Page 35 - Gujar Mal Modi

The simple village people were won over through the immediate prospect of in-

creased opportunities of employment, and the educated rural elite were tackled
through discussion and persuasion.

Gradually, Mr. Modi was able to get about 100 bighas (ap proximately 62 acres)

of land, and work on the factory was taken up in right earnest. A brick kiln was
set up quickly and a place for preparing materials for the foundation was select-

ed in the nearby village of Sikri Khurd. The level of the railway line running along
the area was enough to serve as a rough guide for deciding the plinth level. The

construction work of the factory was taken up with great speed. Even while the
work was in progress, orders for the machinery required for the mill were placed

with a firm in England. From morning till evening Mr. Modi would remain busy at
the construction site and then at night, he would attend to the correspondence.

When the father learnt about the venture of his son, he was visibly moved be-
cause the success achieved by the son was beyond his expectations. He decided

to go to Begumabad to see with his own eyes the ambitious venture of his son.
When he went to the construction site, he marvelled at the organising ability of

his son. To show his appreciation and to encourage his enthusiastic son Mr. Mul-
tanimal Modi offered to purchase shares worth Rs. 200,000 in the new venture.

This gesture had the desired effect and Gujarmal set upon his task with added
vigour and decided to increase the initial capacity of the plant from 600 tons to

800 tons.

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