https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ratibhai_MakwanaRatibhai Makwana - Revision history2026-10-29T10:35:15ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ratibhai_Makwana&diff=529865&oldid=prevKhorang: made details - done2026-03-15T04:05:39Z<p>made details - done</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian dalit industrialist from Gujarat}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Ratibhai Makwana<br />
| occupation = Industrialist, Entrepreneur<br />
| known_for = Founder of Gujarat Pickers Industries<br />
| awards = Business Excellence National Award (2015)<br />
}}<br />
'''Ratibhai Makwana''', also known as '''Ratilal Makwana''', is an Indian [[industrialist]] and entrepreneur from [[Gujarat]]. He is the founder and chairman of Gujarat Pickers, a company involved in the trade of polymers and petrochemicals. As a member of the [[Dalit]] community, he is noted for building a successful enterprise despite facing significant [[caste-based discrimination]]. His story was featured in the 2013 book ''Dalit Millionaires: 15 Inspiring Stories'' by Milind Khandekar and the 2014 book ''[[Defying the Odds: the Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs|Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs]].''<br />
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== Career ==<br />
Makwana's family was involved in business before him. His father, Gala Bhai, operated a tannery on land gifted by a local ruler in [[Bhavnagar]].<ref name="ForwardPress2015">{{cite web |date=October 14, 2015 |title=Fighting the Brahmin and Baniya raj |url=https://www.forwardpress.in/2015/10/fighting-the-brahmin-and-baniya-raj/ |website=Forward Press}}</ref> The family business later shifted to producing pickers, a component used in textile power looms, which were traditionally made from animal hides, a trade often associated with Dalit communities. Makwana joined his father in this business, overseeing production while his father handled sales across the country.<ref name="ForwardPress2015" /><ref name="w5502">{{cite book |last=Kapur |first=Devesh |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Defying_the_Odds/sSz_AwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Defying+the+Odds:+The+Rise+of+Dalit+Entrepreneurs+google+books&pg=PT207&printsec=frontcover |title=Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs |last2=Babu |first2=D. Shyam |last3=Prasad |first3=Chandra Bhan |date=July 18, 2014 |publisher=Random House India |isbn=978-81-8400-639-1 |page= |access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref><br />
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He later founded Gujarat Pickers Industries in 1962 as a partnership firm manufacturing pickers and other textile accessories.<ref name="ZeeNews2023">{{cite web |last=Sharma |first=Reema |date=August 25, 2023 |title=Breaking The Caste Barrier This Gujarati Industrialist Is Owner Of Rs 400 crore Business; Even Ratan Tata Salutes His incredible feat, Got Awarded By PM Modi |url=https://zeenews.india.com/companies/breaking-the-caste-barrier-this-gujarati-industrialist-is-owner-of-rs-400-crore-business-even-ratan-tata-salutes-his-incredible-feat-got-awarded-by-pm-modi-2653377.html |website=Zee News}}</ref> The business eventually diversified into distributing plastics, polymers, and petrochemicals. During his early years as an entrepreneur, Makwana faced severe social and economic boycotts from competitors due to his caste. Banks were unwilling to provide him with loans, and he experienced social ostracism, including being served tea from a distance and being expelled from a temple.<ref name="ZeeNews2023" /><ref name="Prabhasakshi2023">{{cite web |date=August 25, 2023 |title=जाति की बाधा को दूर कर इस उद्योगपति ने खड़ा किया 400 करोड़ रुपये का बिजनेस, PM Modi से लेकर Ratan Tata से लेकर भी कर चुके हैं सम्मान |trans-title=Overcoming the caste barrier, this industrialist built a business of Rs 400 crore, honored from PM Modi to Ratan Tata |url=https://www.prabhasakshi.com/business/industrialist-ratibhai-makwana-owner-of-rs-400-crore-got-honors-from-pm-modi-to-ratan-tata |website=Prabhasakshi}}</ref> According to one account, when he was offered an agency for the [[Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited]], the local plastics industry boycotted the inauguration ceremony.<ref name="Penguin">{{cite web |date=July 8, 2017 |title=Non Fiction Archives - Page 279 of 351 |url=https://www.penguin.co.in/book_category/non-fiction/page/279/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Penguin Random House India}}</ref><br />
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Gujarat Pickers eventually grew into a major enterprise, with reported annual turnovers ranging from {{INRConvert|200|c}} crore to {{INRConvert|750|c}} crore at different times.<ref name="Forbes2011">{{cite web |last=Bhasin |first=Shradha |date=June 13, 2011 |title=Dalit Entrepreneurs: From Job Seekers To Job Givers |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/breakpoint/dalit-entrepreneurs-from-job-seekers-to-job-givers/25772/1 |website=Forbes India}}</ref><ref name="ForwardPress2015" /><br />
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From 1983 to 1998, Makwana also served as a director on the board for the Gujarat circle of the [[State Bank of India]].<ref name="ZeeNews2023" /><br />
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== Recognition ==<br />
Makwana's entrepreneurial journey has been cited as an example of Dalit empowerment. In 2011, his contributions to Indian industry were recognized by [[Ratan Tata]] at a trade fair organized by the [[Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry]] (DICCI).<ref name="ZeeNews2023" /> In 2015, he received the "Business Excellence National Award" from Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]].<ref name="ZeeNews2023" /><br />
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His story is one of several included in the book ''[[Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs|Defying the Odds]]'': ''[[Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs|The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs]] co-authored by'' [[Devesh Kapur]].<ref name="w5502" /><ref name="CASIUPenn">{{cite web |last=Mehra |first=Preeti |date=July 27, 2014 |title=Inspirational tales of economic mobility |url=https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/Inspirational%20tales%20of%20economic%20mobility%20_%20Business%20Line.pdf |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania}}</ref> He was also featured in the 2013 book ''Dalit Millionaires: 15 Inspiring Stories'' by Milind Khandekar.<ref name="t370">{{cite book |last=Khandekar |first=M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t2ZBAgAAQBAJ |title=Dalit Millionaires: 15 Inspiring Stories |publisher=Penguin Books Limited |year=2013 |isbn=978-93-5118-583-3 |page= |language=en |chapter=3. RATILAL MAKWANA ''Beating the Boycott'' |access-date=July 10, 2025}}</ref> The chapter focusing on him is titled "Beating the Boycott," detailing his struggle against caste-based opposition in the business world.<ref name="Penguin" /><br />
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== References ==<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Makwana, Ratibhai}}<br />
[[Category:Dalit businesspeople]]<br />
[[Category:Businesspeople from Gujarat]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Indian industrialists]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]</div>Khorang