PAYING HOMAGE TO THE DESERVING

Since its establishment, IMTMA has been working towards consolidating the Indian machine tool industry’s capabilities to carve out its own niche and achieve self-reliance in machine tools. It is crucial that we acknowledged the heroes who were instrumental in envisioning this and their past contributions that are now yielding fruitful results. Starting this issue, MMI attempts to reintroduce them and highlight their efforts in shaping the industry as we see it today.

In 1946, 19 visionaries joined hands to form the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA), an industry association with a three-pronged vision: to develop the Indian machine tool industry, scale down reliance on imports, and help India become one of the five top machine tool building nations. This happened a year before India gained independence, and it was a significant milestone for the sector.

Sir Dhanjishah Bomanji Cooper was the Founder President of IMTMA who laid the cornerstone of the industry’s future.

Contributions galore

He was mainly instrumental in the formation of the Association. In the period of nearly one year during which he was actively associated with the work of the Association, Sir Cooper’s valuable guidance and indefatigable efforts enabled the Association to be established on the sound lines with due recognition from Government and machine tool producers. It's truly regrettable that just when the Indian Machine Tool industry needed his help to solve the numerous challenges they were facing, he left for the afterlife.

Remembering IMTMA’s founding fathers

As a part of the Association’s 75-year journey, IMTMA launched a special coffee table book and produced a short film that showcased the invaluable contribution of Sir Cooper. The book and film were released during the IMTEX event.

Sir Cooper was a prominent figure who served as an industrialist, politician, and the Prime Minister of the Bombay Presidency. During the pre-independence period, he dedicated himself to promoting social and industrial development in rural Western Maharashtra. He established the first iron plow manufacturing company in Satara in 1922 and held the position of President of Satara Municipality from 1923 to 1932. In 1934, he played a significant role in manufacturing the first diesel engine, which laid the foundation for the automobile era, and he became a pioneer in diesel engine manufacturing.

IMTMA considers itself highly fortunate to have been guided by such progressive minds on its path to growth.

Sir Dhanjishah Bomanji Cooper was the Founder President of IMTMA.

Source: IMTMA

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