Rasasi Perfumes

About the Founder and Founding Story

Abdul Razzak Kalsekar was born around 1931 in Dasur, a small village in the Rajapur subdivision of the district of Ratnagiri, India. He came from a humble background, and eventually migrated from India to the United Arab Emirates after navigating struggles in his early life.^[6]

Abdul Razzak started by selling perfumes, spices and leather, before he founded the Rasasi Perfumes in 1979 in the traditional marketplace of Murshid Bazar in Deira.^[7] The first small shop was opened with the vision of creating a quality-driven brand that would preserve the rich, authentic perfume traditions of the Gulf region.^[8] Since the early stages of the business’s founding, Abdul Razzak involved his sons, Siraj and Riyaz Kalsekar, who have played a key role in its growth.^[9]

Growth Phase 

The 1980s saw the business grow substantially. In 1981, the Rasasi Perfumes opened a retail outlet, investing significantly in its development.^[10] Five years later, while driving to Abu Dhabi, Abdul Razzak and his eldest son, Siraj, passed by a large highway billboard in Jebel Ali, which at the time was mostly open land alongside a newly developed port. Intrigued by the billboard, publicizing the establishment of a free zone in Dubai and the opportunity to set up industries by owning land, they stopped to write down the details on a piece of paper. Once they returned to their office in Dubai, they immediately began making calls to learn more about the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza). Within the year, Rasasi began setting up its first manufacturing facility in Jafza, dedicated to the distillation and manufacture of oud oil perfumes.^[11]

The business grew quickly as Rasasi expanded its operations to meet the increasing demand from customers, and a second factory was established in Jafza in 1989. The partnership between Rasasi and the free zone has contributed to the company’s success, enabling it to secure additional land on which to expand its factory and other facilities.^[12] With the unique advantage of its expertise in oud and Oriental perfumery, the business began attracting attention from regional nobility and other wealthy patrons, accelerating the brand’s growth.^[13]

In the early 1990s, the brand introduced its products into Oman, which has become one of its key markets.^[14] Diversification of product lines soon became amid the region’s increasingly competitive perfume sector.^[15] In 1992, the business launched a line of Western-style perfumes with its Blue Lady scent.^[16] Toward the end of the decade, the business further expanded its operations, opening an aerosol-only manufacturing unit in Jafza South, Dubai.^[17]

Rasasi continued to see steady growth in the following decades despite the global downturn during the 2007-08 financial crisis. By 2010, its Western line accounted for half of the company’s business.^[18] In 2012, with regional and global demand for its products continuing to increase, Rasasi signed a project development agreement with Dubai Industrial City to build a new perfume manufacturing and packaging facility.^[19] In 2015, Abdul Razzak passed away at the age of 84, survived by his wife, three daughters, and six sons.^[20]

Today

Headquartered in Dubai, Rasasi operates over 180 retail outlets across the GCC countries, offering more than 1,500 unique products.^[21] With a workforce of over 1,500 artisans, the company exports to over 60 countries, supported by a strong distribution network and advanced manufacturing facilities in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.^[22] Following Abdul Razzak’s death, his vision has been carried forward by his six sons, who hold various management positions in the company; as of 2025, Riyaz Kalsekar was managing director of Rasasi Perfumes.^[23] In addition to the second generation’s direct management role in the family business, the third generation is also involved, with Ishaq Anis Kalsekar serving as creative director.^[24]