Shrivardhan Bio–Tech, known throughout India for the quality of their cut flowers, operates a computer controlled floriculture unit. Shrivardhan Bio-tech is the first project in the country, and perhaps in the world, using environment friendly, hand-made baked clay containers, made by artisans in rural India, providing much-needed employment. These containers help keep the root zone cool during summer, stimulating the growth of white roots, by evaporating water cool in earthen pot. Coco Peat (Cocus nucifera) is used as a growing medium, which is an organic matter with excellent aeration and eco-friendly thus helping an infertile, rocky land to be put under productive use. With a view to control, monitor, and correct the quality of nutrition in terms of volume, frequency, pH, and EC, Shrivardhan Bio-tech has installed a computer controlled nutrition system. Ghodawat Agro Pvt Ltd produces floriculture Gerbera, Chrysanthemum, Carnation Lilium, Gypsophila and Roses like Grand Gala, Royal Class, Passion, Marie Claire, Ice Burge, Poison, African Dawn, Tube Rose etc. production capacity of over 100,000 exotic flowers per day. Has been acquired the most coveted Global Gap, SEDEX & ISO 9001:2000 accreditation.
Ichalkaranji today is one of the fastest growing industrial areas in Maharashtra and has even been termed the “Manchester of Maharashtra”.Having mixed community from all parts of India this is a cosmopolitan town by true means. The city’s economy is driven predominantly by the textile industry.The textile industry is mainly dominated by local manufactureres & marwari(Rajsthani) traders. Engineering is the second largest industry of the city. There is much progressive agriculture in the area surrounding the city. Almost all banks in India have a branch in the city. Textile goods manufactured in city are sold all over India as well as exported to various parts of the world. Traders use Centralized Online Real-time Exchange Core Banking facility for financial transactions. Indian Settlement Systems such as Real time gross settlement RTGS and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) System is also available in almost all branches of banks in the city. Despite of all these Bankers clearing house in the city processes approximately 8000 Cheques on each working day. Clearing house is managed by the State Bank of India. Most of the Insurance and companies in India have offices in the city.
Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb was the eighth successor. He ascended the seat in the year 1892. His rule has been marked with progressive measures in all departments of the administration. He himself, as a young man, had a very well-rounded and advanced education, making it a point to select those subjects which would be of special benefit in the administrative affairs. In addition, he had travelled far and wide, visiting Java, Malay Peninsula, Ceylon( Sri Lanka) and Burma. He had also visited England and the Continent three times. He had taken a keen interest in the cultural as well as material and social welfare of his people. He patronised the study of art and Indian classical music, from basic to the advanced stages, also offering prizes in the art exhibitions at Pune and Mumbai. He had established a good number of scholarships in several arts colleges of Maharashtra and for students going abroad for their professional education. Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb was a preceding patron of true culture and an enlighted ruler. Ref – “John L Goheen in Glimpses of Ichalkaranji”;Publisher=J L Goheen|pages=41}.
Activities of Seva Bharati are Dr.Hedgewar Mobile clinic visiting nearby 12 villages, twice a week, treating @ 25000 patients every year. Pathological lab, established in 1993, serving for @ 5000 beneficiaries annually at nominal rates. OPD registering @ 6000 patients per year. Polyclinic having 8 specialist doctors on its panel, each one offering service of check up & advice once in a week for needy patients. Day care indoor unit 24 hour ambulance service at subsidized rates. Blood donation camps. Free health camps. Nutritious food for the malnourished children in Lalnagar slum of Ichalkaranji city. Free Child health checkup camps. Rescue & relief work for the victims of earthquakes in Killari (Dist. Latur) in September 1993 & Kutch in 2001. Relief & rehabilitation work in 2005 & 2006 for the flood affected people and medical treatment at the time of epidemics in Kolhapur district. Participation in periodic health campaigns like pulse polio, special health checkup camps for women and general checkup camps.
Considering the 150 billion sale of the textile products and nominal 20% net profit and 257,572 Population of the city, per capita income of Ichalkaranji is 116,472, amongst the cities having highest per capita income in the country. Ichalkaranji also ranks among city’s with high ownership of consumer products such as home appliances and fast-moving consumer goods. Hypermarket such as Big Bazaar & D mart, Apnaa Bazaar has a store in city. Famous brands such as The Raymond Shop, a premium retail store offering complete wardrobe solutions for men, Peter England, Raymond, John Hill,Samsung, Fujifilm Kodak have authorized showrooms in the city of Ichalkaranji.’Big Bazar’ shopping mall is also opened in year 2010 in Ichalkaranji.Also by the end of year 2011 many new brands like Mufti, Allen Solly, H&A, Fastrack, Reliance footprint, Titan have their showrooms in the city and many new showrooms are being opened in the city along with it Baskin Robins, Naturals, Ice n Spice, Carnival pizza, CCD are now in this city.
The city of Ichalkaranji assumes a place amongst the cities having highest per capita income in the country. Ichalkaranji was a Maratha Princely state situated on the banks of Panchganga River . It was ruled by the Ghorpade dynasty for the last two centuries. The chief of state, His Highness Shrimant Narayanrao Babasaheb Ghorpade, who was responsible for developing the Ichalkaranji village Into an Important Industrial town and who contributed liberal donations to educational Institutions throughout the country. He was the main source of inspiration for the development of both the decentralized textile industry as well as the co-operative movement. He encouraged Mr. Vitthalrao Datar, a young entrepreneur of the town, to install a power loom in 1904. Perhaps this was the first power loom started in the decentralized textile industry of the country. Thus, Ichalkaranji has given a new concepts and dimensions to the textile field of India.
The civic administration of the city is managed by the Ichalkaranji Municipal Council, which was established as a municipality in 1904. The municipality oversees the engineering works, health, sanitation, water supply, administration and taxation in the city. It is headed by a Municipal President who is assisted by municipal chief officer and council members. The city is divided into 65 wards and the council members (also known as councilors) are elected by the citizens of Ichalkaranji every five years. The council members in turn elect the Municipal President. The growth and expansion of the city is managed by the Ichalkaranji Municipal Council which is headed by a municipal chief officer. Its activities include developing new layouts and roads, town planning and land acquisition. The electrical supply to the city is managed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MAHADISCOM).
Medical Association of Ichalkaranji is a local Medico-Social service organisation of qualified & duly registered medical practitioners of all systems of medicines practising in Ichalkaranji & outskirts of Ichalkaranji. The main aim of this association is to make available medical treatment either free or at minimum cost by establishing charitable institutes like T.B. Clinic, T.B. Sanitorium, General Hospital, Adhar Kendra and to organise & develop all socio-medical activities & face local problems unitedly. So the Medical Association of Ichalkaranji came into existence in 1975. Activities of association includes, Free Counselling for underprivileged s, Elisa Testing for HIV in concessional rate, Symptomatic Treatment for opportunistic infections, Free Ante-natal ARV treatment to HIV+ve mothers & child, Free T.B. treatment to HIV+ve patients, Free Nirodh (condoms) supply and Social Awareness.
The dynasty of Maratha rulers of Ichalkaranji, having its origin in the middle of the seventeenth century, has had a long and honorable record. A Brahmin widow, by the surname of Joshi, failing to eke out a living in the village of Mhapan, near Vengurla, in the Sindhudurg district, decided to try her luck up over the ghats. So, taking her only son, Naro Mahadeo, a lad of about seven, she came to the village of Kapshi, where the brave Santaji Ghorpade, one of the faithful generals of Chattrapati Shivaji, lived. Naro Mahadeo early took a keen interest in the cavalry horses of the general, and one day persuaded a syce to allow him to ride a fiery war horse to the river to drink water. This stolen ride was observed by the alert Santaji, who roundly scolded the syce, but also began to take a deep interest in the prodigal boy, who rode so well without any formal a training.
The citizens of Ichalkaranji elect one representative, currently Mr.Suresh Halvankar, to the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha through the constituency of Ichalkaranji. The 21 letterboxes have been installed in the city by Mr.Halvankar on 18 July 2010 to communicate with the people of his constituency and address their grievances. He have been receiving numerous complaints and suggestions . Ichalkaranji city, being a part of the larger Ichalkaranji Lok Sabha constituency, also elects one member, currently Mr. Raju Shetti, to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. Politics in the city are dominated by three political parties: the Indian National Congress (INC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Nationalist Congress Party.City is on the brink of public health and environmental emergency, requiring immediate remedial action.
Tata Nano small car is very similar to Meera, a small car developed in 1970 by Shankarrao Kulkarni of Ichalkaranji. The city is also known for Fundamental Measuring instrument manufacturing industry. These testing machines are used in engineering and other manufacturing industry’s, engineering institutes and research institutes for analysis. These measuring instruments are marketed in India as well as some other countries. Measuring instrument manufactured in city by varies companies include compression testing Machines, Torsion Testing Machines, Horizontal Chain & Rope Testing Machines, Spring Testing Machine, Impact Testing Machine, Erichsen Testing Machines, Universal Testing Machines, Rockwell scale Hardness Tester, Brinell scale Hardness Tester, and Computerised Vickers hardness test.
Venkatrao, the son of Naro Mahadeo, was married to Anubai, the youngest daughter of Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, who very soon became the Prime Minister, or Peshwa, of the Satara branch of the Shivaji’s family, under the rule of Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj. It was not long after this that Pune became the political center of Maharashtra. It was but natural that every year Venkatrao and his wife, Anubai, spent some of their time in Pune. Because of this alliance with the Peshwas, the rulers of Ichalkaranji came into more and more prominence. Venkatrao becoming a Sardar of Shahu Maharaj, and receiving additional Inams and grants from time to time because of his prowess and great ability as a general, fighting against the forces of Kolhapur and Portuguese from Goa.
Nearest Railway Junction : Miraj Miraj railway junction is a very busy junction and entry point to Ichalkaranji . Miraj lies on Mumbai Bangalore main line and has daily connectivity to important cities. Miraj junction has 4 broad gauge branches connecting it. Long distance trains like Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express, Goa express, Chalukya Express, Poorna express, Swarna Jayanti Express, Ajmer Bangalore Express, Jodhpur Bangalore express, Gandhidham Bangalore express, Hubli express and numerous other passenger trains are available from Miraj junction. Miraj railway station is about 28 km from Ichalkaranji . One can get down at Miraj and then take a bus or cab to Ichalkaranji. It takes 40–55 minutes from Miraj railway station to Ichalkaranji.
Sugarcane is the main Cash crop. The city is surrounded by five Sugar refinerys, Annually they processes Over 5000000 metric ton of Sugarcane, as of 2009 Sugarcane prices of 2600 per ton Sugarcane farmers itself bring in approximately Rs.13000000000 (13 billion) to the economy of the city’s Catchment area. Four out of five sugar mills have Co-generation plants. The oldest of these five sugar mills is Deshbhakta Ratnappa Kumbhar Panchaganga Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd, founded by Dr. Ratnappa Kumbhar, an Indian independence activist who signs the final draft of the Constitution of India. Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd, one of the leading sugar companies in India, has set up a Bagasse based 30 Megawatt Cogeneration power plant in Ichalkaranji.
Transportation is provided by MSRTC city buses and also there are many prominent private buses which servers to all major destinations in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra pradesh.City has excellent connectivity with a number of major cities. private buses is a more preferred mode of transport due to its wider network and speed. Buses run by private companies are generally considered more comfortable and reliable, with most offering sleeper and air conditioned coaches such as Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Buses. They are connected to nearby major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Belgaum, Sangli, Miraj and Kolhapur. MSRTC provides bus service from Ichalkaranji to Sangli and Kolhapur every 15 minutes.
Textile Development Cluster : To enhance and improve the infrastructure facilities of the city, Municipal Council along with Ichalkaranji Co-operative Industrial Estate, Laxmi Co-operative Industrial Estate, Parvati Industrial Estate and DKTE Textile and Engineering Institute have jointly come together and formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company viz. “Ichalkaranji Textile Development Cluster Limited (ITDC).The individual members will contribute to the extent of about 50% of the project cost and the balance amount would come in from the grant in aid from Department of Industrial Promotion and Policy, Government of India,under the Industrial Infrastructure up-gradation Scheme (IIUS).
The foresighted ruler gave a royal patronage by extending financial assistance as well as free land to the desires weavers and other enterprising entrepreneurs.He deliberately invited lot of marwari ( Rajsthani ) businessman to Ichalakranji & start business. During his visit to Denmark and other western countries, the Chief had an access to the co-operative sector of these countries and he was very much impressed with the success of the Co-operative sector of these countries and on his return to India, he vowed to exercise this movement for the benefit of his only subject, that is reformation of the microeconomics of the town for Prosperity, growth and Self-sustainability of the society.
Established in 1990 the organization works as a project based Non Government Organisations (NGO). In the year 1989, the birth centenary year of late Hon’ble K. B. Hedgewar, the founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the idea transpired that some work, related to the service of the under privileged people should be initiated in city of Ichalkaranji. This is the inspiration of Seva Bharati, Ichalkaranji and from 1990 Organisation is working in the field of health, education and related dimensions for the last 20years. Seva Bharati has been able to spread its SEVA initiatives (service) in Ichalkaranji city itself and surrounding 12 villages, two of which are from Karnataka state.
Schools in Ichalkaranji are either “municipal schools” (run by the IMC) or private schools (run by trusts or individuals), which in some cases receive financial aid from the government. The schools are affiliated either with the Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE), The all-India Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) boards. Marathi or English is the usual language of instruction. The government run public schools lack many facilities, but are the only option for poorer residents who cannot afford the more expensive private schools.
After his training in Gwalior, Balkrishnabua came to Mumbai and the Miraj. As the climate of Miraj seemed to suit him he desired to settle down there. Balkrishnabua’s fame began to draw disciples from surrounding places. His disciples included Gundubua, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Mirashi buwa, Anant Manohar Joshi of Aundh, Nilkanthabua Jangam, Vamanbua Chaphekar, his son Annabua Ichalkaranjikar, etc.His style of singing was pure Gwalior of Haddu Hassu Khan vintage. His contribution is remarkable in bringing the Gwalior gharana gayaki to Maharashtra and for popularising it. Pandit Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar died in 1926 at the age of 77 years.
‘Rajsthani festivals ‘ About more than 15% population being migrated from Rajsthan, all the major festivals of Rajsthan like Gan Gour, Teej, Holi are celebrated here with great joy. The Diwali of Ichalakranji sees a cash turnover ( by sales of clothes & gift articles & pooja material )more than Rs.200 million within last five to six days of Diwali. Other festivals like ‘ Ramdev Baba ki Dooj ‘, Ramnavami, Mahesh Navami are celebrated with large participation of all the communities. Almost from each & every village or town or city from Rajsthan at least one person is residing at Ichalakranji so this place is also called as mini Rajsthan.
The presence of a qualified workforce and the level of technical know-how and easy accessibility to finest weavers of Ichalkaranji for outsoaring and over all good social ambiance were among the factors that influenced Italian textile major Tessitura Monti, Turkish textile maker ‘Soktas’, Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd (BRFL), Raymond Zambaiti Ltd (A joint venture of Raymond’s Ltd and internationally renowned Cotonificio Honegger S.P.A, part of Gruppo Zambaiti), world famous German Men’s wear brands Liebe, Boys R Bad and Looty etc.. while planning investment near Ichalkaranji city.