Textile Industry :
The history of Ahmedabad proves that the important it enjoyed was more as a centre of textile industry with a countrywide fame than as a capital or as city of unique architectural beauty. It is rightly said that Ahmedabad’s prosperity was wellknit with three threads, the silken, the golden and the cotton. The trade of Ahmedabad would have kept it in the limelight even if it had nor been the capital or the centre of art and architecture, and it is only the enterprising spirit of this land that has created the Ahmedabad of today out of crisis in the past. Had it nor been for this ahmedabad would have been nowhere after the great disorder which was the consequence of the Maratha and the Peshwa rule. Industries which had developed during the regime of the independent Sultans and Moguls were ruined in this period of disorder. Higher middle class people due to fear for safety of life and property and the lower classes due to unpeaceful conditions had left the city and as we have seen in an early chapter the population of 12 lacs was reduced to 80000 in 1818 when the British took possession of the city. Te present revitalization and the glory of the city also is due to its progress in industry and commerce. When Ahmedabad was captured by the British, Europe was then experiencing the birth pangs of the machine age. Raw materials were for the first time turned into finished products by machines on a large scale and with a great ease.

Manufacturing Industries :
This was the position for about seventy five years but it seems that Ahmedabad was destined once more to regain its past prosperity. Sjt. Ranchhodlal Chhotalal broke the ice by starting the first spinning mill in Shahpur (1861). The attempt was so successful that after that many other mills were started. Ahmedabad again became a leading centre of industrial and commercial activities. In the year 1905 there were about 33 textile mills in the city. The textile industry was the most flourishing industry and consequently attracted attention of many of the wealthy families.

Mahatma Gandhi who emerged as a great political leader began to advocate khadi in place of foreign cloth and this movement also helped the Swadeshi cloth to a great extent. Such favourable circumstances helped to develop the textile industry of Ahmedabad which in due course could achieve the title of Manchester of India. That was really a golden opportunity for developing the manufacturing industries of Ahmedabad. Mills like Calico, Arvind, Jubilee, Ambica etc, seized the opportunity and began to manufacture such a fine wuality of cloth that it could easily replace British cloth in the Indian markets. Not only that but because of the finest quality of Indian cloth some countries encouraged its imports and mills could outlook of Ahmedabad was thus changed by two personalities, namely Sjt. Ranchhodlal Chhotalal and Mahatma Gandhiji in their different ways. It is needless to dwell here on this subject as the history of textile industry in Ahmedabad is discussed in a separate chapter. But it is desirable to acquaint ourselves with various other subsidiary industries of the city.

THE BIRTH OF AHMEDABAD UNIT:
The Ahmedabad Unit came into existence as the sixth unit of The Textile Association (India) on 16th November,1948 on Dev-Diwali day, with a membership of 144 technicians. A provisional managing committee was formed to carry out the activities with an initiative and personal involvement of Shri V. M. Deshpande the Weaving Master of Arvind Mills, who was general secretary of all India body. Shri S. H. Gidwani of Calico Mills was the first president initially for sometime and Shri V. M. Despande was the first Hon. Secretary of Ahmedabad Unit- Among others sarvashri A.C. Balaram, P.H. Raval, P. M. Banker, N. H. Shah, J. M. Dalal, P. S. Trivedi, B. B. Mitra, C. N. Sharma, B. D. Trivedi & C. J. Patel were Chief pioneers of the Ahmedabad unit.

KHAT MAHURAT-VASTUPUJAN AND INAUGURATION:
Late Shri P. H. Raval, the then President of Association laid foundation stone of this hall on 9th October,1959. Exactly after six years the vastupujan ceremony was performed by Shri and Smt. B. A. Shah, the then Hon. Secretary and late Prof. M.S. Thacker, the then member of the Planning Commission and renowned scientist of our country inaugurated it on 23rd May,1965. The total cost of this hall and surrounding office was of Rs. 6 lakhs It has a sitting capacity of 771 persons with all facilities of auditorium fulfilling the requirements of public community hall. Dinesh Hall is equipped with RCA sound system, accustically treated and fully air cooled.

	Late Shree Dinesh Kantilal, in whose memory The Hall is named	Building innauguaration on 23rd May 1965

OPEN AIR THEATRE:
With the increases in the membership and activities of the Association, an idea was mooted to build an Open Air Theatre behind Dinesh Hall on the bank of the river Sabarmati. As a result in October 1976, the open air theatre came into existence with a big state and a screen for projection having a sitting capacity of 2500 persons from a donation of Rs. 35,000/- given by Smt. Ugaribai Chhotalal Vakil Trust by the initiative of late Shri Kalyanbhai Gandhi and ot was named as “C.C. Vakil Open Air Theatre.” The total cost of the project was about Rs. 2 lakhs.

Within a short span of 12 years, the Association could built its own office building with auditorium and open air theatre which is fully utilized for the activities of the Association and over and above that it is being let our for dramatics, musical, cultural activities and for marriage parties to the general public, and thereby fulfills both the educational and cultural needs of the members & society at large. The head-quarter of the All India Body of the Association also functioned through this premises during 1966 to 1979. At present the Ahmedabad office is well equipped with computer, fax facilities & Inter Net connection.

HOUSING SOCIETIES:
With a view to strengthen brotherhood amongst the members of Ahmedabad Unit Two housing societies have been brought into existence in the years 1958 and 1960, one adjoining to Dinesh Hall known as Textile Technicians Co-operative Housing Society and the other opposite to the building of Ahmedabad Textile Mills’ Association known as Mill Officers’ Co-operative Housing Society.

LIASON WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS:
The Ahmedabad Unit has its healthy link with Research bodies like ATIRA, BTRA, SITRA, NITRA, MANTRA(Surat), representative trade union T.L.A., Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association, R.C.T.I., N.T.C. (Guj.) Ltd.; & State Government. The Unit has its own library having technical and management books concerning the textile and allied industries and members are taking benefit of the same.

	ATIRA	Calico Musuem

ACTIVITIES:
· Seminars, Lectures, Group Discussion and Road show for future events etc.
· Publishing Tex-View “UNIT” (Bi monthly)
· Joint Programme with other unit’s
· Joint programme with other associations
· Guidance lectures for ATA & GMTA Exam.
· Educational library
· Organising Conferences & Exhibitions
· Entertainment programme Get together for members
· Sponsoring other units
· Classes on Basic knowledge of Computer & Personality Development
· Sports Activities
· Co-operative credit society
· Liason with state Government
· Arrange overseas tour for our technocrats
· Shri B. A. Shah Educational & Welfare Fund

A. D. PATEL
B. P. MISTRY
B. S. PATEL
B. S. PATEL
H. A .PATEL
H. C. SHAH
H. V. TRIVEDI
H. A. MEHTA
J. H. PATEL
M. M. RAMANI
M. T. PATEL
N. J. DHOLAKIA
P. H. SHAH
R. J. SHAH

Ex. Weaving In-charge
Business Head (west)
Jr. Asst.
Ex. Manager Wgv
Director
Sizing Consultant
Proprietor
Immigration Consultant
Ex. Dy. Wvg. Manager
Jr. Asst.
Partner
Textile Consultant
Ex. Projector Co-ordinator
Ex. Wvg. Incharge

Jehangir Textile Mill (N.T.C.)
Leomine Oranics Pvt Ltd
Jehangir Textile Mill
Raipur Mfg. Co. Ltd, Part-I
Amptel Engg. Pvt. Ltd
-
Jyoti Laboratory
Canha Immigration
Raipur Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Rajnagar Textile (N.T.C)
Dyfab Textiles
-
ATIRA
Rajnagar Textile Mills (N.T.C)

HOD-Textile Dept
Former Scientific Officer
Ex. Sr. Asst.Wvg
Ex. Weaving Master
Sizing Consultant
Textile Consultant
Proprietor

LD College of Engineering
ATIRA
Raipur Mfg. Co. Ltd
Maheshwari Mills Ltd.
Patel Sizing
-
V. K. Associates

DR.  S. D. WADEKAR

Technical Director

M/s, Kumar Industries