Bhavarlal Jain

Bhavarlal Hiralal Jain
Shri.Bhavarlal Jain, Founder Chairman, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd.
Born(1938-12-12)12 December 1938
Wakod, Tal.Jamner, Dist.Jalgaon, India
Died25 February 2016(2016-02-25) (aged 78)
MonumentsBhaunchi Watika
NationalityIndian
EducationB.Com, LL.B
TitleFounder Chairman, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd.
Spouse(s)Kantabai Bhavarlal Jain
(1938–2005)
Children4
Parent(s)Hiralal Sagarmal Jain
Gauri Hiralal Jain
AwardsPadma Shri (2008)
Websitewww.bhavarlaljain.com
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Bhavarlal Hiralal Jain (12 December 1937 – 25 February 2016) was an Indian entrepreneur, hounered by the Padma Award, Government of India, and the founder chairman of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. (JISL), now the second largest micro-irrigation company in the world.[1] He was a staunch Gandhian and philanthropist. He was the founder of Gandhi Research Foundation.[2]

Life (1937 to 2016)

Bhavarlal Jain was born in 1937 into a farming Marwari Oswal Jain family,[3] originally in the village of Wakod located in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra,.[4] A law graduate, he spurned the offer of a civil service job to pursue agriculture as a profession at the age of twenty-three.[citation needed] In 1963, selling kerosene from a pushcart, Jain started the family business. The family formed a partnership with a meagre ₹ 7,000, the accumulated savings of three generations, as capital. In 1972–74, Jain decided to revert to his ancestral farms from trading and business. In 1980, he established a PVC pipe manufacturing operation. In 1987–88, he set up a public corporation – the first of its kind in the private sector in the Khandesh region – for the production, promotion and propagation of drip irrigation in the country.[5] He purchased a piece of land that was lying between a hill and the Jalgaon – Pachora road. The revenue classification of the land was less than that of degraded land. He converted this land into cultivable land, now recognised as the Jain Hills and Jain Valley, or Jain Agri Park and Jain Food Park.[6] Then, he went on to pioneer the concept of micro irrigation in India. He received many awards and accolades for outstanding work in agriculture including the prestigious Crawford Reid Memorial Award instituted by the Irrigation Association, USA for "Significant achievements in promoting proper irrigation techniques and in fostering major advancements in the Industry outside the United States of America" in 1997. He was the first Indian and the second Asian to receive this honour. He was greatly influenced by the Jain teachings of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Anekāntavāda (multiplicity of view points).[2]

Jain died at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai on 25 February 2016 from multi-organ failure, septicaemia, and listeriosis.[4]

Works

Inspired by a quote, "Agriculture: a profession with future", Jain added dealerships for tractors, sprinkler systems, PVC pipes, and other farm equipment. To broaden the business base, he also added agencies for farm inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides. His business grew from Rs. 1 million in 1963 to Rs. 110 million in 1978.

Jain did a considerable amount of work particularly regarding water management systems. At JISL's modern 1,000-acre (4.0 km2) research and development farm, work takes place to provide cost effective measures for wasteland development, soil and water conservation, greenhouse, fertilisation, adoption of bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers, effective farm management and improving productivity for horticultural crops. 'Grand Nain'- a tissue cultured banana variety introduced by him has emerged as the leading variety with banana farmers in Maharashtra.[7]

He strove hard to earn a place of pride for Indian agriculture by augmenting yields and adding value using technology.

In July 2007, he founded the Anubhuti School, a strictly vegetarian, residential school with a difference which judiciously blends classroom learning with experiential project work.[8] This school recently achieved the Green School Award.

Jain was the managing trustee of Jain Charities, an organisation dedicated to social causes like education and rural development.[9] The organisation is now known as 'Bhavarlal and Kantabai Jain Multipurpose Foundation'.[10]

Writings

Jain authored many books in English and Marathi. The following table contains his writings listed by year of publication. His speeches, articles and interviews have been collected and published extensively.

Index Number Title of Book Year of Publication Subject Language
1 Aajchi Samajrachna, tiche swarup va punarbandhani 2001 Present social system and its reconstruction Marathi
2 A Telling Tale 2003 Water Management and Conservation English
3 Ti aani Mi 2009 Autobiographical and inspirational sketch of a spiritually united couple Marathi
4 Uniting Bond 2010 25 years' journey between two friends English
5 Then and Now 2011 Transformation of Jain Hills English
6 The Enlightened Entrepreneur[11] 2013 Compilation of lectures delivered by Mr. Jain English
7 She and Me 2014 Autobiographical and inspirational sketch of a spiritually united couple English

Awards and recognitions

Jain received 22 International and National Awards.[12] He was conferred the prestigious UNESCO-West-Net Water Conserver of India award in November 2007 by the Honourable Union Minister of Water Resources, Professor Saif-Ud-Din Soz at a function held in New Delhi attended by eminent delegates from the World Bank, UNICEF, UNESCO, the Central Water Commission and TERI.[13]

In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award by the Government of India.[14] The North Maharashtra University awarded him the degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris causa) for "Remarkable achievements in the field of agriculture, industry and social work". Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Rajasthan and Konkan Krishi Vidhyapith, Maharashtra awarded the degrees of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) to him for "tremendous service to the nation by putting up Research Projects and Drip Irrigation Projects which is a unique boon to the agriculturists all over";[15] and "Significant Contribution in the field of Agriculture, Horticulture, Micro Irrigation & Water Conservation" respectively.[16] In 2012, he was awarded The Good Company Award by Forbes.[17]

Sr. No. Year Name Instituted By Citation
1 1983 I.M.M.-Bata Marketing Award Certificate & Trophy IMM Bata, New Delhi Marketing Award for Small Entrepreneurs
2 1984 A. R. Bhat Entrepreneurship Award Certificate & Trophy FASII, New Delhi Outstanding Performance in Industry of Organic Chemicals
3 1995 FIE Foundation Award Trophy + Rs. 35,000 FIE Foundation, Ichalkaranji, Maharashtra Innovation in Agriculture & Management
4 1997 Crawford Reid Memorial Award Trophy Irrigation Association, USA Significant achievements in promoting proper irrigation techniques in fostering major advancements in the industry outside United States
5 2001 Yashodeep Puraskar Certificate & Trophy The Institution of Engineers (India), Nasik Chapter, Maharashtra Came up in the field of Irrigation Engineering with innovative ideas and made a name on global scenario
6 2002 Gandhi-Ambedkar Social Justice Award Trophy Gandhi-Ambedkar Foundation for Modern India, Mumbai For his long contribution in Agriculture Industry
7 2006 Doctor of Letters (D. Lit.) Certificate & Citation NMU, Jalgaon, GoM Remarkable achievements in the field of Agriculture, Industry and Social Work
8 2006 Doctor of Science (D. Sc.) Certificate & Citation KKV, Dapoli, GoM Significant Contribution in the field of Agriculture, Horticulture, Micro Irrigation and Water Conservation
9 2006 Doctor of Science (D. Sc.) Certificate & Citation MPUAT, Udaipur, GoR Outstanding contributions in developing systems of Micro Irrigation, Food Processing and Tissue Culture facilities and bringing economic empowerment of farmers
10 2006 Yashwantrao Chavan Krishi Audyogik Samajrachna, Rs. 100,000 & Citation Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan, Mumbai Extraordinary contribution to the on-going innovation in the Agricultural Sector, by propagating Drip Irrigation Technology, especially throughout the water-deficient Maharashtra State
11 2008 Padma Shri Certificate & Medal MOHA, GoI Significant Contributions in Science & Engineering
12 2008 Water Conserver of India Certificate & Trophy Water Digest, New Delhi For outstanding contribution in the field of water in India
13 2008 Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) TNAU, Coimbatore, GoT Outstanding Contribution in the field of Agriculture and Micro Irrigation Systems
14 2009 Bharat Sevak Ratna Confederation of NGOs of Rural India, New Delhi Outstanding services to nation & society in different capacities over decades and particularly his concern for upliftment of the poor and the underprivileged
15 2010 Podar Ratna Trophy Shikshan Prasarak Mandali's R.A. Podar College of Commerce & Economics Alumni Association, Mumbai You have spread the light of knowledge far and wide – in the field of Industry
16 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award Trophy World Trade Centre, Mumbai, and All India Association of Industries Outstanding contribution to the development of Indian Agriculture
17 2011 Jalgaon Ratna Jalgaon Municipal Corporation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra Overall contribution to the upliftment of society in general and the farming community in particular
18 2011 Pride of Gujarat-Maharashtra Award Feelings Multimedia Ltd., Ahmedabad "Have proved themselves as icons in their respective fields"
19 2012 Heroes of Philanthropy Forbes Asia "One of the 48 Global & Fourth Indian recipient who build Gandhi Research Foundation to teach the young about Mahatma Gandhi "

References

Citations

  1. ^ Forbes
  2. ^ a b "Gandhi Research Foundation". Gandhi Research Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  3. ^ Shrinivas Sathe,मरुभूमीतून बाहेर, Padmagandha Prakashan, 2012, p. 21, Family History AD 1140–1937
  4. ^ a b Karmali, Naazneen (26 February 2016). "Indian Farmers' Champion, Bhavarlal Jain, Dies at 78". forbes.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  5. ^ Jain 2003, p. 10.
  6. ^ Jain 2003, p. 10-11.
  7. ^ "Grand Nain – Tissue cultured Banana variety" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  8. ^ "Anubhuti School". Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  9. ^ "Jain Charities". Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  10. ^ "Dr. Appasaheb Pawar Modern Agri High Tech Award". Archived from the original on 1 March 2016.
  11. ^ Jain, Bhavarlal H (4 December 2013), The Enlightened Entrepreneur, ISBN 9788129131942
  12. ^ "Awards Received by the Chairman B. H. Jain". Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  13. ^ "Awards Received by the Chairman B. H. Jain". Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  14. ^ Padma Shree
  15. ^ "Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology". Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  16. ^ "Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa)from Konkan Krishi Vidhyapith". Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  17. ^ "Jain Irrigation Systems: The Good Company".

Bibliography