Mysuru, 18 August 2026: Five decades after its inception, VRL Logistics Limited marked its golden jubilee with a special celebration in Mysuru on Saturday, alongside the inauguration of a new VRL building and a large warehouse in the Bannimantap area.
The event brought together thousands of people, who gathered to celebrate the company's 50-year journey and congratulate VRL Group Chairman Dr. Vijay Sankeshwar, Managing Director Dr. Anand Sankeshwar and Vijayanand Travels Managing Director Shiv Sankeshwar.
The new VRL facility and warehouse near Jodi Tenginamara Road in Bannimantap were also formally inaugurated as part of the celebrations.
From a different idea to a logistics major
Recalling the early years of VRL, Dr. Vijay Sankeshwar said the company was born from the idea of entering a field different from the family's traditional involvement in printing and publishing.
He said the company went through nearly 10 years of continuous losses and extremely difficult circumstances in its early years. However, the organisation did not compromise on service quality or financial discipline even during those challenging times. The trust and support of customers eventually helped the company overcome those difficulties, he said.
According to Dr. Sankeshwar, VRL today operates around 7,000 trucks and buses and has approximately 1,300 branches, with its network extending from Srinagar to Thiruvananthapuram. He attributed the company's growth to the dedication of its employees and the organisation's commitment to its work.
Financial discipline behind growth
VRL Logistics Managing Director Dr. Anand Sankeshwar recalled the challenges involved in building a logistics business during an era when even basic communication facilities were limited.
He said the company had to undertake door-to-door promotion in its early days and operate without the technological infrastructure available today. The success achieved by Dr. Vijay Sankeshwar in building VRL despite those limitations was a reflection of his determination and vision, he said.
‘VRL is an inspiration for entrepreneurs’
District Minister Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah said building a major logistics company despite financial constraints was no ordinary achievement. He attributed the company's growth to professionalism and financial discipline and said the success of Dr. Vijay Sankeshwar, a Kannadiga entrepreneur, was a matter of pride.
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar said completing 50 years was a significant milestone for VRL. He said seeing a VRL truck creates a sense of trust among people and congratulated the company on completing five decades.
At a time when many young entrepreneurs are launching start-ups, VRL could serve as a model for them, he said, adding that the company's financial discipline was something entrepreneurs could learn from.
Several elected representatives and public figures attended the programme, including MLAs G.T. Devegowda, A.R. Krishnamurthy, T.S. Srivatsa and K. Ravishankar, former MP Pratap Simha, former MLAs S.A. Ramdas, M.K. Somashekar and L. Nagendra, and MLCs G. Madhusudan and Tontadarya, among others.
Keywords
VRL Logistics, Vijay Sankeshwar, VRL Golden Jubilee, VRL Logistics Mysuru, Anand Sankeshwar, logistics industry Karnataka, Citizen News Puttur