 (Thursday). On the occasion, Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra reflected on the unique story behind the name “Essel”. During the conglomerate’s centenary town hall address, he revealed that the name originated from a simple operational abbreviation that eventually evolved into the corporate identity of the Group.

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Narrating a fascinating story behind the origins of the name “Essel”, Dr Subhash Chandra said that in its early years, the business operated under the name Ramgopal Indraprastha Messers before transitioning to Subhash Chandra Laxmi Narain in 1969. During routine dealings with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the lengthy company name was often verbally shortened to “SL” for gate passes, transport records and internal documentation. He explained that the abbreviation emerged largely because of space limitations and administrative convenience in day-to-day operations. It started in verbal communication specifically for gate passes. “People started saying this is the vehicle from SL group,” Dr Subhash Chandra said during the townhall address.

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Further, the Chairman explained that the shorthand “SL” became commonly associated with the business across operational and trade circles. However, as the company expanded and began creating brochures, presentations and formal communication material, the abbreviated form posed branding challenges. Dr Subhash Chandra recalled that the business needed a name that was not only easy to remember, but also more presentable, distinctive and suitable for a growing corporate identity. It was during this phase that he proposed refining “SL” into “Essel” — a more polished and brand-friendly version of the abbreviation.

What initially started as a simple operational adjustment gradually evolved into the official identity of the Group. Over the decades, the name “Essel” went on to become synonymous with the conglomerate’s expansion across sectors including packaging, media, entertainment, infrastructure, technology, education and lifestyle, eventually representing one of India’s well-known business groups with a presence across 190+ countries.