The Ledger · people
The Marwaris Who Built Modern Indian Industry
Founders of the great Marwari commercial houses, ordered by the earliest documented establishment of each.
The earliest documented Marwari commercial house on this list is the Goenka house, established in Calcutta around 1820 by Ramdutt Goenka after his migration from Dundlod in Shekhawati.
- 1
Migrated from Dundlod in Shekhawati and established himself in Calcutta as a banker, then as an agent for British commercial interests — the earliest of the three houses on this list.
1820 - 2
Began independently as a jute broker in Calcutta, established Birla Jute Mills in 1918 and formed Birla Brothers Limited the following year with an investment of ₹5 million.
1919 - 3
Adopted at five by the merchant Seth Bachharaj Bajaj and trained in the family trade, he started the Bajaj Group in 1926 — today one of India's largest business groups.
1926