Arvind group chairman Lalbhai passes away

03 August 2007

Mumbai: Arvind group chairman and doyen of Indian industry Arvind Narottam Lalbhai, died on August 3, at the age of 89.

Lalbhai headed India''s largest integrated textile company — the Rs1,845 crore Arvind Mills for nearly three decades after he took over its reins in 1975 as MD and in 1980 as chairman.

A visionary and courageous industrialist, Lalbhai successfully steered Arvind Mills and made it India''s largest denim manufacturer. He also led a major restructuring at Arvind which emerged as the largest integrated textile manufacturer with a presence in fabrics and garments as well.

The patriarch, who had been ailing from spinal cord related problems for past three months, was also an institution builder and philanthropist.

He also headed several national and state level trade and industry bodies, including the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) - as president in 1981-82 and was also president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He was also at the helm of various textile bodies like the Indian Cotton Mills Federation (1982), and was also chairman of the textile committee in 1980.

Thrice president of The Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association, he also nurtured the ATIRA (Ahmedabad Textiles and Industrial Research Association) as chairman of the governing council.