Ajay Kakar: Taking Made-in-India dermatology products global

(Sep 18, 2026) Growing up around his family’s small pharmacy in Delhi, Ajay Kakar developed an early connection with pharmaceuticals. Today, as founder of Salve Pharmaceuticals, Salvia Cosmeceuticals and Shoprythm, he has built a business spanning 100+ products, 6,000+ PIN codes in India and 18+ countries, backed by in-house manufacturing capabilities.

Ajay Kakar’s connection with pharmaceuticals goes back to his early years in Delhi, where his family ran a small pharmacy at Daryaganj. After graduating from Hindu College and pursuing pharmacy at the Delhi College of Pharmacy, he began his career as a pharmaceutical distributor. It was during this phase that an avenue to enter the dermatology space, and start his own business venture emerged.

“During this time, I gauged an opportunity to acquire a few brands from a company operating in the dermatology space, which marked the beginning of Salve Pharmaceuticals,” the entrepreneur mentions in a chat with The Global Indian.

It was a leap of faith for us to scale into a business spanning more than 18 countries. The responses and reviews have been overwhelming. We continue to aspire in our ambitions of global expansion, as well as to include a universal product range for all skin types and consumer needs.

Ajay Kakar

The journey began with five brands, including its flagship brand, Parasoft, which offers a range of moisturisers. Initially, the acquired products were manufactured through third-party contract manufacturers. But Ajay wanted greater control over quality and saw manufacturing as an important step towards building the business he envisioned.

“To maintain high quality and achieve excellence, I set up my own manufacturing facility,” he says.

The company started operations in Delhi and, driven by positive feedback from doctors, gradually expanded across North and parts of West India. Its product portfolio also grew in response to market demands. Today, Salve Pharmaceuticals has a portfolio of more than 100 products across various niches.

The pharmacy that Ajay’s family ran in Delhi’s Daryaganj

Building an Indian manufacturing advantage

As Salve Pharmaceuticals expanded its domestic footprint, Ajay also began looking beyond India. Today, its products reach more than 6,000 PIN codes across India, while its increasing international presence.

To reach more PIN codes and global consumers, we transitioned into an omnichannel company. Our brand is built on doctors’ trust and is available at retail chemist shops and pharmacies, as well as on online marketplaces and global shelves.

Ajay Kakar

As e-commerce platforms such as eBay and Amazon expanded their reach in India, they opened up new avenues for Salve Pharmaceuticals to take its products to international consumers. “This opened the arena for us to sell our products globally across marketplaces such as eBay, Walmart, and Amazon,” he says.

Selling in international markets exposed Ajay to stricter manufacturing protocols and guidelines. It also gave him deeper insights into advanced ingredients, which helped Salve Pharmaceuticals become more innovative in its product development. Exposure to global markets also showed him how perceptions of Indian manufacturing were changing.

Beyond Salve Pharmaceuticals

Beyond Salve Pharmaceuticals, Ajay has also ventured into the wider beauty and personal-care space. He founded Salvia Cosmeceuticals, established in 2010, which manufactures and exports skincare, haircare, baby-care and wellness products, and Shoprythm, a beauty and personal-care venture launched in 2020 that offers natural and organic skincare and haircare products. He has also expanded his portfolio with ventures such as Littloo and Organic Zing. Together, these ventures reflect his broader interest in product development, manufacturing and consumer-focused beauty solutions.

In recent years, government initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ have radically transformed how the world views Indian manufacturing. Global consumers now trust made in India products much more, which has given our business a strong advantage abroad.

Ajay Kakar

Adapting to a changing market

Salve Group’s digital journey gained momentum with the growth of e-commerce platforms and accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the importance of digital channels became increasingly evident.

Since then, the group has expanded across both its medical and consumer-facing verticals. It serves the medical community while also addressing the market’s cosmeceutical requirements through diverse e-commerce platforms.

For Ajay, one aspect that distinguishes Salve Group is its combination of manufacturing capabilities and marketing expertise. The ability to develop products in-house while understanding how to take them to consumers has become an important part of the company’s growth strategy.

Research-led product development

The business group’s approach to innovation is also supported by its in-house R&D department. “We take immense pleasure in conducting thorough research on our products, constantly exploring new and innovative actives, and proactively addressing the industry’s concerns and needs,” he says.

For Ajay, learning is also a continuous process. “Our product management team continuously monitors the market for the latest trends in packaging, new product formats and innovative ingredients. Clinical research and adopting cutting-edge technology to innovate products based on consumer needs and new trends is a pivotal activity of our company,” he adds.

The entrepreneurial journey

As an entrepreneur, one of Ajay’s biggest challenges has been raising capital at various stages. However, with perseverance and support, he has been able to navigate these financial hurdles and continue scaling the business.

“The biggest learning is resilience, and to not lose hope as an entrepreneur when stopgaps and hurdles affect your business. Such experiences have shaped my character and business mindset to be steadfast in my approach and always have perseverance in any pursuit,” he says.

Advice for young entrepreneurs

For young people who want to become entrepreneurs, Ajay says that while the market offers an ocean of opportunities, success requires hard work, determination and resilience.

“You will face many ups and downs, but the key is to keep moving forward. Always hold on to your dreams, as they are the driving force that will lead you to your ultimate goals. It is also important to have immense patience and discipline without which entrepreneurship is incomplete, as it requires young people to become thinkers and constantly reinvent themselves,” he says.

Scaling the Indian MSME

Looking ahead, Ajay’s primary vision is to take Salve Pharmaceuticals to the Rs 100-crore revenue benchmark.

“Given the huge market potential of our exquisite and premium products developed from expert clinical research, our plan is to focus on achieving this milestone and then continue scaling the company further. For this, we are working on growth strategies to scale the manufacturing capacity and market reach of this Indian MSME over the next two years,” he says.

Beyond business

When he is not working, Ajay is passionate about travelling and exploring new places. “Additionally, I happen to be a music enthusiast and play guitar in my free time,” he concludes.

• Follow Ajay Kakar on LinkedIn

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