Ardeshir Godrej Biography 
Ardeshir Godrej was an Indian businessman and entrepreneur and one of the founders of Godrej Brothers Company, the mother institution of present-day Godrej group of industries. He founded Godrej Company aside his brother, Pirojsha Godrej. He was deeply influenced by the nationalist Dadabhai Naoroji and believed that both political and economic attributes empower Indian freedom struggle movement and thus he plunged into the manufacturing industry.
Ardeshir was born in 1868 in a wealthy Parsi-Zoroastrian family of Mumbai to Burjorji and Dosibai Gootherajee. He was the eldest of 6 siblings. In 1871, the family name was changed to Godrej. At the age of 18, he married Bachubai. After Bachubai’s death, he remained unmarried. The couple had no children. In 1874, he completed law. But he was not successful as a lawyer and then got employed at a pharmacy as an assistant chemist. Then he decided to start a manufacturing firm of surgical equipment. Instead of asking his father money, he started the firm with a loan given by Merwanji Muncherji Cama, a family friend. Actually he didn’t want to get grand from his father and even after his death Ardeshir didn’t inherit any family property.
He started the firm with a loan of 3000 rupees. He manufactured medical equipments that are required by a surgeon. He first approached the boss of the company where he worked as assistant. The boss agreed to it, but didn’t accept the tag, ‘Made in India’. The venture didn't materialize. After two failed attempts as a lawyer and manufacturer, he looked forward to use another business opportunity. One fine day, he read in newspapers that locks aren't proving useful and burglary incidents are increasing in Mumbai. He started research on locks and this venture made him successful. He is also known as the lock-master of India. He is also credited to making first Indian soap, Cinthol without using animal fat. Godrej industries have diversified their business interests to many more fields now.
Published: N/A
Updated: March 18, 2014
