#history
The first beauty cream in India.
Afghan Snow, launched in 1919, is the first beauty cream to be manufactured in India.
Ebrahim Sultanali Patanwala from Jhalar Patan in Rajasthan moved to Bombay a century ago. After working with a perfumer, he started a small manufacturing unit on his own. The bottles were imported from Germany and the labels came from Japan.
During the Swadeshi Movement, a call was given to boycott the foreign product.
But when Mahatma Gandhi was informed that the product per se was swadeshi, he wrote an endorsement for it in the newspaper published by him.
ES Patanwala presented a hamper of his products to King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan during the latter’s meeting with Indian entrepreneurs at Bombay. The small bottle with cream was without any label. King Zahir Shah said that the cream reminded him of the snow in Afghanistan. The name Afghan Snow was born.
Afghan Snow was a household name for years, till the likes of Ponds, Nivea, and other creams gained popularity much later.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
