Old Soap

Nice article about the history of Margo soap. My grandparents swore by it and it was always a staple in our home too. My generation ofcourse had plenty of choice in terms of soap and we liked things that smelled nice. But if we need a good scrub after getting muddied, scraped or cut playing outside, it was always a thorough scrubbing with Margo - nothing else was qualified for the job. I would recognize that smell anywhere and immediately be transported to my childhood. 

Almost a century ago, at a time when Indian markets were being dominated by British-made goods, an Indian entrepreneur rose to take a bold step against it. Although his name is lost in the annals of history today, he was one of the few pioneers of the Swadeshi movement who stood up to threaten the colonial hold on Indian economy, with home-grown Swadeshi products. A revolutionary, a chemist, an entrepreneur and a mentor, this man was behind the research, development and marketing of one of the most prominent FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) products, the Margo soap that today has risen into a popular brand in itself.

It’s interesting to see that this product commonly found in Indian households even today, is rooted in the core of India’s Swadeshi past.

I was not aware of the Swadeshi history of Margo and wonder if that was the reason my refugee grandparents were so devoted to the brand.