________________
skill are also being carried on extensively. There is good arrangement for the learning of more than 2000 children and students. There are facilities for health protection, clinics etc. In addition, all the members of the family including Shri Majmudar, Shri Siddharthbhai, his wife Vimlaben are taking deep interest for the all-round development of this tribal area of Valsad District. This not only praise worthy but also worth to be followed by others. Thus, "Atul" is the highest dream of Shri Kasturbhai that has come true at Valsad.
National Fervor:
Shri Kasturbhai had acquaintance with several national leaders since 1921 when dealing with the strike of mill workers, at the time of Congress Conference and in connection with matters of Industry, Bank, business etc. Even though Kasturbhai was wishing well of everybody, he was primarily interested in the good of the nation. He did not mind to forego his own advantages in national interests were to suffer. He even suffered losses many a times so that national interest can be upheld.
He was always eager to maintain good relations with mill-workers, staff members and shareholders. He used to remain present with them at the events of their pains and pleasures. He had created selfinterests with them and they also respected him like an elder of their family. Kasturbhai alwaysencouraged production and use of Indian goods, he was foremost to help at the time of natural calamities like flood, draught, earthquake etc. He had healthy relations and respects for national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Motilal Nehru and others. He always helped the national movements directly as well as indirectly.
He was at the key position in the proceedings for development of Kandla port as a major port of the country. He had accepted the responsibility of collecting five crores of rupees from industrial and business houses for Gandhi Memorial Fund. He gave his services as a trustee of this Fund for many years. He was an advisor in many small and big economic plans. He was the leader of the group of industrialists sent to Russia-Soviet Union in 1954. He had attended as a chief Guest at several conferences at America, Japan and countries of Western Europe and he had represented India in all these conferences.
Goal of Life and Its Fulfillment:
In the last year of his life he had said that he had four wishes: -
Renovation of Jain temples,
Modernization of Premabhai Hall (Ahmedabad)
Establishment of Engineering College at Ahmedabad and
Research and Protection of old copies of scriptures.
All these four desires of Sheth Kasturbhai were fulfilled during his lifetime and therefore, he felt his life a grand success.
•
•
•
The L.D. Engineering College was established at Ahmedabad in 1945 with the donation of Rs. 25,00,000 from Shri Kasturbhai. He had been President of the well-known Jain firm Anandji Kalyanji and had held its administration for many years. He had done several important works during these years. He handled the question of admission of Harijans- Persons of low community- into Jain temples, dispute of Taranga and the historical disputes over the renovation of Jain holy places at Ranakpur, Delwada, Shetrunjaya and Taranga. He solved all these disputes so well that he has been immortalized with these places of pilgrimage. Thus was not enough. He carefully and personally supervised the renovation of these holy places because these places have been renovated with attractive arts and sculpture. He had obtained marble through his personal influence from the mines
147
