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The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has released a commemorative postage stamp on Seth Walchand Hirachand, the founder of Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) and the Hindustan Aircraft Limited (HAL). The commemorative stamp in the denomination of five rupees was released in the presence of Shri Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, here today. The stamp has been released on the Birth Anniversary day of Seth Walchand Hirachand. The life story of Walchand Hirachand unfolds the life of a man fearless, decisive, devoted, endowed with intelligence and intuition – a man out of the ordinary.
Born in the year 1882 at Sholapur, Shri Walchand had done his schooling at Government High School, Sholapur and College education in Pune. After losing in jowar and cotton trade, Walchand switched over to contract business which he thought to be remunerative. He entered into the contract business on partnership basis with one Laxman Balwant Phatak who was a former railway clerk then. Their partnership earned the contract for construction of the railway line known as the Barsi Light Railway which was a great success. Thereafter all the projects of Walchand got full steam which laid the foundation for the country’s basic means of transportation. Walchand successfully completed the Bhorghat tunnel in Maharashtra which was considered to be beyond the capabilities of any Indian company in those days. Over the years, Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) was formed which went on to build some of India’s landmark construction projects.
Besides projects on the surface, Walchand had also entered into the field of aeronautics. During one of his trips abroad, Walchand met the President of an American aircraft company which resulted in his resolve to manufacture planes in India. He established the famous Hindustan Aircraft Limited much ahead of schedule and the first Harlow trainer plane manufactured by HAL took off in July 1941. Later on HAL was acquired by the Government of India and continued to be building planes and guarding the Indian skies. Walchand’s thirst never ended here. But he continued to put his landmark in the fields of navigation and road transport also. He founded the Scindia Steam Navigation Company which had a fleet of 54 steamers. Likewise in the automobile sector he established the Premier Automobiles Limited which rolled out the first indigenously built trucks and cars in 1947.
Shri Walchand cared for the well-being and welfare of his employees and the community at large. He also established many educational and business institutions such as Walchand College of Engineering at Sangli in Maharashtra. Shri Walchand passed away on 8th April 1953 after leaving an indelible imprint on Indian industry and infrastructure.
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