Companies that have survived 100 years in India
India has around three dozen century-old companies that are listed and still actively traded. Of these we have selected some that have done especially well at responding to change.
Two World Wars, the Great Depression, India's independence struggle, the Hindu rate of growth, the licence-permit raj, controls on foreign exchange and expansion, and the reforms of the 1990s: a handful of Indian companies have seen it all, and adapted along the way to do well. India has around three dozen century-old companies that are listed and still actively traded. Of these we have selected a dozen that have done especially well at responding to change. "Response to change is the first condition for survival in business," says Dwijendra Tripathi, a former IIM professor who authored The Oxford History of Indian Business. A hundred years is a long period. Dive into the exciting journey of these intrepid survivors.
1788: Breen & Co founded; to become Jessop in 1820
1838: The Times of India launched
1898: Calcutta becomes first city in India to get electricity
1902: Shalimar Paints sets up first paint factory in SE Asia
1902: Tatas open first hotel, Taj Mahal Palace
1910: Advent of electricity helps Britannia biscuits mechanise operations
1911: Shift of India's capital to Delhi announced; ITC gets stalls to advertise at Durbar
1919: Birlas defy Yule and other Scots to get into jute manufacture, WWI fuels boom
1926: Kirloskar makes first diesel engine in India
1929: TVS bags General Motors' dealership
1931: CESC builds tunnel under river Hoogly
1940: For the first time, The Times of India publishes news items
1945: Britannia sales surge, fuelled by contract to supply biscuits to Allied troops
1951: R.D. Birla acquires control of Century Textiles
1953: Bengal Chamber of Commerce completes a 100 years
1958: Godrej & Boyce makes the fi rst Indian refrigerator, in collaboration with GE
1969: Managing Agency system abolished
1975: ITC makes fi rst diversification, into hotels
1988: Jessop celebrates 200 years of existence
1998: Burman family hands over Dabur management to professionals
2007: Tata Steel acquires Corus
ACKNOWLEDGMENT We thank and acknowledge the following for access to their records and permission to use images from their archives and publications: Allahabad Bank; Andrew Yule; Bank of Baroda; Britannia; Bennett, Coleman & Co; CESC, Century Textiles; Dabur; Godrej Archives; Indian Hotels; ITC; Jessop; Kirloskar; Saregama; Shalimar Paints; Tata Steel; TVS & Sons; The Statesman.
1788: Breen & Co founded; to become Jessop in 1820
1838: The Times of India launched
1898: Calcutta becomes first city in India to get electricity
1902: Shalimar Paints sets up first paint factory in SE Asia
1910: Advent of electricity helps Britannia biscuits mechanise operations
1919: Birlas defy Yule and other Scots to get into jute manufacture, WWI fuels boom
1926: Kirloskar makes first diesel engine in India
1929: TVS bags General Motors' dealership
1931: CESC builds tunnel under river Hoogly
1940: For the first time, The Times of India publishes news items
1945: Britannia sales surge, fuelled by contract to supply biscuits to Allied troops
1951: R.D. Birla acquires control of Century Textiles
1953: Bengal Chamber of Commerce completes a 100 years
1969: Managing Agency system abolished
1988: Jessop celebrates 200 years of existence
1998: Burman family hands over Dabur management to professionals
2007: Tata Steel acquires Corus
ACKNOWLEDGMENT We thank and acknowledge the following for access to their records and permission to use images from their archives and publications: Allahabad Bank; Andrew Yule; Bank of Baroda; Britannia; Bennett, Coleman & Co; CESC, Century Textiles; Dabur; Godrej Archives; Indian Hotels; ITC; Jessop; Kirloskar; Saregama; Shalimar Paints; Tata Steel; TVS & Sons; The Statesman.
