Despite Rs 5,000 crore wealth, Thyocare founder Velumani still feels lucky to have this Rs 90 breakfast

Thyrocare founder, Dr A. Velumani recently took a trip down memory lane after he ate his breakfast at a veg hotel named Hotel Aryaas in Coimbatore. In the era of inflated prices of food dishes at a hotel, the man with Rs 5,000 crore wealth had a Rs 90 breakfast. He shared the bill and reminisced about the old days and imparted a valuable life lesson.

Dr A Velumani shared, “Nostalgia of 1980. Salary Rs. 200 per month. Having this breakfast on salary day was a fantasy then. Had it before boarding a train to Trichy. Until complicated, life is too simple. Teach children #Frugality”. The bill showed a plate of "idly set" of Rs 38, one "vadai" for Rs 19 and a cup of coffee for Rs 28.54. It also revealed that the restaurant was "non AC".

Internet reacts

One user pointed out that spending Rs 90 on breakfast out of a Rs 200 salary is an extravagant expense. Another highlighted that nearly 45% of the earnings were used on a single meal. Someone else reflected on how life lessons are not just taught but passed down through experience, emphasizing that those who embrace them with passion often find success.


Another individual shared a personal experience, expressing concerns about a father who was not frugal and spent money recklessly, depleting net worth from Rs 10 crore to Rs 1 crore. They mentioned that instead of focusing on a profitable business, the father pursued ventures driven by ego, ultimately leading to financial setbacks. Meanwhile, another person reminisced about their childhood, recalling how their parents used to take them to Saravana Bhavan in T. Nagar for meals, even with a similar level of income, cherishing those moments spent together.

About A Velumani

Dr. A Velumani is a self-made Indian billionaire and the founder of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd., a diagnostic and preventive care laboratory chain based in Mumbai. Velumani’s journey began in the small village of Appanaickenpatti Pudur near Coimbatore, where he was born into a humble family. His father, a landless farmer, and his mother, who reared buffaloes to support the household, struggled to make ends meet. Determined to create a better future, Velumani pursued a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore.

In 1979, he started his career as a shift chemist at Gemini Capsules, a pharmaceutical company in Tamil Nadu. When the company shut down after three years, he joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) as a laboratory assistant. While working there, he earned his master’s degree in 1985 and later completed a Ph.D. in Thyroid Biochemistry (1995) from the University of Mumbai.

In 1996, Velumani took a bold step and founded Thyrocare Technologies, focusing on affordable thyroid testing. His innovative franchisee model revolutionized the diagnostics industry, making testing services accessible across India. Thyrocare eventually expanded into preventive healthcare and became the country’s largest thyroid testing laboratory, achieving unicorn status.

In a landmark move, Velumani sold his stake in Thyrocare for approximately Rs 5,000 crore, cementing his legacy as an entrepreneur who built an empire from scratch.