Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff
Encyclopedia
Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff (1899-1965) was an eminent industrialist, banker and economist of India
. In 1944, Shroff served as a non-official (since India was not yet independent) delegate at the United Nations "Bretton Woods Conference"
on post-war monetary and financial systems. In the same year, and with seven other leading industrialists, Shroff co-authored the Bombay Plan
, which was a set of proposals for the development of the post-independence
Indian economy.
In the 1950s, Shroff was founder-director of the Investment Corporation of India and company chairman of Bank of India
and the New India Assurance Company Limited. In 1954, Shroff co-founded the Forum of Free Enterprise think tank as a means to counter the socialist tendencies of the Nehru
government. He complained against the indifference with which the state treated entrepreneurs, and asserted that if the Government of India were to shed some of their 'impractical ideologies' and extend their active support to the private sector, very rapid industrialisation could be brought about within the next 10 years. Shroff also served as company director of the Tata Group
and of several other leading private industries. A biography of Shroff, commissioned by the Forum of Free Enterprise, was published in 2000 by Sucheta Dalal
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1944, Shroff served as a non-official (since India was not yet independent) delegate at the United Nations "Bretton Woods Conference"
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, commonly known as the Bretton Woods conference, was a gathering of 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations at the Mount Washington Hotel, situated in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to regulate the international monetary and financial order after...
on post-war monetary and financial systems. In the same year, and with seven other leading industrialists, Shroff co-authored the Bombay Plan
Bombay Plan
The Bombay Plan is the name commonly given to a World War II-era set of proposals for the development of the post-independence economy of India. The plan, published in 1944/1945 by eight leading Indian industrialists, proposed state intervention in the economic development of the nation after...
, which was a set of proposals for the development of the post-independence
History of the Republic of India
The history of the Republic of India began on 26 January 1950. The country became an independent dominion within the British Commonwealth 15 August 1947. George VI was King until the Republic was proclaimed in 1950. Concurrently the Muslim-majority northwest and east of British India was separated...
Indian economy.
In the 1950s, Shroff was founder-director of the Investment Corporation of India and company chairman of Bank of India
Bank of India
Bank of India is a state-owned commercial bank with headquarters in Mumbai. Government-owned since nationalization in 1969, It is India's 4th largest bank, after State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda. It has 3415 branches, including 29 branches outside India...
and the New India Assurance Company Limited. In 1954, Shroff co-founded the Forum of Free Enterprise think tank as a means to counter the socialist tendencies of the Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
government. He complained against the indifference with which the state treated entrepreneurs, and asserted that if the Government of India were to shed some of their 'impractical ideologies' and extend their active support to the private sector, very rapid industrialisation could be brought about within the next 10 years. Shroff also served as company director of the Tata Group
Tata Group
Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
and of several other leading private industries. A biography of Shroff, commissioned by the Forum of Free Enterprise, was published in 2000 by Sucheta Dalal
Sucheta Dalal
-Profile:Dalal is presently the Managing Editor of Moneylife Magazine, which is a personal finance fortnightly. Earlier, she was a columnist for the Indian Express and Consulting Editor for The Financial Express...
.