Brihan Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Ltd.

In 1933, the Governor of Bombay, The Lord Brabourne promoted the production of indigenous sugar, having had increased the import tax on the commodity shipping in from Mauritius.[3] This enabled Chandrashekhar Agashe to found the Brihan Maharashtra Sugar Syndicate Ltd. on 21 September 1934,[4][5][6][7] as a limited liability company after two years of crowd-funding campaigns,[8] with funds collected from amongst the Maharashtrian middle classes.[9][3]

Between 1934 and 1936, Agashe envisioned opening a factory branch of the Syndicate in his hometown of Bhor, and began cultivating 2,000 acres of land for the plantation of sugar cane. In 1935, he began employing tenanted farmers of the local gentry and independent farmers as producers or transportation workers of the sugar cane for the syndicate in the village of Shreepur. By 1936, he had licensed or purchase 12,000 acres of farm land to support the syndicate, being lauded for reviving the local economy and consequently receiving further land grants from bankers in Akluj and several politicians in the Bhor State.[10]

After Agashe established the syndicate's headquarters at the Commonwealth Building on Laxmi Road, the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture declared the sale of 300,000 shares of the syndicate, with the first share going at Rs. 25 in January 1935.[11] Between 1935 and 1937, Agashe toured several states and jagirs within the Deccan States Agency, promoting the syndicate at several village gram panchayats.[10]

In November 1937, Agashe ordered sugar cane processing machinery from Škoda Works in Czechoslovakia before the outbreak of World War II. Following Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Agashe considered retracting his order, but received the ordered machinery before the Reichswerke Hermann Göring took over Škoda.[12] He began construction for the first factory in April 1938, and finally established the syndicate's first sugar cane processing factory in the village of Bhorgaon in March 1939,[13] further purchasing an estate and the surrounding lands as a means to look after his own sugar plantations,[14] with the syndicate's principal factory soon producing 150,000 sacs of sugar per annum by 1940,[15] selling the sugar under the trademark Shree.[13]

After Indian independence in 1947, Agashe was able to expand the syndicate's production to 1000 tonnes of sugar cane processed per annum by 1950.[16] By 1953, there was strong opposition to Agashe's role as the managing director of the syndicate from his critics, with the syndicate involved in several allegations of duping shareholders and depositors in the early 1950s.[17][18][19] Agashe, in response, published a 400-page report criticizing his detractors of corruption and factionalism based on evidence that his critics were backed by his competitor Karamshi Jethabhai Somaiya, who had previously shown interest in purchasing the syndicate.[20][21][22]

Agashe died in 1956.[23][24] He was survived in business by his sons Panditrao Agashe and Dnyaneshwar Agashe.[25][5]

His elder son, Panditrao Agashe served as managing director of the syndicate from 1956 till his own death in 1983. After which, Agashe's younger son, Dnyaneshwar Agashe, served as managing director of the company till 1996; serving as chairman of the syndicate till his death in 2009.[26][27][28] Agashe's grandson, Ashutosh Agashe has been managing director at the company since 17 December 1996.[1]

The company briefly engaged in the business of metal printing.[7] The company also manufactures skin, hair, health care, and oral care products under its sister company, Brihans Natural Products Ltd..[29] In addition, it markets ayurvedic medicines, health care products, and bulk raw materials.[7] It has also been involved in the manufacturing of food products and veterinary medicine.[1]

The company manufactured liquor in Shreepur, Maharashtra,[30] specialising in whisky production under its brands Barrister Whisky, Brihans Fine Whisky, Brihans No. 1 Whisky, Napoleon Whisky and Officers Club Whisky.[2][31][32] Under Agashe, it entered in a partnership between Howling Wolves Wine Group of Australia in 2005 which planned to set up a wine production base in India.[33][34][35] The company was first to produce a range of government-approved liquors after the Maharashtra state prohibition,[36] called Indian Made Foreign Liquor.[37]

In 2005, Radico Khaitan signed an agreement with the syndicate for acquisition of their key brands Brihans Napoleon Brandy,[38] Brihans Premium Whisky, Brihans Grape Brandy, Tropicana White Rum, Calcutta Dry Gin, Lord Nelson Rum and Red Russian Vodka in line with their domestic growth plan.[39][40][41]

The company was further involved in the Brihan Karan Sugar Syndicate Private Limited (BKSSPL) trademark 'Tango' scandal in 2014.[42]

• Karandikar, Shakuntala (1992). Viśvasta [The Trusted One] (in Marathi) (1st ed.). Pune: Śrī Prakāśana (published July 1992). ISBN 9781532345012. LCCN 2017322865. OCLC 992168228.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link)