Women to Watch: Barkha Sugand of Ajanta Paper Company

On the legacy of Ajanta Paper Company
Ajanta Paper Company was founded by Manohar Sugand in 1967 as a startup in paper trading, and in 1984, the firm ventured into manufacturing registers and record-keeping books. These registers were used in banks, employees’ credit societies (both private and government), co-op housing societies and trusts.

In 2010, the company also started manufacturing registers for private hospitals, nursing homes, and local municipal authorities. 

Barkha Sugand, proprietor of Ajanta Paper Company, began her journey in 2008 when she began working part-time in the firm during her educational years. She remarks, “I assisted my father, late Manohar Sugand, with sales and marketing.” She adds, “He passed away in 2017 — the 50th year of the company — and I subsequently took over the business.”

Sugand recalls, “As a little girl, I had seen his passion and hard work as an entrepreneur to establish this business, and so, I decided to continue his legacy and not let his lifetime of hard work go to waste.”

What makes her stand apart is her degree in law, which helped in advancing the business. She remarks, “All registers are printed as per their respective rules and regulations.” Her legal expertise underscores her commitment to compliance and risk management, earning the trust of clients. 

In addition, Sugand looks after sales and is involved in purchasing the best quality raw materials. She shares, “I also keep myself updated about the latest amendments in the norms based on which our registers are printed.” She adds, “This is important for our clients from the compliance point of view, and we modify the registers from time to time accordingly.”

On sustainability and plastic alternatives
Sugand believes that while both plastic and paper are recyclable, the time cycle is a considerable factor. She observes, “Paper is biodegradable, while plastic takes a hundred years to decompose while threatening the environment.” 

Is paper-based packaging an alternative to plastics and films, then? She argues, “Since paper and paperboard are absorbents, only dry food having a lesser shelf life can be protected.” She continues, “In addition to which, corrugated and noncorrugated box packaging has its limitations concerning liquid and oily food items which have to be packed in plastics.” 

The solution? Sugand shares that while high-grade biopolymer coatings are available, they create an economic obstacle to achieving the objective of sustainable packaging. She affirms, “Despite these limitations, paper-based packaging is comparatively a viable, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and greener way of substituting polymer substrates.”

Sugand argues, “Some methods available for paper and packaging product manufacturing use renewable energy sources — solar, rain water harvesting, recyclable water, water management for using it multiple times, wind, biomass, recycled fibre, which use less water.”

She also believes that Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified papers are significant in terms of international trade. She shares, “FSC-certified papers facilitate tracking and acquiring raw materials by aiding the sustainable forest management.”

On the Paper Trade Association and consumer education
With the average Indian consumer still learning about the different types of packaging, in terms of biodegradability and recyclability, Sugand believes that the packaging industry must comply with statutory obligations so consumers can make informed choices.

She remarks, “For instance, labelling of products, verification of their information through QR codes mentioning their contents, the materials used to produce them, such as whether it was made from recycled or recyclable raw material, along with their disposal methods to prevent environmental hazards.”

She adds that the Paper Traders Association (PTA) can play a role in spreading social awareness by educating the masses through campaigns in educational institutions, while employing various forms of media. She observes, “Social media is one of the quickest ways to highlight the myths and facts about the usage of products.”

On challenges and the future
Sugand shares the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry: “When I had just taken over this business, it was undeniably overwhelming in the beginning because it is mainly a male-dominated industry with hardly any women involved.” She continues, “But, gradually, I developed a very healthy rapport with men in this field, some of whom are very senior and highly experienced, and they always encourage me like a mentor in any difficult situation, and I am continuously learning from them whenever we interact.”

She adds, “I do wish more women would come into this industry, and Gen Z should realise that paper and paperboard are not obsolete but an essential commodity and are indispensable for us.”

She concludes, “The industry has infinite uses, possibilities, and opportunities to make innovative products with changing times and lifestyles and boost our economy.”

Looking forward, Sugand and Ajanta Paper Company are looking to venture into registers for other industrial sectors.