Lalchand Hirachand

Lalchand Hirachand Doshi (24 October 1904 – 1993) was a scion of Walchand group, noted industrialist, philanthropist and Jain social leader.[1][2]

He was the youngest son of Hirachand Doshi from his second marriage and was step-brother of Walchand Hirachand, who was born from first marriage of his father. He was born in Solapur in Maharashtra in a Jain family of Gujarati origin.[3][4] Name of his other brothers were Gulabchand Hirachand and Ratanchand Hirachand.[3]

He completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Deccan College, Pune. He was admitted to the Middle Temple in London on 12 November 1926,[5] but withdrew without being Called to the Bar on 8 November 1928. He married Lalitabai in June 1931, with whom he had three sons and a daughter.[2]

When he grew up he joined his brother, Walchand and served its various group companies like The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd., Walchandnagar Industries, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Ravalgaon Sugar, Hindustan Construction Company, Premier Automobiles, etc.[3] He later served also as President of the Indian Merchants' Chamber and various other merchant bodies.[1]

He also served as President of All India Digamber Jain Tirthakshetra Committee from 1972 to 1983, and was connected to a number of charitable institutions.[2] He is also the author an acclaimed book on Ramayana named as The Indian epic – Ramayana.[2]

He was elected as an independent candidate as Member of the Bombay Legislative Council, in 1939.[1][6] After independence, he also became a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1958.[7]

He was elected as the President of the Mechanical Engineers Association (India), Bombay for 1964-65 Session.

A sports aficionado, he was a member of the Cricket Club of India, the Willingdon Sports Club and various similar institutions. In addition, he was an avid golfer. He won the Dunlop Trophy for Golf and enjoyed playing tennis, badminton and bridge. He held a commercial pilot’s license.[8]

He died in October, 1993.[2] and was survived by his sons. Walchandnagar Industries is now run his sons Vinod Doshi, Chakor L. Doshi and others, whereas other companies went to sons of Gulabchand Hirachand, after family division of businesses, as the founder of the group Walchand Hirachand died without any male heirs.[9]

He was trustee of various schools, colleges and hospitals run by Walchand group.[10]

He was awarded with Padmashree award by Government of India in 1992 for his contributions to trade and industry.[1]

References
  1. Lalchand Hirachand Archived 2012-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Jain Samaj – Seth Lalchand Hirachand
  3. Progressive Jains of India – Satish Kumar Jain – Google Books
  4. Business Legends – Gita Piramal – Google Books
  5. Sturgess, H.A.C. (1949). Register of Admissions to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. Butterworth & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.: Temple Bar. Vol. 3, p.895.
  6. Markovits, Claude (2002). Indian Business and Nationalist Politics 1931–39: The Indigenous Capitalist ... By Claude Markovits. p. 123. ISBN 9780521016827.
  7. Lalchand Hirachand Doshi – Member of Rajya Sabha – 1952–58
  8. "Legacy". Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  9. Walchandnagar Industries Limited Archived 2012-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
  10. HND Pune » About Us Archived 2012-01-01 at the Wayback Machine
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