New Delhi: It was 1932. A young man was banished from the state of Patiala after he refused a glass of wine in a celebratory party at the Patiala Palace. Little did anyone know that this ban would prove to be a boon for him, as the 32-year-old Gujarmal Modi left Patiala and went on to create one of the largest business empires in India.
Sonu Bhasin, in his book ‘Gujarmal Modi: The Resolute Industrialist’, talks about the ambitious young man and his rise as one of the prominent industrialists in the country. It is the first book of a series titled ‘Entrepreneurs Who Built India’.
Published by HarperCollins India, the book will be released on 18 March on Softcover, ThePrint’s online venue to launch select nonfiction books.
Describing Modi, Bhasin noted that he was different then most industrialists in India.
“He dreamt of building an industrial town. And he achieved his dream in merely thirteen years. His story is both interesting and inspiring and will help the managers and entrepreneurs of today realise that obstacles are just bumps on the path to success,” Bhasin said.
“There are many industrialists and promoters who achieved their glory and success in the pre-liberalised India but are in danger of being forgotten as the spotlight chases the current successful ones. The series is an attempt to bring the spotlight back on these promoters as it is they who worked to lay the foundation of Indian economy and industry,” she added.
“The series is an attempt to bring the spotlight back on these promoters as it is they who worked to lay the foundation of Indian economy and industry.”
Praising the author, Sachin Sharma, executive editor at HarperCollins India, said Bhasin did a “brilliant job in capturing Gujarmal’s life”.
“Running a business in that era (pre-independence) wasn’t easy either, but these entrepreneurs were undeterred and built the India of today. Entrepreneurs who built India attempts to give these legends their rightful place in history. The series couldn’t have asked for a better start with the story of Gujarmal Modi, a true visionary who was well ahead of his times,” Sharma added.
Harsh Goenka, chairman at RPG Enterprises, said the book highlights the story of a “true legend”.
“Gujarmalji was a towering personality. He was instrumental in making Modinagar the capital of India’s industrial map and it remains a testimony to an era when a giant of a man full of spirit and gumption walked the earth. A true hero!,” Goenka noted.
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