For generations of Indian children, the fiercest debate in the classroom wasn’t about cricket scores or cartoons. It was about pencils: Nataraj or Apsara? Was Nataraj sturdier, the pencil for every child? Or did Apsara, with its legendary promise of “five extra marks,” hold the key to success? What students never realized was that both pencils were siblings, born in the same factory, produced by the same company, and nurtured by the same dream. That company, Hindustan Pencils Pvt. Ltd. remains one of India’s greatest yet quietest success stories. Built by three friends who refused to accept that India should rely on imports for something as basic as a pencil, Hindustan Pencils has grown into the largest pencil manufacturer in the country, producing 8.5 million pencils every single day and exporting to over 50 countries worldwide.
The journey began in 1958, in a newly independent India that was brimming with ambition but struggling with industrial self-sufficiency. At the time, most quality pencils were imported, making them expensive and inaccessible for ordinary families. Three friends from Bombay, B. J. (Babubhai) Sanghvi, Ramnath Mehra, and Mansookani, saw both a problem and an opportunity. They believed India deserved pencils of world-class quality, affordable enough for every child, and strong enough to last long hours of classroom use. But belief wasn’t enough. Instead of starting small, they took a leap of faith. They traveled to Germany, then considered the world’s hub of pencil manufacturing. There, they immersed themselves in the craft, learning everything from the science of graphite leads to the art of shaping wood slats, from the balance of hardness to the polish of the finish. When they returned, they were not just three friends anymore. They were pioneers carrying the knowledge and determination to start India’s own pencil revolution.
Back in Bombay, the trio pooled their savings, rented a modest facility, and set up Hindustan Pencils Pvt. Ltd. Their mission was clear: to create pencils that could compete with the best in the world but remain accessible to every child in India. The early days of Hindustan Pencils were far from smooth. Machines had to be imported, raw materials sourced, and trust earned in a market long dominated by foreign brands. Yet perseverance paid off. Soon, their pencils began appearing in schools, tucked into the satchels of eager children. But the true breakthrough wasn’t manufacturing, it was marketing.
Instead of relying on one flagship, the founders made a bold move: they launched two. Nataraj became the people’s pencil, affordable, sturdy, and instantly recognizable in its red-and-black stripes. Apsara followed, positioned as the aspirational choice, sleeker and sharper, with the iconic tagline “Five Marks Extra for Neat Writing.” To students, they were rivals; in truth, they were siblings.
‘In every child’s hand lies a pencil. In every pencil lies a dream. And in those dreams rests the story of a nation.’
This dual-branding masterstroke allowed Hindustan Pencils to capture both mass and premium markets. While children debated Nataraj versus Apsara, the company quietly secured nearly half of India’s pencil market, a dominance that continues today.
From those early years, Hindustan Pencils grew steadily into a powerhouse. Today, its scale is staggering. The company manufactures 8.5 million pencils every single day. It controls about 45 percent of India’s market share and exports to more than 50 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Over time, the company introduced sub-brands like Nataraj Bold, Nataraj 621, Apsara Platinum, and Apsara Absolute, ensuring relevance for every generation of students. What started as a small Bombay factory is now a global stationery empire.
What makes Hindustan Pencils truly unique, however, is its ecosystem. The secret ingredient of every pencil is wood and Hindustan Pencils found its backbone in the Pulwama district of Kashmir. In the small village of Oukhoo, often called the “Pencil Village of India,” nearly 250 families are engaged in preparing wooden slats from poplar trees. These slats travel thousands of kilometers to Hindustan Pencils’ factories, where they are transformed into Nataraj and Apsara pencils. It is estimated that up to 90 percent of India’s pencil slats originate here, with Hindustan Pencils as the largest buyer. For villagers, pencil-making is not just an occupation; it is a way of life. One craftsman explained, “The poplar tree grown here has just the right balance of softness and moisture. That is why Indian pencils glide so easily on paper.” Yet this supply chain is fragile. Deforestation, shortages of poplar wood, and fluctuating demand threaten the livelihood of villagers and the future of the industry. Sustainability, afforestation, and innovation in materials are becoming urgent needs for the company and the community alike.
Beyond production, Hindustan Pencils has shaped Indian childhoods in unforgettable ways. The Nataraj 621 HB is etched into every student’s memory, the pencil of dictations, homework, and math problems. Apsara’s advertising struck gold with its legendary promise of “five extra marks.” It transformed a simple pencil into a talisman of academic ambition. Both brands created identities. Some students proudly declared themselves “Nataraj kids” while others insisted they were “Apsara kids.” Even today, adults look back with nostalgia. Social media threads are filled with confessions like, “I always thought Nataraj and Apsara were competitors. I never knew they were family!” That ability to turn stationery into memory, and memory into loyalty, is rare and Hindustan Pencils achieved it by embedding itself in the very fabric of student life.
Despite its dominance, the company is not insulated from challenges. The rise of digital tools, laptops, tablets, and styluses, has begun reducing the dependence on pencils, at least in urban areas. International brands and mechanical pencils are also entering the market. And perhaps most pressing, the raw material crisis in Kashmir threatens the steady supply of wood. Yet, Hindustan Pencils has shown resilience.
The story of Hindustan Pencils is a masterclass in branding, emotion, and endurance. By positioning Nataraj and Apsara as rivals, the company perfected dual branding and captured diverse markets. Campaigns like Apsara’s five marks promise turned a simple pencil into a cultural symbol, while strong supply chains, from factory floors to Kashmiri wood suppliers, built an ecosystem of trust.
More than six decades on, Hindustan Pencils remains an unshakable presence in Indian life, not through loud advertising, but through quiet impact in classrooms and exam halls. From three friends in 1958 to a global giant today, the company’s genius lay in understanding the dreams of India’s students. As one educationist put it, “The hand that holds a Nataraj or an Apsara isn’t just writing on paper, it is writing the story of India’s future.”
From Bombay to Kashmir to 50 countries across the globe, Hindustan Pencils has built more than a business. It has built a legacy. A legacy that continues to write itself, line by line, in the hands of children who may never know the secret, that the rivalry they grew up believing in was a carefully crafted illusion. Perhaps that is the most extraordinary legacy of all: that a simple pencil could become a tool of identity, aspiration, and nation-building.
