Cover Story

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS

OF KIRLOSKARVADI RAILWAY STATION

It was a moment of great pride and joy as we celebrated 100 years of the Kirloskarvadi Railway Station on 24th November 2022. But what made this moment memorable is when India Post released a unique pictorial stamp, the first of its kind in India, with a picture of the KBL pump and two special covers, the first to commemorate 100 Years of Kirloskarvadi Railway Station and the second to honour the contribution of Kirloskarvadi under the scheme of ‘One District- One Product’.

It was on 15th February 1922, when Kundal Road Railway Station, near Kirloskarvadi, Sangli district, was renamed Kirloskarvadi Railway Station, recognising the contribution of Kirloskarvadi in bringing economic and social growth to the region. However, it was the presence of this railway station that played a critical role in the successful journey of Kirloskar Brothers Limited. In 1910, when Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar was selecting the location to establish Kirloskarvadi, it was a tough decision to make. Which part of Aundh state could one go to? It would make no sense if the location was far off from a railway station. It should not be desolate

and must have basic amenities such as water supply, roads, a market, and a post office in its vicinity. There was hardly any time to find out all this information. However, he decided to choose a location that had a railway station in its vicinity. If the railway station is there, other amenities will follow! The 36 acres barren land allotted to him for setting up the factory and the colony was about 200 metres away from the railway station, and that’s how the land got selected where the Kirloskarvadi is set up.

As Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar started to shape the Kirloskarvadi operation, many people came to meet him to see his work. Mr. Muise Moyse, the District Collector of Satara at the time, was one of them. He was fascinated by the work done by Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar and would always visit the factory when he camped around the area. After his retirement, as he was moving back to London, he asked for help from Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar to look after the family of one of his butlers of many years, Rajba Chabukswar, who had expired of a heart attack, and said that he would send monthly expenses for his family by cheque. Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar took over the responsibility but disagreed to accept any money for the deceased family’s wellbeing. During this conversation, one of the close associates of Laxmanrao requested Mr. Moyse to change the name of Kundal Road to Kirloskarvadi Railway Station, which was grandly celebrated. The success of KBL and all Kirloskar Group companies that evolved from Kirloskarvadi, namely Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd. (KOEL), Kirloskar Electric Ltd., Kirloskar Pneumatic Ltd., etc., is attributed to the Kirloskarvadi railway station, as it was the only mode of communication to commute and for transportation of goods, which played a critical role in the initial year of Kirloskarvadi operation. However, it was also the presence of the Indian postal service at Kirloskarvadi that contributed to the success of the company. During those days, product orders and other communications were done only through the post. Kirloskarvadi gave India some of the first engineering products like iron ploughs, pumps, engines, motors, compressors, and many more. These products went on to significantly contribute to the industrial and agricultural progress of India. But the success of these products happened due to the movement of raw materials and finished products through the railway station. Apart from this, Kirloskarvadi railway station was the only way of commuting for workers and people staying nearby that were critical to the success of KBL. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, V Shantaram, Baburao Painter, Dada Saheb Phalke, Bharat Ratna awardee Dhondo Keshav Karve, Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, and many others have travelled by train to Kirloskarvadi.

Today, as we look back to 122 years of this glorious journey of Kirloskarvadi, we are immensely proud of what this factory has achieved over the years. Products that are manufactured here are used by millions of

farmers, households, and across all industrial sectors. They are used in critical sectors like nuclear plants and defence. The products manufactured at Kirloskarvadi are used in over 160 countries around the globe. They are used at many iconic structures in India and around the world, like the Atal Tunnel, the Statue of Unity, the White House, Burj al-Arab, the Shard, etc. It was at Kirloskarvadi that Shri. Laxmanrao Kirloskar dreamt and succeeded in making India Atmnirbhar. He was the earliest crusader of the "Make in India" initiative encouraged by the Indian government recently. The success of Kirloskarvadi propelled KBL to become one of the most trusted brands in the world, creating a positive impact economically and enriching the lives of people. However, it was the Indian Railways and India Postal Department whose support during the early stage of Kirloskarvadi, remains the critical factor in the success of KBL. This honour bestowed on us by India post and Indian Railway has only made the journey etched eternally in our memories.