User:Manishkrm/Dr. K.N. Modi

'Dr.K.N. Modi' Shri K.N. Modi, a leading Industrialist of India, born on 21st May, 1922, had been the Chairman of Modi Enterprises, one of the top eight Industrial Groups in India. Besides being founder of number of Units in India his untiring pursuit and passion for innovation and adoption of next technologies Modi Group had a number of prestigious joint collaborations with world’s leading firms like Continental Gummi Werke, Xerox, Rank Xerox, Rohm & Haas, Phillip Morris, Blue Circle Industries, Diado Steel, Champion Spark Plug, etc.

His vision, beliefs, deeds and activities were all pervasive and wholesome. He not only confined to the growth of Modi Enterprises but operated in larger context of wholesome development of Industry nationally and internationally, besides being in the forefront in the promotion of social welfare, culture, sports, research, rural development, education and social development of people. As such it would be formidable to narrate his ideas, beliefs, visions, deeds, etc. in totality but as a mark of homage to him, emulating remembrance and above all to gain insight about a great humanist, a brief note is presented.

INDUSTRIAL ACITIVITIES:

Shri Kedar Nath Modi along with his elder brother, late Rai Bahadur Shri Gujarmal Modi, had been instrumental in the establishment of Modi Enterprises and as examples of integrated town planning, five industrial towns of Modinagar, Modipuram, Gujarmal Modigram, Modigar, and Modipur, employing 45,000 workers. Under his Chairmanship, Modi Group of Industries produced number of important and essential commodities like Sugar, Vanaspti, Steel, Nylon and Polyester Filament Yarn, Automobile Tyres and Tubes, Yarn for the Handlooms Sewing Thread, Cotton and Blended Fabrics, Industrial gases, Paints and Varnishes, Machine made tufted carpets, Caustic Soda, Xerox Plain Paper Copier, Pharmaceuticals, cements, etc. Projects for the production of Sponge Iron and Spark Plugs were also taken up under his Chairmanship.

BEYOND MODI ENTERPRISES:

Chairman of Commerce & Industry: He took a leadership role in setting up and promotion of a common forum for industry, trade and commerce so as to evolve more purposive policy formulation for national development. He had been the President of Indian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce but more importantly as President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and of Indian Council of Arbitration and Chairman of Northern India Textile Research Association. He had also been President of Western U.P. Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Steel Furnace Association of India, Northern India Cotton Textile Mills Association, All India Organization of Employees and All India Manufacturers Association and Adhoc Committee of Northern India Textile Mills. Al his role as a Chairman of a number of Sub-Committees of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, namely, Company Law, Industrial Development, International trade and Foreign Trade, etc. has been of very creative and innovatory.

REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT BODIES:

He had been appointed by the Government of India on number of bodies as Member or Chairman such as Member of National and State Apex Bodies on Labour Advisory Council on Trade, Board of Trade, Iron and Steel Advisory Council on Trade, Indian Textile Consultative Boards; Chairman of Development Council for man-made textiles. He also was nominated by the Government of India on All India Board on Technical study in Textile Technology of India, Board of Technical Studies, Central Advisory Council of Industries. He had been a Member of U.P. State Planning Board, Indian Council of Agriculture and Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad and had been invited by the Government of India in various Committees for consultation and advise.

DIRECTORSHIP IN GOVERNMENT COMPANIES:

Due to his deep insights of business and economic problems and expert knowledge of financial engineering, he was appointed Director of a number of Government Companies, such as, U.P. State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. and Pradeshiya Industrial and Investment Corporation of U.P., etc. along with as Director of number of Central Public Sector companies like Cotton Corporation and Fertilizer Corporation of India, etc

INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT:

He took keen interest in promotion of International Economic Cooperation and had been the President of Indian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce. He represented Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry on Indo-Japan Committee for Cooperation, Afro-Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Indo-U.S. Business Council, etc.

He had represented Government in working groups for joint ventures between India and France and India & U.K.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

He strongly believed that only increased education is the key to all success. Number of educational institutions has been established through his initiative which includes three Post Graduate Colleges two at Modinagar affiliated to the Meerut University and third in Patiala. A Centre for advanced training in Management (CMD) has also been established in Modinagar. Besides this B. Sc. (Home Sc.), M. Sc. (Home Sc.) and M. A. (Home Sc.) classes have been started in Ginni Devi Modi College, Modinagar. Similarly M. Sc. (Biotech) and B. Lib Sc. Courses have been started in M. M. College, Modinagar by his initiations and under his blessings.

Two Intermediate Colleges for boys and girls, two Higher Secondary Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Higher Secondary Education, Training College for Women, Teachers and Nurses training and Primary Schools for boys and girls have been established in the rural areas. In these Institutions, over 25,000 students are getting education from Primary level to Ph. D. level.

Under his patronage One Engg. College named as Dr. K. N. Modi Institute of Engg. & Technology (KNMIET) and One B. Pharma College named as Dr. K. N. Modi Institute of Pharmaceutical Educational & Research (KNMIPER) have been setup at Modinagar which are recognised by the Govt and U. P. Technical University, Lucknow. Both these institutions have gained name and fame both.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

He had taken great interest in research activities. In Northern India, there was no Textile Research Institute while other regions namely Bombay, Ahmedabad and South India were having Research Institutions for a number of years. through his efforts, the Government of U.P. had allotted 50 acres of land for Northern India Textile Research Association. It had been helping Textile Mills of U. P., Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. He was also a member of Economic and Scientific Research Foundation.

He had been instrumental for the establishment of Ginni Modi Ophthalmic Research Centre at Modinagar which is affiliated to the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness-India. It carries research on Eye Diseases and established an Eye Hospital.

He had also been instrumental in the establishment of Gujarmal Modi Hospital and Research Centre in Delhi in collaboration with the Hospital Corporation of America which is the world’s leading hospital management company.

HOUSING AND HEALTH OF WORKERS :

He believed that the workers must be provided housing and medical facilities. In this regard he around 8,000 houses for the employees along with multi-specialty health facilities in Modinagar for the workers.

'''OTHER ACTIVITIES: ''' He was instrumental in founding a number of places of worship and scores of social welfare centres in and around Modinagar, Modipuram and Modigarh. He organized a number of religious discourses and hosted prominent holy men.

He established dharmshalas and guest houses at different places of pilgrimage such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Vrindavan, Barsana, Goverdhan, Brijghat, Chitturgarh, Namisharanya, Jwalaji, somnathji, Tirupati Balaji and Rameshwaram to provide facilities to the pilgrims coming from far off places.

A deeply patriotic and religious man, he loved and cherished Indian values of love, compassion, brotherly feelings and service to all without any discrimination between case or creed. Although rooted in Hinduism, he was secular in outlook and offered timely help to all his fellow countryman.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT :

To encourage and upliftment of rural areas, to provide them good healthy and sanitary conditions and to increase their income and employment potential, various companies of Modi Enterprises under his Chairmanship, took in hand the projects of rural development in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Kerala.

'''HONOUR: D. Litt. :'''

Sh. K. N. Modi was honoured by Meerut University, Meerut (Now C. C. S. University, Meerut) in 1992 by conferring on him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature i.e. D. Litt. in a special convocation held at Raj Bhawan, Lucknow for his outstanding services in the field of education. The then Governor of U. P. his Excellency Sri B. Satyanarayan Reddy, awarded him this Honorary Degree and  in terms  of the citation acknowledged  the services of Dr. K.N. Modi as a renowned  Industrialist, an eminent Educationist, Philanthropist and Economist  harnessed for the benefit of Society.

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