How Gujarmal Modi Built One Of India¡¯s Largest Business Empires

It all dates back to nine decades ago. In the 1930s, from being called ¡®dirty Indian¡¯ by an Englishman, to being banished from the state of Patiala for refusing alcohol (a glass of wine), it all happened with Gujarmal Modi.

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But little did anyone know that these events would prove to be a boon for him. Gujarmal Modi went on to co-establish the Modi Group of companies as well as the industrial city of Modinagar in the year 1933.

Let's learn about his inspiring story.

Early Years

Gujarmal Modi was born on 9 August 1902 in Mahendragarh, to a family of small businessmen in present-day Haryana. His father was the owner of a food grains mill in Patiala.

Gujarmal joined his father¡¯s business when he was barely 20 years old, and at a time when the concept of insurance was yet to catch on, Gujarmal Modi had reportedly convinced his father to ensure their flour mill. And later on, according to Marwar India, the factory was subsequently destroyed in a fire, but the insurance saved the family from disaster.

Also Read: How This 26/11 Indian Navy Hero Built A Rs 25 Crore Turnover Company

The Man Who Saw Adversity As An Opportunity

In 1933, after getting banished from a Patiala party for refusing wine, Gujarmal Modi went on and left Patiala to set up his factory in Begumabad, a village on the outskirts of Delhi, as per TheWeekendLeader.

That decision led to the seeds of the huge Modi Group getting sowed in this village.

Initially, Modi eyed a project centered on vanaspati, the vegetable cooking oil.

But as per the website of Modicare Limited, a firm founded by Gujarmal himself, ¡°In an effort to kickstart domestic production of sugar, the government announced a sharp increase in import duties. (Gujarmal) Modi abandoned the vansapati idea in favour of a sugar mill and this favourable turn of events led him to set up industry after industry that would benefit thousands in return,¡±

The Rise Of Modi Group

From 1939-1963, he worked on his pet project vanaspati, began producing washing soaps and tin containers for packing vanaspati, began oil crushing plant, paint and varnish factory, glycerin extraction plant, cotton textile mill, lantern factory, steel mill, silk and yarn mill, among many others, as per the Modicare website.

Even the Second World War brought another opportunity for Gujarmal Modi as he ventured into food processing for the military needs of the Allied forces, of which Great Britain was a part.

In 1945, even the town of Begumabad was renamed Modinagar, gaining a significant position on India¡¯s industrial map.

¡°In recognition of his services, the British government conferred the ¡®Rai Bahadur¡¯ title to Modi, which his father also had, on him in 1942. Later, after the war ended, the British government, in a rare public display of appreciation, organized a grand procession in his honour in Meerut.

Amongst the list of companies that he established includes Modi Sugar Mills, Modi Vanaspati Manufacturing Company, Modi Industries Ltd, Modi Luft, Modi Rubber, etc

Recently, a book on Gujarmal Modi was released on 10th February 2022, by author Sonu Bhasin.

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