Mafatlal Group patriarch Arvind Mafatlal dies

Mafatlal Group patriarch and social reformer Arvind N Mafatlal passed away today at Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh after prolonged illness. He was 88.

Mafatlal Group patriarch and social reformer Arvind N Mafatlal passed away on Sunday at Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh after prolonged illness. He was 88.

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He is survived by son Hrishikesh Mafatlal, who is the chairman of the Arvind Mafatlal Group, and daughter Maithili Desai.

A month ago, the ailing industrialist was flown in from Mumbai to Chitrakoot, as he wanted to spend his last days there.

The legendary industrialist played a prominent role in the post-Independence growth story of the country.

The Group, set up by his grandfather in 1905 in Ahmedabad as a textile mill, was primarily into textile business till Arvind took over in 1954.

Under his leadership, the group transformed into a conglomerate with interests in rubber chemicals, specialty chemicals and petro chemicals, besides the flagship textiles.

The rubber chemicals business NOCIL, set up in collaboration with Royal Dutch Shell and Hoechst Mafatlalat at Thane is one of the largest rubber chemicals companies in the country and a leading exporter.

Another company Navin Flourine is the largest manufacturer of flouro chemicals in the country. In textile, Mafatlal Denim is a leader.

To achieve his social vision of improved quality of life for the underprivileged, Mafatlal worked closely with renowned Gandhian Manibhai Desai to set up the Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF).