Bikaji Foods founder Shivratan Agarwal dies of heart attack:Had travelled to Chennai for wife’s surgery; reported uneasiness in morning

Shivratan Agarwal (74), Chairman and Managing Director of Bikaji Foods International, passed away in Chennai on Thursday morning. He had travelled to the city in connection with his wife’s surgery. He was rushed to a private hospital after his health suddenly deteriorated in the morning, where he breathed his last. According to family sources, his wife had recently undergone a heart bypass surgery, and doctors had advised her to rest. The family was staying at a hotel in Chennai for this reason. Agarwal, a resident of Bikaner’s Sardulganj area, had arrived in Chennai with his family around 10 days ago. Felt uneasy in the morning At around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Agarwal complained of uneasiness. As his condition worsened, he was taken to a private hospital, where he died. Built Bikaji into a leading brand Agarwal founded the Bikaji brand in Bikaner in 1993. What began as a small-scale venture has grown into one of India’s leading food brands. He initially named his company Shivdeep Food Products after his son. After a business split, Agarwal chose to move away from his family’s traditional association with Haldiram’s and start independently. Determined to build his own identity, he moved to Bikaner and began producing bhujia under the name Shivdeep Food Products, laying the foundation of the Bikaji brand. Naming the brand Bikaji Keen to give Indian flavours global recognition, Agarwal chose a name that was distinctive and easy to recall. The brand “Bikaji” is derived from Rao Bika, the founder of Bikaner, after whom the city is also named. In 2022, Bikaji Foods International was listed on the stock market, marking a major milestone in its growth. From modest education to innovation Agarwal had studied only up to Class 8, but built the brand through vision and innovation. During the early years of his business, he travelled to several countries to understand production techniques. At a time when bhujia was made entirely by hand, Agarwal introduced mechanised production. Bikaji became the first Indian brand to manufacture bhujia using machines, significantly improving both productivity and quality. From production to packaging, processes were increasingly automated. Today, Bikaji has emerged as an international brand, adhering to global standards across its product range.