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Chapter 33. Achievements, Awards and Honors
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Other major industrial developments were a brick and tile-making plant set up by Kanji Meghji Malde in Mombasa and a food processing plant set up in Nairobi. After World War Two, Oshwals started many large industrial undertakings to manufacture textiles, knitwear, blankets, soft drinks, confectioneries, cooking oil, plastic containers, pharmaceuticals, tents, shoes, a steel rolling mill, galvanized corrugated iron sheets, carpets, and other products, as well as Oshwals have also opened financial institutions (banks), insurance companies and consulting firms in different areas.
Premchand Vrajpal was probably the first Oshwal in India to set up an industrial plant. In 1944 A.D., he started Harshad Textile Mill in Jamnagar with 92 looms to make saris and dhotis. To establish a link with Cutchh from where Halari Oshwals had moved to Jamnagar District, Premchandbhai started Shah Spinning and Weaving Mill in Anjar in 1947 A.D. Because of the shortage of cotton in that area the venture failed and the mill was closed down in 1956 A.D. In 1954/1955 A.D., he started a small ginnery and in 1960 A.D. he opened an oil mill in Anjar. In 1949 A.D., he set up a large oil mill to refine oil and manufacture soap in Jamnagar. At the same time, many Oshwals in Jamnagar started small-scale factories to make plastic buttons for garments. When the plastic button business became too competitive they diversified and started plants to make brass products. Nowadays Jamnagar is famous in India for manufacturing brass products. Premchandbhai left a legacy of entrepreneurship in his family. His sons, and sons of his three brothers, Kachrabhai, Devrajbhai and Juthabhai have been successful in several ventures throughout the world either as a family unit or in partnership with the Chandaria family.
In the early nineteen-fifties A.D., Popatlal Ranmal started a plant to manufacture caps for soda bottles in Mumbai. In 1960 A.D. there was a large influx of Oshwals in Bhivandi (near Mumbai) to set up looms. This brought
