I take this opportunity to pay my heartfelt tributes to Alji Bhai Marediya, the esteemed owner of Hotel Aaram in Paldi. Had it not been for him, Hearty Mart wouldn’t have existed.

In my business, there isn’t any co-founder, but Alji Bhai can be considered as one, for he was instrumental in convincing the initial partners of our Juhapura store. It was because of him that we were able to create our first store. From the store infrastructure creation to its launch, he played an active part, as I was still working with an advertising agency and couldn’t devote much time initially.

Alji Bhai had always been an entrepreneur, starting from a diamond cleaning outfit to running a hotel in Ahmedabad. His business insights and acumen during the initial stages of my entrepreneurial journey were a great help.

I knew Alji Bhai since my early teens and often visited his hotel in Paldi, which was in my neighborhood. We developed a bond and mutual respect, and that is how we came together.

Today, though he is no longer with us, we remember him for his unmatched contribution to my venture. His legacy lives on in the success of Hearty Mart, and his memory continues to inspire us everyday.

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"I attended my first eChai event 3 yrs back, and no one knew me in the market. Over the next three years, eChai didn’t only help me with knowledge or networking, but it gave me an identity from being unknown to now being recognized by a group of inspirational entrepreneurs connected with eChai, who have been gracious enough to acknowledge me and Digipple."
Viraj Rajani - Co-Founder, Digipple
Viraj Rajani
Co-Founder, Digipple
“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."
Utpal Vaishnav - Founder @ Polynxt (EightQor Capital, Upsquare, House of Starts) • Architect & Capital Allocator
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Polynxt (EightQor Capital, Upsquare, House of Starts) • Architect & Capital Allocator
"After moving back from the USA, eChai became my go-to space to learn how the Indian startup ecosystem works. It offered direct exposure to startup thinking and a community that openly shares business insights. What stood out was how easy it was to connect, learn, and grow through real conversations. As we built our IT hardware rentals business, eChai helped us find our niche and refine our path. Proud and grateful to be part of this amazing community."
Heet Sheth - Growth and Tech, Sheth Info
Heet Sheth
Growth and Tech, Sheth Info

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