Many people wonder why is Ahmedabad called Manchester of India?. Ahmedabad is one of the most industrialized cities in India. Along with Mumbai, it is the most important commercial center in the western part of India. It was the capital of Gujarat earlier though it still boasts of the seat of Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad is situated on the banks of Sabarmati River. Interestingly, Ahmedabad is situated at a distance of just 30km from Gandhinagar, the present capital of Gujarat. Ahmedabad is a major center of textile mills in India. This article explains the reasons behind Ahmedabad being called Manchester of India.
Why is Ahmedabad called Manchester of India – Reasons
Similarities between Manchester and Ahmedabad
Manchester in England is famous for its cotton textiles all over the world. The climate of Manchester is temperate that suits spinning of cotton thread. Also, water of Mersey River, along the banks of which Manchester is situated, is ideal for drying of cotton threads. In the same way, water of River Sabarmati is good for drying of cotton threads. Climate conditions in and around Ahmedabad are ideal for growing and spinning of cotton thread. Because of the presence of a large number of textile mills in Ahmedabad, the city has become the preferred choice of companies dealing in cotton textiles. Cotton is imported to Ahmedabad from Kandla port and the finished textile products are exported to many countries of the world.
Easy availability of cotton and labor
The reason Ahmedabad developed as a hub of manufacture of cotton textiles is because it is situated in a cotton producing region. This means that raw staple cotton is always available to the textile mills here. Another reason for flourishing textile trade is the easy availability of skilled and unskilled cheap labor that comes from nearby regions. Finally, the money that was required for setting up of textile mills was provided by rich businessmen of Gujarat. Ahmedabad is connected to all the major cities of India. This meant that finished goods could easily be transported to all parts of the country and even abroad. With good and continuous supply of electricity, cotton textile industry of Ahmedabad soon developed to great proportions.
First textile mill was established 150 years ago
It was in the year 1861 that the first textile mill called Shahpur Mill setup by Ranchhodlal was established in Ahmedabad. As this mill became a success, it inspired other businessmen and soon many more textile mills were set up in Ahmedabad. There were 33 textile mills in the city by the turn of the 20th century. Soon, Ahmedabad was supplying cotton textiles to all parts of India. The name Manchester of India for Ahmedabad was used for the first time by Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Ambalal Sarabhai, both of whom were leading industrialists of the country.
Ahmedabad today is the leading manufacturer of all types of cotton textiles. Denim cloth manufactured here is used by the top designer brands across the world. Textiles from Ahmedabad are very popular among garments manufacturers all over the world because of their high quality.
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