Jawaharlal Darda: Paying tribute to a visionary who nurtured industries

This is an incident that took place in the beginning of the 1970s. Vasantrao Naik was the chief minister of Maharashtra, while Barrister Seshrao Wankhede was the finance and sports minister. Moreover, Wankhede was also running the affairs of the Mumbai Cricket Association (then BCA). The association did not have its own stadium back then. On the initiative of Wankhede, it was decided to construct a new stadium. The Garware Group of Industries was the first to announce substantial financial assistance for the project.

Abasaheb Garware, the founder and guardian of the group, entrusted me with the responsibility of taking this work forward by keeping in touch with the high-ranking leaders concerned, senior officials and office-bearers of the Cricket Association.

Soon, a flurry of meetings began to be held with political leaders and bureaucrats. A fair-skinned, pleasant and energetic personality was seen during these meetings. One day, Vasantrao introduced him to me, saying, "Meet Jawaharlal Darda, my close friend and colleague."

This is how I got to know Jawaharlal ji for the first time. Gradually, a close bond was formed, and we never knew when our relationship developed into a family bonding.

The senior political leadership of Maharashtra has always selflessly nurtured the industrial houses. This tradition commenced with the architect of Maharashtra, Yashwantrao Chavan, and it was further strengthened by Vasantrao Naik, Sesharao Wankhede, Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Gopinath Munde and Manohar Joshi. Even though he was not in power, Balasaheb Thackeray also contributed to this tradition. The leadership adopted a policy of maintaining family ties with all the industrial houses in the state and being with them in their personal ups and downs without any expectation of personal gains. Jawaharlal Darda ji also carried forward the same tradition.

Jawaharlal Darda with Rajiv Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Rikhabchand Sharma Nanabhau

After he became the industry minister, he further enriched it. He had an excellent awareness of challenges before industries and an inherent passion for establishing industries in backward areas. As a result, our relationship with the Darda family grew stronger.

The government's policies, combined with our growth goals, resulted in establishing our first polyester film manufacturing factory in the country in the then Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar). Our research team developed indigenous technology and worked tirelessly on this project. Jawaharlal ji was among those who encouraged us to do so.

Jawaharlal Darda at an event of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the Lokmat Group of Newspapers, which had been making a name for itself in the country, chose to come to Aurangabad, the Garware group wholeheartedly welcomed it.

After Jawaharlal ji, his two sons Vijay and Rajendra cultivated close relations not only with us but with all the industrial houses. They are so strongly identified with industries and their issues that all industrial families believe they belong to them, almost like close relatives.

Now, the third generation of Jawaharlal ji is working effectively in the day-to-day operations of the Lokmat Media Group and allied organisations. This generation is following in his footsteps. They have cultivated excellent relations with all the industrial houses, including ours.

This is the success of the cultural and moral values which Jawaharlal ji ingrained into his family members—humble salutations to him on the occasion of his birth centenary year.

The author is chairman and managing director of Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited

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