Page 69 - Gujar Mal Modi

its first President.

A Central Customs and Excise Advisory Committee was set up by the Govern-

ment that year and Mr. Modi was appointed its member. The Government of U.
P. also set up a Board of Technical Education in the State of which Modi became

a nominated member representing industrial establishments. He was also ap-
pointed a member and later Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Re-

serve Bank of Northern India.

On 16July 1961 Mr. Modi decided to go on a tour to foreign countries which last-

ed about fifty days. Many of his brothers and other relations had been abroad,
but this was for the first time that this self-made industrialist decided to under-

take a foreign tour himself. During the past 40 years of his industrial career, on
several occasions he had planned to go abroad, but each time he had to drop

the idea on the advice of his father.

On his first tour abroad, Mr. Modi was accompanied by his wife, younger broth-
er Mr. Kedar Nath Modi and his sister-in law. They visited several countries and

places including Rome, Milan, Zurich, France, West Germany, Sweden, England,
New York and Washington. On his 60th birthday, Mr. Modi was in England. Being

a religious man, he wanted to celebrate it in a place of worship and therefore
he went to a church in London. Then, passing through San Francisco, Honolulu,

Tokyo and Hongkong, Mr. Modi returned to India on 5 September 1961. The first
foreign tour of Mr. Modi was educative and full of varied experiences. The first

thing that he learnt was that it was very difficult for a vegetarian to find a variety
of foods to eat in these countries. Throughout his tour abroad, Mr.Modi had to

live on milk and fruits. Only at far off places in London,

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