AN ENTREPRENEUR

A Powerhouse of Entrepreneurial Ideas

GyanchandJi was a visionary soul infused with a powerhouse of entrepreneurial ideas. He started his entrepreneurship with the distribution of Usha Sewing Machines in the year 1954 while he was serving as an engineer in Khandesh Mill in Jalgaon.

In 1955, he took the agency of an oil engine pump set. This initiation was motivated with the thought of easing the farming activities. During that era, he made several critical observations regarding the fertility of the land in Maharashtra and the ways of doing agriculture. With deep thoughts and considerations, he came to a realization that oil engine pumps can be very fruitful for the farmers.

Insights to His Business
1955

In the year 1955, he started with the distribution of Usha Sewing Machine while he was working as an engineer in Khandesh Mill.

1957

With the increase in sales of oil engine pumps, he left his job at Khandesh Mill in 1957, and got completely engrossed in the business.

1958

For the sale and distribution of oil engine pumps he had to do a lot of travelling and so he purchased his first car in 1958, “Jeep – MH 3565”.

1960

Further to that, in 1960, he added the agency of electric motor pumps from ‘AEC’ and ‘Texmo Industries’ based at Coimbatore.

1962

Next in addition was the Emami Oil Agency in partnership that ended at a later stage. He then took the agency with a new name, Vijay Oil Engine, in 1962.

1965

Next in line, in 1965, Avinash, joined him in his business venture and took complete responsibility since 1975.

1978

Then the agencies kept on adding to the existing bandwagon which later gave a name, ‘Raisoni Motors’ in 1978, to the business GyanchandJi had started.

1980

In 1980, upon his advice, his elder son Rajendra came back from the USA and started an electric motor pump manufacturing facility named as ‘Raisoni Engineering Works’.

1980

In 1980, under his advice, Pradeep bagged the prestigious ITC dealership.

1981

In 1981, GyanchandJi again became an inspiration for Rajendra to start another manufacturing unit called ‘Ajanta Foundry’.

1984

In 1984, his younger son Sunil moved to Nagpur to run the prestigious ITC dealership. In a short span of time the dealership was ranked amongst the top 10 distributors of the country.

1985

In 1985, he canvassed for Pradeep to contest in Municipal Council. Later, in 1997, Pradeep became the President of Jalgaon Municipal Corporation and then went on to become the Mayor of Jalgaon in 2009.

1989

In 1989, he also became a source of motivation to Dr Shekhar who started a multi-speciality hospital at Jalgaon, the ‘Raisoni Hospital’.

1995

In 1995, he helped Mahindra to start a plastic mats manufacturing unit called ‘Shradha Industries Ltd’.

1998

In March 1998, the Raisoni Group acquired an Engineering & a Polytechnic College which was later named after Shri G H Raisoni. In a short span, the expanded vision of imparting education paved the way for the formation of 19 institutes, including 2 universities, currently transmitting knowledge and wisdom to over 25000 students.

For GyanchandJi, hard work and discipline were the pillars of his life which even the next generation imbibed and adhered in their lives and spirits. This enduring pillar took him a very long way to success. With all high dreams and aspirations, there was no looking back and he developed his own business empire. Due to his accomplishments and his selfless services to the society, people started tagging him as ‘Gyanchand Sheth’ and ‘GyanBhau’.