Nearly three years back, a television advertisement starring Aamir Khan had introduced Indian households to a 'Nayi Soch', shattering stereotypes. Dressed as a Sikh shopkeeper, the actor credited his two daughters for his booming sweets business and wrote 'Gurdeep Singh & Daughters' on the shop's display board. The ad's jingle said, 'Kaamyaabi na ladka dekhti hai na ladki, kaamyaabi sirf soch dekhti hai'.. Cut to real life. In the past few days, the signboard at a chemist's shop, with 'Gupta & Daughters' written on it, has been going viral on social media with people hailing 'Gupta ji' for giving a recognition to his daughter and associating her name with his business. The signboard that has been winning hearts forms part of the signboard of 'Guru Nanak Modi Khaana', a charity medicine shop located near Pavilion Mall in Civil Lines of Ludhiana. It has been opened by Sikh Welfare Council in association with 'Gupta & Daughters', owned by Manoj Kumar Gupta (50), a Ludhiana-based businessman who has given his shop and drug license to the Sikh charity. Though the firm 'Gupta & Daughters' was setup three years back, it has shot to sudden fame after shop was recently revamped and photos of the display board was shared on social media. Speaking to The Indian Express, Aakanksha Gupta (26), after whom her father named the firm, said, "My father has never differentiated between me and my elder brother. I am proud that he has always given me wings to fly. He has set an example for all fathers to follow and he has practically shown that it is not just sons but also daughters who can take family businesses ahead." Aakanksha, a law graduate from Panjab University, Chandigarh and currently preparing for judicial services exams, adds, "I did my schooling from a boarding school in Kasauli. My father always emphasized on good education. Unlike the traditional culture that sons will handle business and daughters will be married off, my father has never asked me to get married. He wants to see me as a judge, for which I am preparing currently." Gupta, otherwise a construction contractor, says that he was hugely inspired by 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign of the central government. "I already have a construction firm, Gupta & Sons, which was started by my father. But in 2017, I started this new firm 'Gupta & Daughters'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' but I added another aspect to it, 'Beti Badhao'. A daughter's name can also take family businesses ahead," said Gupta. Aakanksha's brother Roshan Karan Gupta (29), who helps father in construction business, says he felt “very proud” of his little sister when their father decided to open their second firm in her name. “Friends and families are also appreciating it. The board has suddenly got viral on social media. The first thought that came to my mind was about that Aamir Khan ad in which he names his shop after her daughters. And I was like 'Abhi tak to sirf TV pe dekha tha, hamare papa ne to sach mein kar ke dikha dia," he said.
