Akash Cotton (P) Ltd.

If you head out to Shapar in Veraval, you will find us at Plot No. 1, right on Survey No. 236. It’s an industrial patch, so it’s dusty and there is always the sound of machinery in the distance. We deal in cotton, which is a messy business. If you walk into our yard, you’ll see white lint stuck to the fences and the workers' clothes. It’s just part of the job. The sun gets really hot out here in Gujarat, so the tin roof of the warehouse makes a lot of noise as it expands. We spend most of our time grading the cotton and making sure it’s ready for the mills. It’s heavy work, moving the bales around. We have a small office on-site, but we are rarely in it. Usually, we are out checking the quality or talking to the truck drivers who bring the raw loads in. The tea here is always very sweet and served in small glass cups. We don’t have a fancy corporate structure. Most decisions are made over a quick chat near the loading dock. It’s a rough environment, but we like it that way. We’ve been in Shapar long enough to know all the other plot owners. We just focus on the harvest and the prices. There’s no need for big speeches or polished presentations when you are covered in cotton dust at the end of the day.