No one is a stranger to the scramble of buying an umbrella before the monsoons set in.

If you hail from Kerala, chances are you have spent many monsoons scouring through the range of umbrellas at ‘Popy’ to find the best one.

For 29 years, this brand has been reigning the umbrella scene in India with its catchy jingles and quirky products.

And yes, there is a fascinating history behind the brand.

The history of Popy traces back to 1954 when Thayyil Abraham Varghese, fondly known as ‘Kuda Vavachan’ started the St George umbrella manufacturing brand.

After the demise of Abraham Varghese in 1968, the brand ran on for two more decades. But in 1995, his sons Baby and Abraham decided to split into two separate brands, namely John’s and Popy, respectively.

The current owner of Popy Umbrellas is Davis Thayyil.

In 2020, The Better India caught up with his son Kevin Thayyil who shared, “During my school days, my classmates would ask me about the new umbrellas that were yet to be launched, and they would always be curious to know what the quirky element for that year would be.”

“My father, on the other hand, would always come to me for feedback on the products and would consult with me to see whether children enjoyed the products,” he had added.

Even the name of the brand has an interesting story behind it.

Even the name of the brand has an interesting story behind it.

As Kevin had shared, “My grandfather’s younger brother was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and couldn’t speak until the age of 8. One of the first words he said was ‘Popy’ referring to his favourite candy - Poppins.”

This became a word that symbolised happiness and joy to the family. Thus, the name.

From producing umbrellas with whistles on them, to tying up with Walt Disney, Marvel, D C and Star Wars to create children’s favourite characters on their umbrellas, the brand has kept innovation at the fore.

Over the last two decades, Popy has developed hundreds of models of umbrellas with various features. These include ultra-violet silver coating, water-repellent technology, wind-proof technology and even uni-chrome gold plating to prevent rusting.

According to the website, the brand also retails umbrellas with GPS trackers, selfie sticks, and Bluetooth connectivity.

The brand has also won the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award, the IMM Civil Award, the Bharath Udyog Jyothi Award, the Bharath Vikas Gold Award (1996) and the Kerala Consumer Protection Council Award (2000).

“As a brand we wanted people to remember us not just during the monsoons but throughout the year,” Kevin had shared.