F & B (Canteen) Token: THE AHMEDABAD NEW COTTON MILLS COMPANY LIMITED- Ahmedabad

[asm]

F & B (Canteen) Token: THE AHMEDABAD NEW COTTON MILLS COMPANY LIMITED,

Inscription in English - New Cotton / Mill's / Canteen. REVERSE: Blank

Weight: 3.65 g. Diameter: 22.3 mm

About the Mill:THE AHMEDABAD NEW COTTON MILLS COMPANY LIMITED, a part of the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Group was a listed company incorporated on 13 April, 1905. The Ahmedabad New Cotton Mills Company Limited had two units the first, established in 1905 (later called called Mill No. 1) was a Spinning & Weaving Mill located near Kankaria in Ahmedabad. In those times, most fabric woven in India was sent to Britain for Processing. The second unit, a composite Textile Mill with Spinning, Weaving & Processing facilities was established much later and was called Mill No 2 and was located in Khokra Mehmedabad area in Ahmedabad. At one time the Mill No. 2 had also diversified in to manufacturing soap which was sold by the name OJAS Soaps.
Some poor management decisions, internal family tiff and bad Government Policies ensured that the Mills gradually lost their edge and Mill No 1 was sold and a large Mall (called) came up in its place while Mill No. 2 was sold to the ASHIMA Group, who after running the Mills for a decade or so stopped production and converted it in to a large Housing Project for the lower income group. This project is still under development with the first phase completed and the next phase likely to be completed soon.
Tokens of this Mill have been listed but this type is unlisted in the book 'Canteen Tokens of India' by Mr. Praful Thakkar (I do not have reference to the other catalogues). I have here exhibited 2 tokens – one normal one while the other is an off center struck token. Similar tokens are also observed with a manually punched hole.

Amit

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An interesting piece of information about the mill is that the Mill was established for one of the sisters of Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai. Kasturbhai Lalbhai Group had a total of 8 Mills. The first unit, named after Kasturbhai's mother was called Mohini Mills. The Second Mill in the Group was Arvind Mills (which has grown and is reckoned amongst the bigger Textile Factories in India today) and this was followed by individual Mills for the sons of Kasturbahi's brothers (2 Mills) and 3 Mills for his sisters (so much for the history of India which says that women were not empowered in those times).

Amit

[krishna]

Another huge arm of the lalbhai family is Atul ltd., located at Valsad

Established in 1947, it is a highly respected chemical company and has excellent valuation in the Indian stock markets

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The group was a big player in Starch (Anil Starch) a key input in textiles, Engineering () as well as a host of other related businesses. What now remains of the group, which was managed by the Arvind Lalbhai family - now called the Arvind or Lalbhai Group) has diversified in to Garment manufacturing as well as realty.

Amit

[Figleaf]

I just wrote an encouragement and now I see confirmation already! Evidence of women playing a role in the textile business. The history of an important plant retraced. Krishna (a fine example of a numismatic omnivore!) getting interested. This is what it is all about. Discovery.

Here is a picture of a clothing shop in Kochi, financed and staffed by women only. The happy customer is my daughter.



Peter

[krishna]

https://www.cooptex.gov.in/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=4

Coptex is a very large Tamil Nadu (Indian state) cooperative consisting of retail outlets selling hanloom products
Handloom weavers are largely woman

Actually i personally find the process of handloom operation very mesmerizing

Similarly the mecca of textile and garments in India, Tirupur, Located in Tamilnadu, runs due to the hard work of large numbers of woman employees

There are many woman led cooperatives,small companies and  corporations in india

  i see a very bright future for woman in India, within a generation