Subramanian Narayanan

Karam Chand Thapar & Bros. (Coal Sales) Ltd.

Karam Chand Thapar & Bros. Ltd. - the parent company of Karam Chand Thapar & Bros. (Coal Sales) Ltd. ["KCT"] - was established by the late Karam Chand Thapar, who is regarded as one of the pioneers of Indian commerce and industry... Having gained some experience of the coal industry in his youth, Karam Chand set out to establish his own coal trading business based out of the Jharia coalfields in 1919. Soon thereafter, he realized that the epicenter of the coal business was not where the mines were located, but in Calcutta, the then established base of all the large European owned mining companies. A year later, in 1920, he set out for Calcutta, the erstwhile capital of India, where he began to establish contacts with other Indian businessmen with the aim of convincing them to rally against the British stranglehold over coal production and distribution in India. That same year, his effort and determination were rewarded, and he started a successful coal distribution business based out of Calcutta. With his, "unique and innate genius for organization and leadership [and]…quick and clear understanding of men and matters,"* Karam Chand managed to consolidate a diverse group of investors and contractors, and incorporate them into his coal distribution network. He then began to rapidly acquire and develop coal mines in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other locations.