INDIAN CHEMICAL FIRMS TAKE FIGHT TO CHINA

India's initiative to indigenise chemicals is meant to emerge as an alternative to China in global markets.

- P.B. Jayakumar

CHEMICAL ENGINEER Gopi Latpate from Aurangabad sold his IT firm ValuD Consulting to Fortune 500 multinational JLL in October 2018 and invested in 50-plus India-focussed start-ups in energy, technology and social empowerment. He, along with long-time friend Balasaheb Darade, who left his job in U.S. to work for social causes in India, thought of starting a transformative business. They were joined by Ajay Agarwal, former owner of polyester chip and yarn manufacturer Shubhalakshmi Polyesters, acquired by Reliance Industries for ₹1,592 crore in September 2022.