The inspiring rags-to-riches story of Vijay Sankeshwar, the founder of VRL Logistics, has captivated the nation as he built India’s single largest fleet of commercial vehicles in the private sector. Starting with a single truck purchased on loan, Sankeshwar now presides over a vast logistics empire with a fleet of over 5,700 vehicles and a market capitalization in the thousands of crores.
Born in Gadag, Karnataka, Vijay Sankeshwar came from a family deeply rooted in the printing business. However, his ambition lay in the nascent transportation industry. In 1976, defying his family’s wishes, he launched his venture, then named Vijayanand Travels, with just one truck bought with a loan of approximately ₹2 lakh.
The early days were challenging, marked by financial hardships and long hours where Sankeshwar often served as the driver, manager, and strategist. His focus on on-time delivery and carving a reliable niche in parcel services set his company apart.
Through sheer determination and innovative expansion, the company steadily grew.
- Fleet Dominance: VRL Logistics is officially recognized by the Limca Book of Records as the single largest fleet owner of commercial vehicles in India’s private sector. Its fleet includes both goods transport vehicles and a significant number of tourist buses.
- Diversification: Sankeshwar diversified the VRL Group into passenger transport and, later, media, launching the popular Kannada daily newspaper ‘Vijaya Vani’.
- Public Success: The company went public in 2015, further cementing its position as a powerhouse in the logistics sector.
Sankeshwar’s journey, which was also the subject of the 2022 Kannada biographical film Vijayanand, stands as a powerful testament to the rewards of perseverance and entrepreneurial vision, transforming a simple loan for a single vehicle into a multi-billion rupee corporation.
