The MSME Capacity Building Exposure Visit Program, a significant initiative to support the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystem, brought a high-level team from Madhya Pradesh Small Industries Corporation Limited to Surat. Information exchange, industry networking, and technical education—particularly in the area of manufactured textiles—were the primary goals of the visit.
The Man Made Textile Research Association (MANTRA) organised the event, which was attended by important dignitaries like Dr. Sunil, Rajendra Raikwar, CGM, MP Government, and Anil Thagal, State Nodal Officer (RAMP), Government of Madhya Pradesh. SGCCI President Nikhil Madrasi, SGCCI Vice President Ashok Jirawala, MANTRA President Rajnikant Bachkaniwala, and MANTRA Secretary Praful Gandhi attended the ceremony from Surat.
Rajnikant Bachkaniwala gave a historical summary of how Surat became a major centre for textiles worldwide. He underlined the importance of research, creativity, and teamwork, citing MANTRA as a major facilitator of the city’s development.
The textile sector in Surat didn’t expand quickly. It changed as a result of concentrated efforts at skill development and innovation. According to Bachkaniwala, MANTRA has played a significant role in strengthening MSMEs via technology and research.
Senior MANTRA official Dr. Hitesh Jariwala gave a presentation on the organization’s current activities, which include technical training and research. He discussed MANTRA’s broad range of capabilities, including its non-woven pilot plant, chemical and mechanical labs, environment testing, technical textiles, and garment technologies.
To obtain firsthand knowledge, the visiting party visited MANTRA’s numerous specialised labs and spoke with the technical personnel in person. Through these exchanges, the delegates were able to learn about cutting-edge methods in skill development modules, research-focused operations, and fabrics composed of synthetic fibres.
Following the MANTRA visit, the MP representatives were given a tour of two important textile clusters in Surat: Sachin GIDC and Pandesara’s Lakshmipati Group of Industries. By demonstrating the modernisation and scalability achieved by Surat’s textile MSMEs, these site visits reaffirmed how innovation may spur sectoral growth.
The program’s main goal was to increase MSMEs’ ability to innovate, compete, and expand while also encouraging cooperation amongst them across states. The program supports the central government’s broader MSME mission of cross-industry learning, skill development, and technical cooperation.
