Shroff pioneered red phosphorus manufacturing in 1969, giving an impetus to the indigenous chemical industry
Rajnikant Devidas Shroff, Chairman, UPL is among ten recipients who would receive the coveted Padma Bhushan award for 2021, the third-highest civilian honour for his outstanding body of work in Trade and Industry.
Born in Gujarat’s Kutch, Shroff pioneered red phosphorus manufacturing in 1969, giving an impetus to the indigenous chemical industry. In the 1980s, UPL started to launch a number of crop protection products and currently is among the leading total crop solutions providers globally.
A graduate of Chemistry from Bombay University, he established a novel process of manufacturing mercury salts in a plant at the U.K. and was paid a royalty for it by the British Company; a big achievement for any Indian way back in 1957. Soon after, he mastered red phosphorous and quickly moved on to the production of other chemicals like Aluminium Phosphide (fumigant) and Zinc Phosphide (rodenticide) for agriculture.
In the 1980s, UPL started launching an avalanche of crop protection products and is one of the leading total crop solutions providers in the world now.
His dedication to his company and his causes is unwavering. His many awards are a mere testimony of his legend. Here are a few of them:
- AGROW Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2015 in London
- UPL listed by the World CSR Congress as one of the top ‘50 Most Caring Companies Award 2014’
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (manufacturing) in 2013
- Rolta Corporate Award 2010
- Indian Chemical Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award for the entrepreneur in 2010
- Lifetime Achievement Award by Chemexil in 2008
- President’s Gold Shield Award for indigenous development of technology in 1972.
