Shri Ashok Kumar Jain
Enterprising and progressive Shri Ashok Kumar Jain is a promising industrialist and businessman among the younger generation. He was born at Calcutta in 1941. At a comparatively younger age he has shown his talent in developing the family business of stainless steel, metals, cloth and chemicals assisted by his brothers S/Shri Chandragupta, Samudra- gupta and Rajesh Kumar Jain.
Reformist by views he is straight forward in opposing existing social evils. He possesses pleasing personality and habits.
His father late Shri Jugmandir Das was a person of highly dignified manners and a well known Jain businessman and generous donor of Calcutta. He performed his social obligations earnestly without caring for personal pubilicity. He was enthused with revolutionary ideas to relieve the society from social evils. Simple living and high thinking was not only an ideal but a practical proposition in his life. He had a humanitarian approach to redeem miseries of the poor and the needy.
He was born at Pamari near Etah in U. P. on October 5, 1910. At the tender age of 12 he came to Calcutta, worked for about two years in a private concern and started his own business in 1924 at a young age of only 14 years. He established Ashok Company, the parent firm, in 1936. His hard and sincere work paid him rich dividends. On the ladder of success to success with fortune favouring his honest efforts he made considerable achievements in the metal trade and became a leading dealer in this line at Calcutta.
He was an active participant and dedicated worker in social activities and national movements since his tender young age and bore undauntedly whatever difficulties came in his revolutionary way of working. A versatile person he had also keen interest in the study of Jain philosophy and always added his mite for the propagation of Jain tenets and culture.
He utilised his fortune generously and graciously making liberal donations to works of public utility and educational, religious and social programmes. He received the deserved respect from Jain society for his sincere services.
He was closely associated with a large number of religious, educational, social and trade bodies. From time to time he worked as President, Vice-President and Secretary of Shree Jain Sabha, Shri Dig. Jain Bhawan, Shri Mahavir Jayanti Samaroh Samiti, Shri Dig. Jain Rathyatra Committee, All India Dig. Jain Sangh Chaurasi (Mathura), Padmavati Sandesh (monthly magazine) Publication Subcommittee (Firozabad), and All India Dig. Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirwan Mahotsava Society (West Bengal).
He rendered his useful services as Managing Committee Member of Shree Jain Sabha Calcutta, Shri Bengal, Bihar, Orissa Dig Jain Tirthakshetra Committee, Calcutta, All India Dig. Jain Parishad, Shri Syadwad Mahavidyalaya, Varanasi, Shri Digamber Jain Udasin Ashram Isri Bazar, (Bihar), Shri Dig. Jain Datavya Aushdhalaya Calcutta, Shri Dig. Jain Bara Mandir Renovation Committee, Calcutta, Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirwan Mahotsava State Committee of Bihar, etc.
He was Trustee of Jain Trust, Calcutta, Virshasan Trust Calcutta, Shri Kund-Kund Dig. Jain Vidyalaya, Rajakhera, Hakim Mauji Ram Bengali Lai Jain Charitable Trust, Firozabad. He also took interest in publication of Padmavati Purwal Directory, Jain Yug (Weekly) Calcutta, Metal Market Report (Daily), Calcutta.
Shri J.D. Jain was Executive Committee Member of All India Stainless Steel Industries Association (Calcutta) and East India Metal Merchants Association, Calcutta.
A premature end cams to this highly social and illustrious person at Calcutta on June 24, 1973 while he was at the zenith of his achievements. He left behind him his wife Smt. Kusum Kumari Jain, four sons and eight daughters, a large number of admirers and a vast business.
All his sons are engaged in the big joint family business and own Ashok Metal Industries Ltd., Chandra Industries (P) Ltd., Bengal Industrial Corporation, Ashok Company, Calcutta Industries, Chandra Industries, R.K. Industries, and Ashok (Bombay Dyeing). These concerns are controlled from their Head Office at Calcutta with branch offices at Delhi, Bombay, Firozabad, Moradabad and Lucknow.
Office : Ashok Metal Industries Ltd., 157, Netaji Subhash Road, 2nd Floor, Calcutta-1. Phone 334470, 334497, Phone Residence, 341964
