India is celebrating its independence day today (Independence Day 2024). After independence from British rule in 1947, Independence Day is celebrated every year on 15th August. Today India remains the fastest growing economy in the world. The dominance of the country’s business sector is visible everywhere.
The giants of the business world have a big contribution in this fast pace of Indian economy. Among them, there are many industrialists who gave economic strength to the country by establishing companies before independence and remain the leaders even today.
India’s flag rises high in the world
According to reports, in the business history of India, the foundation of about 70 companies before independence was laid during the British rule. While some of these are no longer in existence today, there are many such companies which, even after more than 7 decades of independence after the end of British rule, remain the pride of the Indian business world and are doing business worth billions and trillions. They are making waves not only in the country but all over the world. Not only this, they are also providing employment to lakhs of people.
Tata Group (Started: year 1868)
Chairman: Ratan Tata
If we talk about the companies started before independence, the name of Tata Group comes at the top. The business of the group that supplied the country with everything from salt to luxury cars was started in 1868. Today, TCS, the largest company in the IT sector, Tata Steel in the metal sector, Indian Hotel Company along with Tata Motors are part of this group. Air India While Tata Group is a big name in the aviation sector through (Air India), in the case of vehicles, Jaguar and Land Rover brands have also come into the hands of Tata. Indian Hotels Company was established in 1903 by Jamsetji Tata. Taj Mahal Palace (Taj Hotel Mumbai) in Mumbai has today become the identity of the country.
Britannia (launched in 1892)
Chairman: Nusli Wadia
This big company of food sector, Britannia, was also started in the year 1892 before independence. Even today, it continues to dominate the business of biscuits and other food products. This company was founded by the Wadia Family in Kolkata. According to old reports, the business that started from a small shop grew rapidly during the Second World War and today its business is spread all over the world. According to Forbes, the company’s net worth will reach $370 crore in 2022.
Godrej (Started: 1897)
Chairman: Nadir Godrej
Godrej is today a well-known name in metal, electronics and even reality sectors. This group is among those big names which have been playing a role in improving the economic health of the country since before independence. This company was established in the year 1897 by Ardeshar Godrej and his brother Pirojsha Godrej. The British also had full confidence in the coffers of the company. According to media reports, King George V and Queen Mary chose Godrej’s safes to keep their valuables during their visit to Delhi in 1911.
Birla Group (Started: 1890)
Chairman: Kumar Mangalam Birla
If we look at Indian business history, Birla Group started business before independence. Ghanshyam Das Birla’s grandfather, Shiv Narayan Birla, had started the cotton business while doing money lending. After this, the first industry was established in the form of jute manufacturing company in 1890. Birla Corporation Limited is an Indian-based flagship company of the MP Birla group of companies. It was founded in the late 1910s by Ghanshyam Das Birla and headed by Madhav Prasad Birla. Today the company has business in 36 countries of the world and this Birla Group is providing employment to about 140,000 people.
Raymond Limited (Started: 1925)
Chairman: Gautam Hari Singhania
The name of Raymond Limited is also among the companies opened before the country got independence. It was established in the year 1925 as a woolen mill in Thane, Maharashtra. After this, the first exclusive Raymond Retail Showroom was opened in Mumbai in 1958. Apart from this, Kirloskar, a company manufacturing pumps and valves in the country with a turnover of billions, was started in the year 1888. Laxmanrao Kirloskar started this company as a trading company.
Dabur (Started in 1884)
Chairman: Anand Burman
Dabur company selling Ayurvedic medicines was started in the year 1884. Its founder SK Burman was a doctor by profession. This company had to struggle for a long time to establish itself in the market, but after 1990, the company’s business started growing rapidly. Cipla, the second big company in the health sector, was also established by Dr KA Hameed in 1935. Cipla has become a big name in the pharmaceutical industry and the business of this company is spread in 100 countries.
TVS (Introduced: Year 1911)
Chairman: Venu Srinivasan
TVS Motors company is one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturing companies in India. This company was started in the era of horse carts and buggies. Its headquarters is in Chennai and TVS company was founded in the year 1911 by TV Sundaram Iyengar. The zamindari system ended in the country and the sale of vehicles also started increasing while becoming economically efficient. Even today, seven decades after independence, the status of TVS Motors is intact and the turnover of the company is in billions.