Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), one of the leading industry chambers of the textile and clothing industry, representing the entire textile value chain through its leading regional & industry associations and 18 major corporate members, held its 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 15th December 2021, through virtual platform. CITI immediately after the conclusion of its AGM elected the new Office-Bearers in the First Meeting of the Committee.
T. Rajkumar, Chairman, Sri Mahasakthi Mills Ltd., Kerala, and Foundation One Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd., Tamil Nadu, has been re-elected as Chairman of CITI. He is the Chairman of the Textile Sector Skill Council (TSC). He is the Director in National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). He is the Former Chairman of The Southern India Mills’ Association and The SIMA Cotton Development Research Association (SIMA CDRA). He is the Chairman & Managing Trustee of Global Pathway School, Coimbatore and Secretary of Nachimuthu Gounder Rukmani Ammal Charitable Trust, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, apart from actively involved in various industrial bodies and educational institutions. He is an Independent Director in Coimbatore Smart City Ltd.
Rajkumar has done his Graduation from PSG College of Arts and Science and Masters in the Business Administration from the PSG College of Technology.
Rajkumar is a Member of the Governing Council of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) and The South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore. He is a Member in the Academic Council of PSG College of Arts and Science and also a Member in the Board of Studies of Bharathiyar University and PSG Institute of Management. He is the Joint Secretary of Sri Purandaradasar Sangeetha Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, a social and cultural organization, which is dedicated for the cause of development of Arts and Music. He is the Former Chairman of Board of Trustees of Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple and Charities, Anamalai.
Rakesh Mehra, Chairman, Banswara Syntex Ltd., Mumbai, has been elected as Deputy Chairman of CITI. Since 2018, Rakesh Mehra is the President of Indian Spinners Association (ISA), Mumbai, an Association of MMF Yarn Spinners of the country. He is the Former Chairman of The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC). With his guidance and support CITI was instrumental in removing the ADD on Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF) & Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF), rationalization of GST rates and many other policy initiatives benefiting the MMF Textile Value Chain.
Ashwin Chandran, Chairman and Managing Director, Precot Meridien Ltd., has been elected as the Vice Chairman of CITI. Having textile units in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Ashwin Chandran, a B.Sc., (Hons) Graduate in Textile Technology, UMIST, UK, and Post-Graduate (MBA) from University of Illinois, USA, is a Member of Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), Mumbai. He held the position of the Chairman of The Southern India Mills’ Association, Coimbatore, for two years during 2019-2021.
During his speech in the AGM, Rajkumar thanked the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, and the former Union Minister of Textiles, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, and Minister of State for Textiles and Railways, Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh, for making a series of historic announcements for the overall growth of the Indian Textiles and Clothing industry. He said that the pathbreaking decisions will definitely enhance the production capacity of the Indian T&C industry and will go a long way in achieving the ambitious target of increasing the textile business size to US$ 350 bn, including US$ 100 bn exports by 2025-26 and also the target of US$ 44 bn exports of textile products for 2021-22.