In 1921, P. Nachimuthu Gounder started by hiring out bullock carts in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. A decade later, he entered passenger transport with 21 buses, laying the foundation for a business that his family would expand into the ABT–Sakthi Group, which today describes itself as a $2-billion (Rs 20,000 crore) conglomerate.
In the early 1920s, when motorised transport was still limited across much of India, P. Nachimuthu Gounder saw an opportunity in a business that was central to everyday life: moving people and goods.
Based in Pollachi, a predominantly agricultural town in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore region, Gounder started hiring out bullock carts in 1921. The town was an important trading centre connecting parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with agricultural produce forming a significant part of its economy. Transport was therefore an essential requirement for traders, farmers and local businesses.
Gounder began with a traditional mode of transport but soon looked beyond it. He gradually moved into motorised vehicles, operating taxis and trucks before entering the passenger bus business.
In 1931, he established Anamallais Bus Transport (ABT) with a fleet of 21 buses. The move marked a significant shift from hiring out bullock carts to running an organised passenger transport service.