Catalogue of Services Offered - Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural ...

History and evolution of MGIRI:
Gandhiji started the All India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) on 14-12-1934
in Wardha under the Leadership of Dr Joseph Cornellius Kumarappa, known for his
theory of Economy of Permanence and Shri Krishnadas Jaju was its first President.
AIVIA had a Board of 18 advisors consisting of distinguished scientists like Dr C V
Raman and Dr J C Bose and also many leaders in public life and industry:
Rabindranath Tagore, G D Birla, M A Ansari, and Satish Chandra Das Gupta among
others. The AIVIA got reorganized in Maganwadi, Wardha, Maharashtra, India in a
spacious orchard belonging to Seth Jamanalal Bajaj. Gandhiji stayed here with
Kasturba during 1934-36 and supervised the works of AIVIA which became a hub of
rural industrial activity and a centre to coordinate industrial experiences and
knowledge from all parts of the country with focus on research, production, training,
extension, organization, propaganda and publication.
After demise of Gandhiji, Dr Kumarappa became its President and Dr G
Ramachandran his Secretary from 1949 up to 1951.
The Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) created the Jamanalal Bajaj Central
Research Institute (JBCRI) in 1955 to carry forward the R&D works of AIVIA, From
1st April 1957, the Institute came under the KVIC which itself was established in
1956. The objective of JBCRI was to carry on research and investigations into the
problems of village industries and in particular the development of improved tools
and techniques
When KVIC adopted a more inclusive definition of rural industries which permitted
infinite number of activities vide M. Ramakrishnayya Review Committee Report
1987, a new pattern of R&D support system became necessary.
Thus revamping of JBCRI into Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural
Industrialization (MGIRI) based on a ‘hub and spokes model’ was initiated in 2001 to
meet the technological challenges arising out of the above paradigm shift.
2