21 Facts About Kasturbhai Lalbhai

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai co-founded Arvind Mills along with his brothers and several other institutes.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was a co-founder of the Ahmadabad Education Society which later founded Ahmedabad University and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai belonged to the Jain family of Nagarsheths of Ahmedabad, recognized by the Mughals, Marathas and the English during different times.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was the descendant of Shantidas Jhaveri, a royal jeweler of Akbar and an Oswal Jain from the Marwar region.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai studied at Municipal School Number Eight near Teen Darwaja, Ahmedabad up to fifth grade.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was married to Sharda Chimanlal Jhaveri in May 1915 and had two sons, Shrenik and Siddharth.

The operations of the mill had not yet stabilized; hence, Kasturbhai Lalbhai had to take care of operations closely.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai started off as a timekeeper in the mill, but fed up with the repetitive nature of the job, he started working with suppliers of the mill and traveled far and wide to understand the supplier market.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai joined the board of directors of Raipur mill in 1918.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai expanded his business with help of his mentor and trusted general manager of all his textile mills, Dahyabhai Motilal Patel, who had the vision and insight to advise Kasturbhai Lalbhai to invest in or acquire five mills between 1924 and 1938, including four belonging to relatives.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was elected in Central Legislative Assembly in December 1923.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was indulged in negotiation of taxes with British for Indian textiles during economic depression of the 1930s.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai became the trustee and chairman of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Fund.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai served as a member of Minorities Sub-committee as a representative of Jainism.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was elected as the President of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries in 1934 and the President of Ahmedabad Textile Mill Owners Association in 1935.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was on the board of IIMA but declined to accept the position of its chairman.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai established the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology in 1962.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai founded the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology in 1962 which preserves many manuscripts, rare books, and microfilms.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai became chairman of Anandji Kalyanji Trust in 1925 at the age of 30 years and served for 50 years.

Kasturbhai Lalbhai was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour in 1969 by the Government of India.