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Gava Gujarati : Legacies

Ranchhodlal Chhotalal

Ranchhodlal Chhotalal (pioneer Industrialist)

Ranchhodlal Chhotalal was a man of vision, and the pioneer of Textile Mills Industry, of Gujarat. He established the "Ahmedabad Cotton Spinnng & Weaving Co.", the First Textile Mills in Gujarat -Ahmedabad, in 1859.

He was born in 1823, as a son of an ordinary clerk, a mere employee, who was working in Vadodara. When graduated, he got an idea of establishing a cotton textile mills, which was a surprise to all, as the family had no resources whatsoever. With a determined mind, and on his own, he studied about the industry from newspapers, books, and from discussions with experts, and finally founded a textile factory in 1852, in Bharuch. There he faced many problesms such as of labour, fuel, lack of knowledgeable workers, etc. Without losing hope, he explored more, took help from those he could, got equipment from England, and faced all the difficulties of a 'first' Mills. Not only the Mills was a success, but through this inspiration, others also moved courageously, and Ahmedabad became the Manchester of the country.


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