What was the common element among (i) G.D. Birla (ii) Ambalal Sarabhai and (iii) Walchand Hirachand ?

G.D. Birla, Ambalal Sarabhai, and Walchand Hirachand were prominent Indian industrialists who played a significant role during the colonial era. G.D. Birla was a leading figure in the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi [1]. Ambalal Sarabhai was a major textile industrialist from Ahmedabad who supported Gandhi's early movements, including the 1918 mill strike. Walchand Hirachand was a pioneer in the shipping, aircraft, and automobile industries [1]. While they supported the nationalist cause financially and politically to oppose colonial economic constraints, they were primarily capitalists rather than socialist leaders or career politicians [1]. Their common identity lies in their status as the 'capitalist class' or 'Indian industrialists' who sought to protect indigenous business interests against British policies [1].

Sources

1. [1] India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > To the altar of this revolution we have brought our youth as incense' > p. 42