Gurusharan Lal Bhadani

Lala Gurusharan Lal Bhadani (1901-1955) was a noted industrialist and coal miner from Gaya, India^[1]

Lala Gurusharan Lal was one of the noted industrialists of the Indian state of Bihar. His father, Rai Bahadur Ram Chand Ram Bhadani was also a noted businessman from Gaya. Lala Gurusharan Lall stepped into his shoes, and later emerged as India's up coming industrialist. Lala Gurusharan Lal also inherited the Zamindari of village Lapanga, Ramgarh district from his father. He also owned a colliery there under the name of Hindustan Coal Company Ltd.^[2] Lapanga later came to be known as Bhadani Nagar.

In the year 1926 his first venture was Ram Chandra Naga Ram Rice & Oil Mills In 1933 founded Gaya Sugar Mills^[3] in 1937 Gaya Cotton & Jute Mills. But soon he felt that Gaya was a small place for business expansion in the field of industrialization and as such in 1941 he shifted his business activities to Calcutta by purchasing Sodepur Glass Works from Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja.^[2] From Calcutta he extended his business activities to Bombay and in 1946 purchased Madhusudan Cotton Mills Limited. Apart from that, he was owner of several Sugar mills like Guraru and Warisaliganj Sugar Mills and famous Cotton Mills, Madhusudan Mills Bombay. In 1951, he founded the Indo-Ashai Glass Company Limited^[4] The controlling company was known as Bhadani Brother Limited. He served also as the Director of Sri Ram Group of Industries, Hindustan Commercial Bank Ltd., Bhadani Bros. Ltd. and was the Director in more than three dozen industries of Sugar, Cloths, Chemicals, Electricity, Rice & Pulses, and Share Exchange.

He was member of number of regional, national & international business associations. To name a few:- 1. All India Manufactures Association 2. Vice-President of Bihar Sugar Control Board. 3. Member of Executive Committee of Indian Chamber of Commerece. 4. President of Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries (1948–49)^[5] 4. Indian Central Sugarcane Committee 5. Indian Mining Association 6. International Chamber of Commerce 7. Panel of Sugar and Alcohol Feast, Delhi

In 1941 he was elected president of All India Sugar Mill Association and in 1946 he was elected the president of Federation of Indian Chamber of commerce and Industry.^[6] He was the first Bihari to have been elected as president of FICCI. He was appointed as the honorary trade adviser to the Government of Bihar in 1943, agent to the Government of India in 1944 and the President of Indian Chamber of Commerce in 1945. In appreciation of his brilliant service record; he was made the Knight Commander of the Indian Empire in 1945.

He also served as the trade adviser to the Government of Bihar, a member of the Mica Enquiry Committee. He represented India as its special representative in the conference of International Chamber of Commerce held in England in 1945.

As a philanthropist, he was the founder president of Gaya College, City School, and many other social and educational institutions. As a philanthropist, he, kind heatedly extended donations in cash and kind to many other social organizations and educational institutions. He died in the year 1955.^[1]

References

1. Proceedings of the Committee, Volume 3. Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. 1956. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
2. Diary of Golden Days at Jharia – A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia – written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa of Calcutta complied by Raja Pawan Jethwa 1998
3. The Indian Sugar Industry, 1950 - Sugar pp 193
4. "Glass factory closed again, hundreds rendered jobless". Times of Inda. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
5. "Our Past Presidents". Bihar Chamber of Commerece & Industries. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
6. Year Book of the Asiatic Society. Asiatic Society, Calcutta. 1953. p. 154. Retrieved 19 October 2014.