Gujar Mal Modi

Rai Bahadur Gujarmal Modi is counted among the noted industrialists of India who have aided in the building & strengthening of the pillars of Indian autonomy. He had a multi-faceted personality. He was a born administrator and an ardent believer of God. He was never after power and had led a very simple life. Throughout his life, he helped many people, including his relatives, friends and refugees by setting up industries for them. He was particularly sympathetic towards poor and needy, who used to love and respect him a lot. He won respect and esteem of everybody because of his inimitable capacity to distinguish between right and wrong and to stand up fearlessly for what he regarded as his moral duty.

As a philanthropist, he contributed greatly in the field of education. He established a chain of schools and colleges at his birth place, Mahinder Garh, in Patiala and in Modinagar. He also contributed a lot in the field of higher education by giving grants to established institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, and different colleges in Meerut and other places.

Delhi

Multani Mal Modi Post-Graduate College, ModinagarMultani Mal Modi Degree College, PatialaModi Science & Commerce College, ModinagarRukmani Modi Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, ModinagarDayawati Modi Public School, ModinagarDayawati Modi High School, G.M. Modigram, Kathwara, Rai BarelliDayawati Modi Junior High School, SikrikalanDayawati Modi Junior High School, Devendrapuri, ModinagarGayatri Devi Modi Junior High School, Kedarpura, ModinagarChandidevi Modi Junior High School, ModipuramDayawati Modi Junior High School, SaidpurDayawati Modi Junior High School, AbupurDayawati Modi Junior High School, BhojpurPramila Devi Modi Junior High School, Harmukhpuri, ModinagarDayawati Modi Junior High School, ShahjahanpurCondensed Course of Education for Adult Women, ModinagarChheda Lal Shishu Niketan, Kasganj, EtahChandidevi Modi Primary School, ModipuramChandidevi Modi Nursery School, ModipuramDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, ModinagarDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, ModipuramDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, Kedarpura, ModinagarDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, SikrikalanDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, AbupurDayawati Modi Mahila Shilpa Kala Kendra, G.M. Modigram, Kathwara, Rai Barelli

----He established a Women's Training College and Nurses' Training Centre in Modinagar in 1965. All these above-mentioned institution's provide education to more than 16,000 students. Dependants of the workers of different Modinagar industries get free education or training in these institutions. Monetary help and stipends are also given to students going in for higher education in India or abroad.

He also established a High School and a Sanskrit Pathshala at Mahinder Garh, his birth place, and a Degree College in Patiala, which was named after his father.

He was interested in Scientific Research and Development. He contributed Rs. 2.5 million for the establishment of the Modi Science Foundation in Modinagar in 1975. It has a cotton development scheme meant for training cotton growers, and it uses the latest methods of producing highly yielding varieties of natural fibre.

However, his biggest contribution to the cause of public welfare is the Eye Hospital and Ophthalmic Reasearch Centre in Modinagar to which he contributed Rs. 3 million. It is now working in collaboration with the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness. Its foundation ceremony was performed on 26 April 1975 by the late President of India, Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. This research centre is an integrated centre for promotive, preventive, curative and re-habilitative care backed by education and research. It does not only endeavour to prevent eye disease and blindness through appropriate methods of publicity media, by conducting surveys in schools and colleges, and industrial and rural areas and to continuously evaluate the community needs, but it also has a mobile unit fully equipped with instruments and medicines for giving immediate relief to patients at their door-steps. It helps to collect statistics of the eye disease cases in rural and industrial areas to help the government to plan various ophthalmic health programmes. He realised the dire need of such a centre in the country. He was determined to make the centre a model institution to control blindness. He had also made up his mind to create employment opportunities for the blind.

Modinagar

Mr. Gujarmal Modi belonged to a family which had a tradition of business. His great grandfather Mr. Ram Baksh Modi was a simple, kind-hearted, hard working and honest businessman. He had set up his business in Mahendra Garh which was then known as Kanaur and was the capital of the state of Nawab of Jhajjar. Until 1857 Mr. Ram Baksh Modi arranged civil supplies for the armies of the Nawab. During the first rebellion of 1857 when the British Regent was compelled to leave the state of Jhajjir, he ensured his safe conduct to Rewar. Later, when the rebellion was suppressed and the princely state of Jhajjar came under the sway of the British, the responsibility of arranging civil supplies for the British forces stationed at kanaur was once again entrusted to the experienced and capable hands of the Modi family. The State was later on given by the British to Maharaja Mahendra Singh of Patiala as a reward for the help rendered by him to the British during the rebellion. The name of Kanaur was then changed by the Maharaja to Mahendra Garh after his own name, and the Modi family was now asked to arrange civil supplies for the British forces stationed at Patiala. It was, thus, that the business activities of the Modi family came to be extended to Patiala where Mr. Ram Baksh Modi established a branch of his business.After the death of Mr. Ram Baksh in 1857, the family business was badly carried on by his son Mr. Chiranji Lal Modi, the grandfather of Mr. Gujarmal Modi. As time passed, the task of arranging civil supplies for the whole range of British cantonments from Kanpur to Peshwar came to be entrusted to the Modi family and this work was carried on by them efficiently and to the entire satisfaction of the armed forces. For the sake of efficiency and convenience, Mr. Chiranj Lal shifted the head-quarters of his family business to Multan (now a part of West Pakistan) with additional branches at Kanpur and Ambala and also at Naushera and Jullunder. It was at Multan that on 21st October, 1857, Mr. Chiranji Lal was blessed with a son whom he named Multanimal after the city of Multan.Mr. Multanimal Modi was also a gifted businessman like his father. While helping father in business, Mr. Multanimal in his own right came to be known for his honest dealings and shrewd business acumen. He told his father that he would join neither army nor civil service nor any other service, but would set up his own independent business. He had an immense measure of self-confidence and his discerning father gave him the desired consent. He had no difficulty in raising the initial finance require for the business.

Career of Father

Mr. Multanimal started his career as a commission agent in foodgrains at Patiala. Gradually, he started supplying wheat to a flour mill at Patiala which was then run in partnership by a few Parsi and Sikh officers. For some years business at the mill ran smoothly. But suddenly the mill suffered heavy losses and the owners were obliged to dispose it of. This offered a natural opportunity to Mr. Multanimal to expand and diversity his business. He purchased the mill in 1894 and with his managerial skill and business flourished rapidly.Mr. Multanimal established his name not only in business circles but also in the field of public service. It was due to his popularity and understanding of public affairs that he was made an honorary magistrate and was also elected City Father of Patiala. He was the first and also the last in the state to get the title of Rai Bahadur. This was a fitting recognition of his services as a businessman and philanthropist. Two high schools were among the many public welfare institutions established or patronised by him. He also contributed liberally to the goshalas besides forming a public welfare council to look after the welfare of others. He took keen interest in Persian language and literature and left behind several manuscripts in that language.

econd Child of Family

Mr. Gujarmal Modi was the second child in the family of Mr. Multanimal Modi who married four times. His first wife, who hailed from the family of the Dewan of Khetri, gave birth to a daughter and died four years after marriage. His second marriage was solemnised with Chandi Devi daughter of Nanak Ram of Nawazpura, District Narnaul, in 1896. Mr. Multanimal did not have any son so far. Being an orthodox Hindu, the elders in the family believed that the birth of a son was necessary to ensure one's salvation after death. There was a natural desire, therefore, that there should be a son in the family. This was, perhaps, one of the many reasons which had impelled him to marry again after the death of his first wife. When he was blessed with a son on 9th August, 1902 at Kanaur (Shravana Shukla Shashthi of 1859 according to the Hindu calendar, more popularly known as the Vikrami Calender) there was great rejoicing in the whole family. The birth was celebrated with songs and music because this was the fulfillment of a long cherished desire for a son. Good wishes continued to pour in for days and weeks. The astrologers were summoned and they stated that at the time of the birth, the position of the stars was extremely favourable for the child. The devout father then arranged a Yagna followed by all the ceremonies that normally take place in an orthodox Hindu family after the birth of a son.But this rejoicing in the family and the mood of gaiety lasted barely six days as the mother developed sepsis and all the medical aid that was available in those days could not save her. The little child was left without a mother. This naturally created numerous problems for the family. At first it was decided to bring up the child on bottle feeding. But the elders in the family resisted the idea. The firmly believed that breast - feeding was the only way to save the child, the only male issue so far in the family. The father could not resist the wishes of the elders and thus a foster-mother from the nearby village of Majra was engaged to breastfeed the child.The grandmother would visit the child and the wet nurse almost every other day to ensure that the child received full attention. But after a few days both the foster-mother and the child were brought over to Patiala where they could stay under the direct supervision of the grandmother.The birth name if the child was Ram Prasad, but as time passed, the child was nicknamed Gujar after his foster mother whose name was Gujari. The name Gujar stuck on and the child came to be known as Gujarmal. That is how the little Ram Prasad, who was destined to become an industrial magnate in his later years, came to be known as Mr. Gujarmal Modi.Meanwhile little Gujarmal's father was married for the third time to the daughter of a well-known family at Patiala. As ill-luck would have it, the third wife too died after a year of married life without leaving any issue. When the father married his fourth wife, Rukmini Devi, daughter of Mr. Bansi Dhar of Mahendra Garh, when the young Gujarmal was only 2 1/2 years of age. It was under her loving care that the child received real motherly affection.By the time Gujarmal was four, his father had established his business at Patiala. In those days the modern system of pre-primary schooling was not in vogue. During the early years, therefore, the young child was put under the care of a Maulvi at his private coaching centre. In those days education in such single-teacher coaching centres, established privately, was free. In return for the instruction given, the students paid in kind in the shape of grains and other household goods. It was under the care of the Maulvi that the young Gujarmal, though the son of an affluent family, started learning the Mahajani style of writing.

chool Education

After completing one year of pre-school education, the child, at the age of five was admitted to a local school.The grandfather of the child was a staunch believer in discipline. He wanted the child to be admitted to a Sainik School to become a soldier. But this was not to be. The grandfather died in 1913 when the boy was studying in class VI. Destiny had ordained for him an altogether different path----the path of industry. And rightly so, because, as later events proved, in the field of industry Mr. Gujarmal Modi acquitted himself extremely well by creating the infrastructure for new and diverse industries in those areas which had hitherto been thoroughly backward and undeveloped.Persons who had the occasion to watch the young Gujarmal grow up confide that right from his early days he had started showing unmistakable signs of a promising career. While his other friends at school appeared to be book-worms, the young Gujarmal could be seen engaged in new and uncommon pursuits. One person who had watched him during his school days from closed quarters states that up to his eighth standard, the young Gujarmal used to get two paise (three paise in the new decimal currency) as pocket money each day. Those were the days when the first World War had just started and inflation and rising prices were yet far away. Everything was less expensive and even a little money could boy would meet his daily expenses on snacks and yet save something for helping the poor and needy students. Something unimaginable in these days of spiraling prices.The movement started by Swami Dayanand and other contemporary reformers against child marriages and other customs had made a deep impact on society. The custom of early marriages had not, however, disappeared altogether. The Modi family, essentially, was orthodox. So the marriage of the young Gujarmal was solemnised at the early age of 13 in 1915. At the time of his marriage with Rajban Devi, daughter of Mr. Goverdhan Das of village Singhana in Rajasthan. He was still studying at the Model School, Patiala. Gauna, the post-marriage ceremony when the bride comes to live with her husband took place two years later.Marriage did not have any adverse effect on the education of the young Modi. What did, however, disturb his studies was an otherwise minor at school which eventually disrupted his school education. The incident relates to the year 1920 when he was studying in the tenth standard. It was a cloudy day and there was cool breeze blowing all around. The weather outside was extremely pleasant and inviting and the Mathematics teacher, Mr. Chopra, suggested that the students might go on an excursion on that fine day.The suggestion was met with spontaneous response and the overjoyed students started preparing for an outing. But the principal, who was not on good terms with the Mathematics teacher, came in the way. Taking advantages of the situation, he leveled the allegation that the teacher was inciting the students to go on strike and had, thus, violated the discipline of the school. He also asked the students to apologize. The students led by Gujarmal, opposed this suggestion. They argued that as students they were not to blame and should, therefore, not be asked to apologize. The principal, however, was in no mood to listen. Ultimately, the echoes of the incident reached the Maharaja. There, too the young Gujarmal turned Student leader, argued the case of the students fearlessly and sought justice at the hands of the Maharaja.While Gujarmal was thus engaged in pursuing the case of the students, the last date for sending the examination fees expired. This meant the loss of a full year for the young Modi. By this time the business of Mr. Multanimal Modi had grown manifold and he felt the need of someone who could help him in running the family business. The father considered this a God-sent opportunity and asked his son Gujarmal to start attending to the family business.The young Modi wanted to pursue his studies, but in the face of the firm opinion expressed by his father, who believed that practical experience in life could impart better education than the routine school education, the son yielded. At the same time, being aware of the son's appetite for learning, the father made arrangements for private coaching at home.

Professional Life

The boy started pursuing privately courses in business management, accountancy and other allied subjects. By 1919 he had started working as Munim (Accountant) and cashier at the family shop. A genius learns in mysterious and strange ways; it runs while the ordinary person crawls. The gifted Gujarmal absorbed knowledge of business organisation rapidly. He acquired knowledge of practical aspects of business management and the intricacies of the trade. He worked very hard, spent long hours of his leisure in reading books on commerce, architecture, engineering and marketing. What he missed by not going in for formal college education, he more than made up by the practical training and the dedicated application he brought to bear on his chosen subjects. The father encouraged him in his studies and provided him with opportunities to gain practical experience.

Himself

Mr. Gujarmal Modi struggled hard for the major part of his life. With perseverance and firm determination he succeeded in attaining his objectives and rose to heights of eminence. In times of crisis he never lost heart but with faith in God and in himself fought his way through. Moreover, as he prospered in business, his humanitarian and philanthropic zeal also increased.He was convinced that the key to the country's prosperity was its industry, without of course neglecting the agricultural sector. Ploughing back profits from running concerns to enlarge them or to establish new industries was a passion with him. He did not view his enterprises as money-making ventures but made them sources of capital for more and more industries. He was thus able to build up a vast network of small and big industries in Modinagar, a township which he built from scratch through his sustained personal efforts. He was of the view that the final objectives of the Government and the business community were the same. As he observed in his presidential address at the 42nd annual session of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in 1969: " We both aim at a faster rate of development. We both wish the country to have a better standard of living. We both want full employment for our people."An industrialist with a dynamic and progressive outlook, Mr. Modi realised that harmonious relations with labour were necessary for success in an industry. Long before welfare policies became an accepted norm in India, he built pucca houses for workers near the places of work and provided educational and other facilities for their dependents. He forestalled the concepts of workers' participation in management by setting up Works Committees in his factories as long ago as 1947. That employees and employers should bilaterally sort out their mutual problems without involvement of extraneous elements was the crux of his outlook on industrial relations.

Mr. Modi was a God-fearing man with a devotional bent of mind. He built a number of temples in the labour colonies of Modinagar, besides the shrine of Bhagvati Devi at Shukratal in Muzaffarnagar District of U.P. and Lord Shiv Temple at Patiala in Punjab. He also built the magnificent Laxmi Narayan temple at Modinagar. It is a marvel in red sandstone, a triumph of the architect's imagination, where the soul inspiring saga of our ancient religion is beautifully carved. The design of the temple was prepared by Mr. M. L. Roy, the famous architect of Kanpur who had earlier designed the building of the well-known Birla Temple in Delhi. The temple is an exquisite structure and stands in the heart of Modinagar. It is a source if attraction for passers-by and visitors. Gay parks and fountains around the temple encourage people to spend time in its lawns. He was later cremated in the lawns. He was later cremated in the lawns of this temple where a marble samadhi is to be constructed.Mr. Gujarmal had boundless faith in God. He strongly believed that he was a mere instrument of the Divine Will and that his efforts would succeed only if God willed them to.Mr. Modi was also a great philanthropist. He established the R.B. Multianimal Modi Chartitable Trust and Sainik Bhawan at Patiala. He established a Sadhu Ashram at Patiala.However, his single biggest contribution to the cause of public welfare is the Eye Hospital and Ophthalmic Reasearch Centre at Modinagar to which he contributed Rs. 3 million. It is now working in collaboration with the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness. Its foundation ceremony was performed on 26 April 1975 by the late President of India, Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. This Research Centre is an integrated centre for promotive, preventive, curative and re-habilitative care backed by education and research. It will not only endeavour to prevent eye disease and blindness through appropriate methods of publicity media, conduct surveys ins schools and colleges, industrial workers, rural population and continuously evaluate the community needs of the changing society but will also have a mobile unit fully equipped with instruments and medicines for giving immediate relief to patients at their door-steps. It will help to collect statistics on the incidence of eye diseases in rural and industrial areas to help the government to plan various ophthalmic health programmes. Mr. Gujarmal Modi realised the dire need of such a centre in the country. He was determined to make the centre a model institution to control blindness. He had also made up his mind to create employment opportunities for the blind.Mr. Modi promoted the welfare of women by establishing a Samaj Kalyan Vibhag. The Samaj Kalyan Parishad organises tailoring and embroidery classes for women. There is also an adult education centre under its charge. It ensures employment for windows and has also arranged some widow-marriages. Now this organisation runs under the patronage of his wife Mr.s Dayawati Modi, who like her husband takes keen interest in all philanthropic activities.Mr. Modi also made substantial contribution in rehabilitating displaced persons when the partition of India took place. He constructed Govindpuri Colony consisting of 500 houses and 25 small scale industries. All those persons who were rehabilitated were provided employment either in Modi enterprises or in small scale industries set up in this colony.As a philanthropist, he also contributed greatly to the cause of education. He established a chain of schools and colleges at his birth place, Mahendra Garh, at Patiala and at Modinagar. He supported higher education by giving grants to established institutions like Banaras Hindu University, colleges in Meerut and other places. There is an interesting story behind the establishment of the M.M. Modi Degree College at Modinagar, which is one of the prestigious educational institutions devoted to higher education in Uttar Pradesh. In 1957, Mr. Modi wanted a nephew to be admitted to the B.Sc. class in Meerut College, of which he was a generous patron. At this, the Principal is said to have remarked that if Mr. Gujaramal was so keen on college education, why didn't he establish a college in Modinagar? Mr. Modi did not take the remark as an affront. On the other hand, it sparked off a desire in him to establish a college at Modinagar? Mr. Modi did not take the remark as affront. On the other hand, it sparked off a desire in him to establish a college at Modinagar. The following year the college began to functioning right earnest. It was named Multanimal Modi Degree College after his father. It has now a full fledged post-graduate institution imparting education in 13 subjects of Science, Arts and Commerce and is regarded as one of the best colleges affiliated to Meerut University. It also has an extensive students' hostel constructed at a cost of Rs. 5,00,000 and was inaugurated on 16 January 1961. A Women's Training College and Nurses' Training Centre at Modinagar in 1965 was also set up by him. All these institution provide education to more than 16,000 students. Dependants of the workers of different Modinagar industries get free education or training in these institutions. Monetary help and stipends are also available for students going in for higher education in India and abroad.He also established a High School and a Sanskrit Pathshala at Mahinder Garh, his birth place and a degree college at Patiala, also named after his father.He was interested in scientific research and development. He contributed Rs. 2.5 million for the establishment of the Modi Science Foundation at Modinagar in 1975. It has a cotton development scheme to train cotton growers, and use the latest methods of producing highly yielding varieties of natural fibre.Mr. Modi also inspired his younger brother Mr. Kedar Nath Modi to found a public school named after Mr. Gujarmal Modi's wife, Mrs. Dayawati Modi. Herself a great patron of education, she is President of the Public School. It is affiliated to the Central Board of Higher Secondary Education. It is housed in a two-storey building with 30 spacious class rooms and well-equipped laboratories. A grand auditorium is a special feature of the school. The Principal's lodge and the staff quarters are complete. A self-contained hostel, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a Gita Bhawan and a horse-riding track are also under construction to complete the school complex.Mr.Modi had a multi-faceted personality. He was a born administrator. An ardent believer in God, he was never after power. He led very simple life and believed in sharing all that he had with every one around him. Throughout his life, he helped a number of people. He also helped his relatives, friends and refugees by setting up industries for them. He was particularly sympathetic towards the poor and the needy, who, therefore, loved and respected him. He won respect and esteem of one and all because of his inimitable capacity to distinguish between right and wrong and to stand up fearlessly for what he regarded as his moral duty. Modinagar is a tangible expression of his untiring efforts for and dedicated service to the cause of India's industrial development. Less tangible though, but equally abiding, is the place he has carved out for himself in the hearts of thousands of men and women who knew him. He was indeed a great humanitarian even more than a great industrial magnate.

References

[http://www.modi.com/htm/abt_finder.htm Modi group website page on Rai Bahadur Gujar Mal Modi]