Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed founded Hamdard in 1906 and created Rooh Afza, a herbal drink designed to keep people cool in summer. He was a Unani medicine expert and carefully selected herbs to formulate Rooh Afza, meaning “something that refreshes the soul” in Urdu. His business grew into a major herbal brand.
After the partition in 1947, his elder son stayed in India, while his younger son, Mohammad Saeed, moved to Pakistan and established Hamdard there. In 1971, his daughter Sadia Rashid revealed that Hamdard was gifted to the people of Bangladesh. Rooh Afza remained a popular drink in all three countries.
Rooh Afza was initially sold in German-designed glass bottles before shifting to plastic. In 2019, a temporary shortage occurred due to the limited availability of herbs. Over the years, Hamdard expanded its product range with items like Safı, Pachnaul, and Rogan Badam Shirin.
