Khatau
The Khatau Group of Companies is one of the oldest business conglomerates in India. It was founded in 1874 by Seth Khatau Makanji (also known as Makanji Khatau). This billionaire business family prospered into one of the leading Indian industrial houses by the mid twentieth century, with ventures in textiles, chemicals, shipping, cement, aviation, automobile, and other industries.
In addition to its flagship textile business, the Khatau Group helped pioneer India's industrial revolution by founding several leading companies in collaboration with other leaders of the time such as the Tatas and Walchand Hirachand. These included ACC Limited (1936),[1] Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) (erstwhile Hindustan Aircraft Company (1940)), and Premier Automobiles Limited (1944).
One of Seth Khatau Makanji's grandsons, Dharamsey Mulraj Khatau (son of Mulraj Khatau) led the Khatau Group in these diverse ventures. He was a board member of each of these companies and a chairman of ACC in the 1950s. Dharamsey Khatau was an honorary member of the Textile Association of India, along with other doyens of Indian textile industry, including leaders of the Birla, Tata, Singhania, and Ambani industrial houses.[2] Sunit Khatau, the then chairman of the company, was shot dead in Mumbai in 1994 by the underworld.
The Khatau family's companies were separated in 1983 and are now run independently by the current generation of heirs and professional managers.
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ ACC Limited, Heritage - A Corporate Saga, About Us: Heritage page on the website of ACC Limited, formerly known as the Associated Cement Companies Limited.
- ↑ The Textile Association of India, Roll of Honour Archived 6 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, listed under Activities on the website of the Association.