“I came to Hyderabad from Ballari in 1989 with nothing except the willingness to work. I was very young then and had studied only till sixth standard. After that, survival itself became my education.
Like many people who come to the city searching for a better life, I started with small jobs. I worked at roadside idli bandis, learnt cooking while working, and slowly understood how food businesses survive in a city like Hyderabad.
From 1991 to 1995, I worked under my guru, Narasimha Goud, near Begumpet Airport. During that time, we ran a small tiffin stall in the mornings, and in the evenings I worked at a pani puri bandi. That phase changed my life completely.
More than recipes, he taught me how to deal with people. He used to tell me, ‘Customer is God. Greet everyone with respect, speak properly, and never look down on anyone who comes to your shop.’ Even today, after all these years, that is the principle I follow the most.
In 1996, I started my own chat business in Malkajgiri. The beginning was not easy. My tiffin business did not work out the way I expected, and over the years there were ups and downs, losses, and stressful phases. At one point, we even struggled while managing multiple stalls. But business teaches you patience. Every setback teaches you something that success never can.
Slowly, people started recognizing Bhavani Chat Bandar and it has become a brand in the Ecil area. Even today, we prepare almost everything ourselves — from the pani puris to the sev. I always believed customers can tell the difference between food made with care and food made only for profit.
The biggest satisfaction in my life is not fame or business growth.
I could not continue my own education, but all four of my children studied well. One of my daughters now works at IBM, another is pursuing her Graduation along with my two sons who also manage the business. Seeing them reach places I could not reach myself feels like the real reward for all these years of hard work. Sometimes customers who came here as students return years later with their own children. They still call me ‘uncle’ and say the taste and warmth here haven’t changed. That feeling cannot be bought.
Hyderabad taught me that success does not always come from big opportunities. Sometimes it comes from showing up every single day, doing honest work, and treating people well for many years without losing yourself in the process.”
— M. Srinivasulu, Bhavani Chat Bandar, ECIL