Ranchhodlal Chhotalal

Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, Rai Bahadur CIE [1] (April 29, 1823– October 1898)[2] was a pioneer of the textile industry in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

He learnt Persian from his father Chhotalal, Munshi Bapubhai, and Maulvi Faizuddin, as well as Sanskrit under Pandit Bindu Vyasa.

[11] He served as president from 1885 to 1895, during which time he stood against the conservative society and was able to implement and complete common water supply line to all castes.

[12][13] He took help of his poet friend Dalpatram to convince people for common water supply lines to be implemented by city's municipal corporation.

[20] As a visionary, in year 1894 he joined hands with other entrepreneurs of town - Mansukhbhai Bahgubhai, Shambhuprasad Becharbhai Lashkare, Lalbhai Dalpatbhai, Motilal Amratlal, Sarabhai Maganbhai, and Girdharlal Amritlal Desai to form Gujarat Navigation Company, with a motive to link Sabarmati with Dholera in an attempt to link Ahmedabad with sea.

[23] At the time of Chinubhai's death in 1916 his son Girjiprasad was a minor, thus the family business was in the hands of his widow Sulochana.