Ashok Jirawala Takes Charge as SGCCI President; Ravi Raj Desai Assumes Office as Vice President

“Industries Have Accumulated Wealth for Seven Generations; Now They Must Conserve Water for Future Generations” – Union Minister C.R. Patil

Government Working on AI-Driven Direct Textile Subsidy Transfers; 23 Complex Procedures Eliminated – Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi

SGCCI’s Policy Representations Under Nikhil Madrasi Generated ₹17,105 Crore Economic Benefit for South Gujarat Industries

New President Ashok Jirawala Unveils “Business Beyond Excellence” Vision with Startup Support, Business Library and Industry-Focused Initiatives

Industry, Government and Judiciary Leaders Gather for SGCCI’s 86th Installation Ceremony in Surat

Bilkul Bazaar | By Rafat Quadri

Surat | 07 June 2026

The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) successfully conducted its 86th Installation Ceremony on Saturday evening at the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Centre (SIECC), Sarsana. During the prestigious event, outgoing President Nikhil Madrasi formally handed over the leadership of the Chamber to newly elected President Ashok Jirawala, while Ravi Raj Desai assumed office as Vice President.

President Ashok Jirawala also announced his team for 2026-27, appointing Paresh Lathiya as Honorary Secretary and Atul Patel as Honorary Treasurer.

The ceremony was attended by several distinguished personalities, including Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, Supreme Court Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Persistent Systems Founder and Chairman Dr. Anand Deshpande, Balaji Wafers Founder Chandubhai Virani, Rajya Sabha MP Govind Dholakia, Surat MP Mukesh Dalal, Wadhwani Foundation’s Vishal Chaddha, JETRO Ahmedabad Director General Yu Yoshida, Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni, and Surat Mayor Maya Mavani.

Industries Must Take Responsibility for Water Conservation: C.R. Patil

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister C.R. Patil emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility and water conservation.

“Industries have played a remarkable role in India’s development. However, the time has come for industrialists to take up the responsibility of water conservation. Business leaders may have accumulated wealth for seven generations, but now they must conserve water for future generations because ‘Jal Hai To Kal Hai’ (Water is Life),” he said.

Government Committed to Simplifying Business Processes: Harsh Sanghavi

Deputy Chief Minister and Industries Minister Harsh Sanghavi assured the business community of the government’s continued support.

“As Industries Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, I assure you that any issue affecting trade and industry, whether small or large, will receive prompt attention and resolution. Gujarat has set a record by clearing more subsidies than any other state in India. We have already eliminated 23 complex procedures and documentation requirements. The government is now working on an AI-based system to enable direct transfer of textile subsidies into beneficiaries’ bank accounts,” he said.

He further hinted at several new opportunities and reforms that the government plans to introduce for industries in the near future.

Rule of Law and Mediation Vital for Economic Growth: Justice J.K. Maheshwari

Supreme Court Justice J.K. Maheshwari stressed the importance of ethical business practices and legal certainty in economic development.

He stated that the rule of law is fundamental to sustainable economic growth and advocated mediation as an effective mechanism for resolving commercial disputes quickly, thereby strengthening India’s ease of doing business ecosystem.

AI is a Powerful Productivity Booster: Dr. Anand Deshpande

Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder and Chairman of Persistent Systems, highlighted the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence.

Having built Persistent Systems from a 10-member startup into a global company with over 28,500 employees, he remarked, “AI is a great productivity booster and will play a landmark role in enhancing efficiency across industries and businesses.”

Nikhil Madrasi’s Leadership Delivers ₹17,105 Crore Benefit

Outgoing President Nikhil Madrasi presented a comprehensive report on his one-year tenure, highlighting SGCCI’s successful policy interventions that generated an estimated economic benefit of ₹17,105 crore for industries in South Gujarat.

Major achievements included:

• Removal of stringent Quality Control Order (QCO) restrictions on textile machinery, generating benefits of approximately ₹2,500 crore.
• Withdrawal of QCO requirements on polyester yarn, resulting in savings of ₹675 crore.
• Extension of Time-of-Use (TOU) electricity discount hours across Gujarat, benefiting industries by nearly ₹500 crore.

During his tenure, SGCCI also organized six international business delegations. One notable achievement was a Botswana visit alongside President Droupadi Murmu, during which Surat-based KP Group signed agreements worth ₹36,000 crore.

Former SGCCI President Kamlesh Yagnik read a special resolution acknowledging Madrasi’s contributions, following which the audience accorded him a standing ovation.

“Where the World Ends a Chapter, Surat Begins a New One”: Ashok Jirawala

In his inaugural address, President Ashok Jirawala highlighted South Gujarat’s economic significance.

“South Gujarat constitutes only 15% of Gujarat’s geographical area, yet contributes nearly 30% to the state’s GDP, 17% to India’s manufacturing output, and 27% of the country’s exports. Surat alone contributes more than ₹18,000 crore in income tax and over ₹7,000 crore in GST annually. The market capitalization of just five listed Surat-based companies exceeds ₹63,000 crore. Today, the world looks towards India with hope, and India looks towards Surat with confidence,” he said.

He also noted that Surat accounts for 65% of India’s man-made fabric production and nearly 30% of global fabric production, generating employment for over two million people.

“Business Beyond Excellence” Vision for 2026-27

Unveiling the theme “Business Beyond Excellence,” Jirawala announced several key initiatives for the coming year:

24×7 Industrial Helpline

A round-the-clock helpline will be established to assist businesses during emergencies and provide guidance on industrial issues.

Modern Business Library

SGCCI will develop a state-of-the-art business library that will not only house books but also provide information on government schemes and business opportunities.

Startup Support Initiative

Encouraging young entrepreneurs, Jirawala declared:
“Background and recommendations do not matter. What matters is the strength of your idea. If your idea has potential, SGCCI will stand firmly behind you.”

SGCCI Accelerate-Pro Programme

A flagship MSME development initiative will be launched in collaboration with Wadhwani Foundation, ATIRA and AMA.

Industry-Wise Playbooks

Sector-specific knowledge repositories will be developed to help future entrepreneurs build on accumulated experience.

Green and Global Surat

SGCCI plans to work towards making Surat greener while strengthening the global branding of Surat’s diamond and textile industries. Additional focus areas include medical tourism, co-working spaces, single-window clearances and Common Facility Centres (CFCs).

Praising Balaji Wafers founder Chandubhai Virani’s entrepreneurial mindset, Jirawala remarked that a true entrepreneur is someone who can discover a business opportunity even in something as simple as the popular Bengali snack “Jhalmuri.”

Chandubhai Virani also shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey, while Acharya Dr. Lokesh Muni extended his blessings and best wishes to the newly elected office-bearers.

The event was attended by former SGCCI presidents, Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot, Surat Municipal Commissioner Nagarajan, leading industrialists and traders, representatives of Hazira-based industries, and several other dignitaries from across the region.

(Rafat Quadri can be contacted at editorbilkul@gmail.com)

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