JUNIOR EDITION for Ages 6+
India's Companies: From Idea to Empire · Book 2

Asian Paints: The Chemistry of a Billion Walls

How do you make a colour that does not fade or peel for years?

In this book, you will find out…

When you grow up, you could…

Who is in the story

CharlotteCharlotteBrave. Asks "why?" all day long.
MiaMiaPaint chemist. A colour master.
CharlieCharlieAsks one good question — then lets Charlotte find out.
WarrenWarrenTurns up late. Thinks about a hundred years from now.

Today’s mystery

How do you make a colour that does not fade or peel for years?

Look for the clues. Try to guess the answer before Charlotte does!

Chapter 1

The Wall That Went Pale

🔍 Why is the compass pointing at a wall?
Grandpa Ben's compass would not sit still. It kept twitching at the wall.
Grandpa Ben's compass would not sit still. It kept twitching at the wall.
CharlotteWhy are you pointing at the paint?
Her bedroom wall was pale and tired. Near the window, it was peeling.
Her bedroom wall was pale and tired. Near the window, it was peeling.
The diary opened by itself.
The diary opened by itself. "Find the colour that outlives the house it paints."
Charlotte made a plan. Find the best paint before Diwali painting day.
Charlotte made a plan. Find the best paint before Diwali painting day.
CharlotteOkay. Show me!
Charlotte’s notebook
My wall faded. My wall peels. Why? Fix it before Diwali!
Chapter 2

A Room Made of Colour

🔍 Who makes colours?
She landed in the most colourful room she had ever seen.
She landed in the most colourful room she had ever seen.
CharlotteIt's like standing inside a rainbow!
A woman in a paint-splashed apron turned round.
A woman in a paint-splashed apron turned round.
MiaI'm Mia. I'm a paint chemist.
CharlotteA whole job for colours?
Thousands of tiny colour cards went all the way up to the ceiling.
Thousands of tiny colour cards went all the way up to the ceiling.
There were beakers of colour and little test walls everywhere.
There were beakers of colour and little test walls everywhere.
CharlotteIt's a colour laboratory!
Mia opened a can. The colour swirled like a tiny galaxy.
Mia opened a can. The colour swirled like a tiny galaxy.
CharlotteWhat is it made of?
Chapter 3

The Paint Recipe

🔍 What is inside a can of paint?
Mia poured a bright powder from a jar.
Mia poured a bright powder from a jar.
CharlotteI think colour is a powder!
MiaRight. It's called pigment.
Red, blue and yellow powder sat in little hills, like a spice market.
Red, blue and yellow powder sat in little hills, like a spice market.
CharlotteBut powder blows away!
So Mia stirred in a clear, sticky goo. It is the glue that holds the colour.
So Mia stirred in a clear, sticky goo. It is the glue that holds the colour.
Glue is too thick to spread. A runny liquid helps. Then it dries away.
Glue is too thick to spread. A runny liquid helps. Then it dries away.
CharlotteThe runny part's job is to leave?
Colour, glue and runny liquid swirled into one shiny paint.
Colour, glue and runny liquid swirled into one shiny paint.
CharlotteThree things. One bucket!
🔎 Clue found!
Paint is colour powder, glue, and a runny helper that dries away.
Chapter 4

Charlotte's Sun Test

🔍 Why did my wall go pale?
Two walls were once the same colour. Now one was pale.
Two walls were once the same colour. Now one was pale.
CharlotteMine faded near the window. I bet it's the sun.
She was right! Sunlight has invisible rays. They hit the colour again and again.
She was right! Sunlight has invisible rays. They hit the colour again and again.
A weak colour breaks apart like a sandcastle. A strong one is like a rock.
A weak colour breaks apart like a sandcastle. A strong one is like a rock.
Charlotte wanted proof. She put two colour strips on a sunny windowsill.
Charlotte wanted proof. She put two colour strips on a sunny windowsill.
Days later, the weak strip was pale. The strong strip was still bright!
Days later, the weak strip was pale. The strong strip was still bright!
CharlotteMy test worked!
🔎 Clue found!
The sun breaks weak colour. A strong colour stays bright.
But her wall also peeled. Strong colour can't stop that.
But her wall also peeled. Strong colour can't stop that.
CharlotteSo why does paint peel?
Chapter 5

A Thousand Tiny Hands

🔍 How does paint hold on to a wall?
Up close, a wall is full of tiny holes. Wet glue creeps in and dries hard.
Up close, a wall is full of tiny holes. Wet glue creeps in and dries hard.
MiaLike a thousand tiny hands.
Good paint dries into a smooth skin. Rain rolls right off.
Good paint dries into a smooth skin. Rain rolls right off.
CharlotteA raincoat for the house!
But a raincoat that keeps water inside makes bubbles. Good paint lets the wall breathe out.
But a raincoat that keeps water inside makes bubbles. Good paint lets the wall breathe out.
Charlotte thought of her window.
Charlotte thought of her window.
CharlotteRain got in behind my paint. That's why it peeled!
Charlotte’s notebook
Strong colour stops fading. Strong glue stops peeling. I need BOTH.
Chapter 6

A Million Colours, a Few Cans

🔍 How can a shop sell every colour?
A wall of colour chips showed more than a million colours. Charlotte guessed.
A wall of colour chips showed more than a million colours. Charlotte guessed.
CharlotteThe shop must have a giant warehouse full of cans!
Wrong! Mia put plain white paint into a machine in the corner.
Wrong! Mia put plain white paint into a machine in the corner.
It dripped in a few tiny drops of strong colour. The white turned ocean blue!
It dripped in a few tiny drops of strong colour. The white turned ocean blue!
CharlotteIn ten seconds!
Mia let Charlotte press the button herself.
Mia let Charlotte press the button herself.
CharlotteI just MADE a colour!
🔎 Clue found!
A few white cans and some colour drops can make any colour, right in the shop.
A family picked the exact shade they loved. It was made right there.
A family picked the exact shade they loved. It was made right there.
CharlotteBut how does it reach every town?
Chapter 7

Paint in Every Town

🔍 How does paint get everywhere?
Mia unrolled a map of India. It was covered in dots. Each dot was a paint shop.
Mia unrolled a map of India. It was covered in dots. Each dot was a paint shop.
There were shops in tiny towns, not just in big cities.
There were shops in tiny towns, not just in big cities.
Fast trucks brought fresh cans in a day or two.
Fast trucks brought fresh cans in a day or two.
CharlotteNo shop runs out!
Families paint fresh for Diwali. The company learns which colours they love.
Families paint fresh for Diwali. The company learns which colours they love.
Soon a whole street glowed with happy colours.
Soon a whole street glowed with happy colours.
CharlotteA rainbow town!
Mia took her outside. On the big building was a name she knew.
Mia took her outside. On the big building was a name she knew.
CharlotteAsian Paints! The shop near my house!
Chapter 8

Four Friends and the Giants

🔍 How did it start?
In 1942, four friends started it with very little money. Giant companies ruled.
In 1942, four friends started it with very little money. Giant companies ruled.
CharlotteFour friends against giants?
The giants only cared about big cities. So the friends went to small towns instead.
The giants only cared about big cities. So the friends went to small towns instead.
One small company slowly grew into shops all across India.
One small company slowly grew into shops all across India.
Today huge factories make paint for the whole country.
Today huge factories make paint for the whole country.
CharlotteFrom four friends to THIS!
Charlie was waiting by the door.
Charlie was waiting by the door.
CharlieHow could it lose?
CharlotteBy getting lazy. Weak paint loses trust.
Then Warren came.
Then Warren came.
WarrenWill it still be here in thirty years?
CharlotteIf it keeps every town happy.
Chapter 9

Diwali Painting Day

🔍 Which paint will she choose?
Charlotte woke up in her own bed. The room smelled of fresh paint.
Charlotte woke up in her own bed. The room smelled of fresh paint.
A new line shone in the diary.
A new line shone in the diary. "Now you see the colour beneath the colour."
She ran outside. Every bright wall had a secret now.
She ran outside. Every bright wall had a secret now.
On Diwali, she chose her paint.
On Diwali, she chose her paint.
CharlotteStrong colour. Strong glue. Made fresh near home.
The big idea
A colour lasts when the powder is strong and the glue holds tight. A company lasts when it reaches everyone.

All the clues

  1. Paint is colour powder, glue, and a runny helper that dries away.
  2. The sun breaks weak colour. A strong colour stays bright.
  3. A few white cans and some colour drops can make any colour, right in the shop.

So… How do you make a colour that does not fade or peel for years?

Use a strong colour powder the sun can't break, and a glue that grips the wall like tiny hands. Then make any colour fresh in a shop near every home.

OmahaIndia Junior · a simpler version of Book 1 for readers aged 6-8