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Private company

Delhi Cloth Mills

Indian industrial conglomerate

DCM Textiles, formerly known as Delhi Cloth & General Mills, founded in 1889 by Lala Chunnamal, Master Shiv Pershad and Rai Bahadur Ram Kishen Das Gurwale, is an Indian conglomerate which was initially a textile business which opened its first mill in Delhi.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1889Founded1
  • HeadquartersIndia1
  • Listed onNew York Stock Exchange1

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DCM Textiles, formerly known as Delhi Cloth & General Mills, founded in 1889 by Lala Chunnamal, Master Shiv Pershad and Rai Bahadur Ram Kishen Das Gurwale, is an Indian conglomerate which was initially a textile business which opened its first mill in Delhi. Starting from late 1980s and early 1990s, as a result of legal and financial challenges the company was split into several industry segments under the DCM and DCM Shriram Group branding, (not to be confused with Shriram Group), and diversified into automotive, bioseeds, cement, chemicals, farms, fertilizers, pvc, sugar, textiles, windows and door, yarns, etc. Some of its entities are DCM Textiles Co at Hisar, DCM Sri Ram Mills, Fenesta, etc.2

The story

The founders

Lala Chunnamal, Master Shiv Pershad and Rai Bahadur Ram Kishen Das Gurwale founded the company in 1889 and its first factory, located in Delhi, took two years to build. The company prospered through 1907 and in 1909 Sir Shri Ram joined the company as an assistant to his father during a period of decline. Under Ram's guidance the company regained a prosperous pace. The company went through a significant financial crisis in 1917 but recovered after it received a large contract from the British Army at the time of the First World War. The mill was engaged primarily in the cotton and sugar trades and became one of the top mills in northern India. The company opened a second cloth mill and two sugar mills in 1925. It launched DCM Chemical Works in 1941 and Daurala Distillery in 1942. In 1946 it began manufacturing vanaspati.

Expansion in 1960s

Over time the company expanded and had many subsidiaries including Usha International, Bengal Potteries, Jay Engineering Works and Shri Ram Fertilizers. In 1964 the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Bharat Ram, addressed the 76th annual meeting of shareholders.

Fending off hostile takeover in 1980s

In the 1980s the company name was changed to DCM Ltd and it successfully defended a hostile takeover by a UK-based investor. As the eventual result of the failed takeover, DCM was split into four distinct companies in 1990. The four companies were: DCM, DCM Shriram Industries, Shriram Industrial Enterprises and DCM Shriram Consolidated. In 1999 there was further splintering of the company into two additional parts.

Diversification in 1990s

In 1995, DCM's 1983 partnership with Toyota Motors came to an end. DCM then entered a partnership with the Korean automotive company, Daewoo Motors, which ended in 2001 after Daewoo Motors went bankrupt. During the latter 1990s Delhi Cloth & General Mills had a series of financial defaults and lawsuits. The company's 116 year old manufacturing facility was torn down to make new commercial and residential buildings. The razing was the result of a 1989 Supreme Court decision which drove factories out of the city of Delhi and the mill was moved to Hisar.

From Wikipedia’s article on Delhi Cloth & General Mills, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1889Founded Founded1

Sources

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