Surat. A historic leadership change at the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) will take place on June 6 at the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Center (SIECC) in Sarsana.
Nikhil Madras, the president for the year 2025-26, will hand over his successful and achievement-filled tenure, while senior industrialist Ashok Jirawala will take the oath as the new president for 2026-27, and Ravi Raj Desai will be sworn in as the new vice president. Nikhil Madras's tenure has been filled with achievements; under his leadership, SGCCI achieved remarkable milestones in activities, industrial interests, and global connections during the year 2025-26. Over 525 mega events were organized, including more than 411 seminars and workshops, 56 industrial visits, 43 health awareness programs, and three vendor development programs.
The chamber organized a record 22 industrial and trade exhibitions, notably including 'Wealth Expo', 'Chemical and Pharma Expo', and 'EPE Expo'. The Art and Culture Committee also made significant efforts to establish art as an industry through five exhibitions. The chamber claimed that as a result of its various representations and efforts, the industrial sector received an economic benefit of approximately ₹17,105 crores.
Decisions such as the removal of quality control orders (QCO) applicable to textile machinery and polyester yarn, and the extension of the time-of-use (TOU) discount period for electricity consumers provided significant relief to industries. Increased international recognition of Surat During Nikhil Madras's tenure, six international delegations from SGCCI visited various countries. A delegation led by President Droupadi Murmu visited Botswana, where Surat's KP Group signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) worth ₹36,000 crores.
Additionally, trade relations with Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and Ghana were strengthened. The visit of the Vice President of Zimbabwe to Surat at the chamber's invitation is also considered a historic achievement. Success in education and skill development The SGCCI Education and Skill Development Center conducted 86 batches on topics such as textiles, import-export, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing, training 1,165 students.
This activity generated an income of ₹1.31 crores for the institution and recorded a net profit of approximately ₹80 lakhs. New hopes with Ashok Jirawala's leadership The newly elected president Ashok Jirawala is a well-known name in the textile industry of South Gujarat. He is the president of the Federation of Gujarat Weavers Welfare Association (FOGWA) and has effectively raised issues related to weavers and the textile industry for a long time.
Ashok Jirawala has been associated with the chamber for the past 20 years and was active as vice president in 2025-26, effectively representing various industrial issues at the state and national levels. He believes that connecting the textile industry with automation, artificial intelligence, and modern technologies is essential for advancing in global competition. Ravi Raj Desai becomes the youngest vice president The new vice president Ravi Raj Desai will be the youngest industry representative to reach this position in the chamber's history.
He has a strong academic background in engineering and management and is associated with various industrial and social organizations. Currently, he plays a leadership role in several industry organizations and foundations.
Prominent personalities to attend the oath-taking ceremony Prominent figures such as Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, Gujarat's Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghvi, Supreme Court Justice J.K. Maheshwari, industrialist Dr. Anand Deshpande, founder of Balaji Wafers Chandu Bhai Virani, Rajya Sabha MP Govind Dholakia, Surat MP Mukesh Dalal, and Bardoli MP Prabhu Vasava will be present at the ceremony on June 6. Following the tradition established in 1940, outgoing president Nikhil Madras will formally hand over the responsibilities to new president Ashok Jirawala and vice president Ravi Raj Desai.
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