Sameera_Nayak
Dalmia Group, one of the oldest and most successful business houses in India, was founded by brothers Ramkrishna Dalmia and Jaidayal Dalmia. Ramkrishna Dalmia embarked on this journey with a zeal to excel, and went on to become one of the most successful businesspersons in India.
However, the marriage of Ramkrishna Dalmia’s daughter to Shanti Prasad Jain of the influential Sahu Jain family did prove to be a turning point in the rise of the Dalmias. The Sahu Jain family agreed to collaborate with the Dalmia family in their attempt to expand the business. This led to the formation of the Dalmia-Jain group in the 1930s.
The Dalmia-Jain Group thus formed, prospered and went on to attain commendable success. Starting with sugar mills, cement plants, chemical factories, paper mill and engineering plants, the Dalmia-Jain Group forayed into several diverse sectors. The group’s subsidiaries included Bharat Bank, Lahore Electric, Bharat Fire and General Insurance, and Govan Group of Companies. The group also rose to prominence by setting up cotton mills, dairy, and Andrew Yule jute mills, apart from setting up several cement factories all across the country.
However, the business partnership between the Dalmias and the Sahu Jains was disbanded in 1948, when both the families decided to split their business due to surging differences. Moreover, the brothers Ramkrishna and Jaidayal Dalmia, too, divided all their businesses soon, after the split from Sahu Jain family.
While Ramkrishna Dalmia’s business was divided among his 17 surviving children, the legacy of Jaidayal Dalmia was passed on to his son Vishnu Hari Dalmia, whose sons Sanjay Dalmia and Anurag Dalmia serve as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Dalmia Group today. The group has established itself as a globally progressive conglomerate under the aegis of Sanjay Dalmia.
Textiles, soda ash, tobacco, and ITES sector witness the formidable presence of Sanjay Dalmia’s group today, though their flagship companies SC GHCL UPSOM Romania SA, GHCL Ltd, GTL India, Caretel Infotech, etc. The group has quite recently forayed into the healthcare industry through the healthcare divisions – Dalmia Healthcare Ltd and Bharat Pharma Ltd.
The Dalmia Group is also associated with various philanthropic activities and environmental initiatives as a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The story of how Dalmia Group rose through several decades shows us that the foundation of a strong business lies with an intermingling of strong relationships.
