Page 74 - Gujar Mal Modi

In the same year Mr. Modi was nominated member of the National Productivity

Council and as such made several important suggestions to improve productiv-
ity in a number of industries.

In August 1965 he went on a pilgrimage to Amarnath and other holy places, and

by the time the family returned from Kashmir, the war between India and Paki-
stan had broken out and one could see lndian armies moving along almost all

the important hill routes in the Kashmir Valley. At Srinagar Mr. Modi announced
a donation of Rs. 50,000 to the Defence of India Fund as his contribution to the

war effort. The donation was accepted by Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri, the then Prime
Minister of India on 6th November 1965.

The year 1966 was an eventful one both for Mr. Modi and the country. On a po-
litical scene, the reigns of the Union Government were taken over by Prime Min-

ister Indira Gandhi after the sad demise of Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri at Tashkent in
Soviet Union. The Modi family, too, had its share of bereavements. Mr. Salig Ram,

one of the close relations of Mr. Modi, died of heart failure at Hapur. His younger
brother also lost his wife that year. Mr. Salig Ram was Mr. Modi’s close friend with

whom he could talk with an open heart and unreservedly. He was his compan-
ion with whom he shared his weal and woe. Naturally his passing away left a void

in his life. ln April, the same year, was inaugurated by Mr. Ram Kishan, the then
Chief Minister of Punjab, on 1st March, 1965. In the same month the foundation

stone of a temple consecrated to Goddess Durga was laid at Shukratal in District
Muzaffarnagar.

On 7th September 1965 it was finally decided to establish a new company under

the name of Modipon to produce nylon yarn at Modinagar in collaboration with
an American firm. M/s. Rohm and Hass agreed to contribute 40 per cent of the

share capital in the form of foreign exchange. Mr. Modi was appointed Chairman
and Mr. Kedar Nath Modi and Mr. Krishna Kumar Modi, his younger brother and

eldest son respectively, were appointed President and Vice-President of the new
Company.

Dr. Murphy, the Chairman of the collaborating American firm came to India to
finalise the agreement. While at Modinagar, Mr. Modi asked Dr. Murphy: “What is

it that has attracted you to agree to invest so much money in the new firm even

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