Top 10 oldest companies in India

India is one of the oldest civilizations that goes back to 4000 BC. Since then, it has grown into a diverse country with many companies and technologies. With Startup Culture getting popular among the Youth, it is also essential to Know some of the oldest companies in India that Have Helped India Build-up Its Economy.

There are Several Companies that have been generating employment and Contributing to India’s Economy for Hundreds of years. Let us Look at the list of 7 Oldest in India that has made a great impact on the Progress of the Country and Dominated the Market for more than 100 Years.

The Oldest Companies in India

Companies	Establishment Year	Founder
Wadia Group	1736	Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia
Forbes & Company	1767	John Forbes
EID Parrys	1788	Thomas Parry
Binny and Co	1797	John Binny
State Bank of India	1955	-
Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited	1819	-
Rama Prasad Goenka Group	1979	Rama Prasad Goenka
P. N. Gadgil Jewellers	1832	Ganesh Gadgil
The Times Group	1838	-
Higginbotham's	1844	Abel Joshua Higginbotham

1. Wadia Group

Wadia Group is an Indian Multinational Multi-industry company founded by Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia in 1736. With Presence over Five Different Domains which include FMCG, real estate, textiles, chemicals, and food processing.

With a History of over 286 years, Wadia Group is one of the oldest companies in India. Wadia Group Consist of Several Companies and some of its most popular Brands are Britannia Industries, Bombay Dyeing, Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation, National Peroxide Limited, and Punjab Kings.

2. Forbes & Company

Established in the year 1767 by John Forbes, Forbes & Company is the Second oldest company in India. Operating in Multiple Domains, Forbes & Company is currently part of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

Specialize in Manufacturing Precision cutting Tools, Forbes & Company has World-class Manufacturing Facility in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Forbes & Company Manufacture Products like Steel Drills, Dies and Die Nuts, Carbon Steel Taps, and Tungsten Carbide Rotary Burrs.

3. EID Parrys

East India Distilleries Parry Limited is an Indian public company founded in the Year 1788. Headquarters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, EID Parrys is the Manufacturer and marketer of sugar and bio-products.

EID Parrys Has been in the Business for More than 225 years. Founded By Thomas Parry, who came to India in the Late 1780s. He started the business of piece goods. In the Year 1819, Thomas Parry along with John William Dare, Founded a Partnership firm Called Parry and Dare in Chennai.

Over the years, the Parry Company started to Grow, and the EID Parrys Arose. In 1981, the Murugappa Group Took over the EID Parry from LIC, United Assurance Co, and the Unit trust of India.

4. Binny and Co.

Founded by John Binny in the Year 1797, The Binny and Co is a shipping, textile, banking, and insurance company based out of Chennai. It was one of the Oldest Businesses in Chennai.

In 1800 Mr. John Binny Set up a partnership Firm with Denison and Renamed the company Binny and Denison. Binny and co were the Landing agents for the British India Steam Navigation Company, They use to transport Goods From Ships to Lands.

Apart from this, the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also founded By Binny and co. In 1876 They Established Buckingham Mills Followed by Carnatic Mills in 1881. They also founded the Bangalore Cotton, Silk, and Woolen Mills in 1884.

By the Early Nineteen Hundred, most Business Under the Brand Binny and Co started to Decline. By the End of the 1970s, the only Successful Business of Binny and Co which was Buckingham and Carnatic Mills also suffered heavy Losses. In the year 1996, Buckingham and Carnatic Mills Closed Their operations and the Mills Were Sold in 2001.

5. State Bank of India

The State Bank of India is India’s Largest Public Sector Bank. Established in the Year 1955, SBI Has a History of More than 200 Years which makes it one of the oldest companies in India.

Originally known as the Bank of Calcutta and Later the Imperial Bank of India, The government of India Took the control of Imperial Bank with RBI in 1955 to establish the State Bank of India, making it the oldest commercial bank in the Indian subcontinent.

State Bank of India offers a wide range of Banking products and Services which includes savings Account, Current Account, Fixed Deposit, Recurring Deposit, Debit card, Credit card, Loans, Internet Banking & Mobile Banking. With more than 22,219 Branches in India and 229 Branches outside India, the State Bank of India is the 49th largest bank in the world.

6. Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited

Formerly Known as Hooghly Dock & Port Engineers Limited, The Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited is a shipyard at Howrah. Founded in the Year 1819, it is one of the oldest companies in India.

The Company has Two Different units located at Salkia and Nazirganj on the River Hoogly. It Manufactures Different vessels, oil pollution control vessels, passenger vessels, and dredgers.

7. Rama Prasad Goenka Group

RPG Group, also known as the Rama Prasad Goenka Group is an Indian Multi-Industry Company Headquatered in Mumbai. Founded in the year 1979 by Rama Prasad Goenka, the Rama Prasad Goenka Group is one of the oldest companies in India.

RPG Group Comprises 15 Companies and Some of the popular Brand Under the RPG Group are CEAT Tyres, KEC International, Zensar technologies & RPG Life Sciences.

8. Purshottam Narayan Gadgil Jewellers

Purshottam Narayan Gadgil Jewellers or P. N. Gadgil Jewellers is an Indian Jewellery company founded by Ganesh Gadgil in the Year 1832. Initially, the company operated in Two Branches which were in Sangli and Pune. But Later Both the Branches of P. N. Gadgil Jewellers Got Legally Separated in 2012.

Currently, the Pune Branch of P. N. Gadgil Jewellers Has Expended Their Business to Multiple Cities in Maharashtra and Outside India. The Pune Branch has also Appointed Salman Khan and Madhuri Dikshit for Endorsements.

Starting just with Two Showrooms of 8,000 sq ft, the Purshottam Narayan Gadgil Jewellers Has Grown to become India’s one of the Biggest Jewelry company.

9. The Times Group

Established in the Year 1838, the Times Group is one of the oldest Indian media institutions. Originally Founded as The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce, the Newspaper was Started for the British living in western India.

With 4 Million Plus Copies Circulated Every Day, the Times now is the world’s Largest daily English circulating Newspaper. Originally, The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce was a biweekly paper but in 1850 It was Converted into Daily Newspaper.

10. Higginbotham’s

The Higginbotham’s is an Indian Bookstore Chain Founded in the Year 1844 by Abel Joshua Higginbotham. Its First Book Store at Mount Road, Chennai is India’s Oldest Book Store.

When Abel Joshua Higginbotham Came to India, He Started Working in a Local bookstore named Weslyan Book Shop ran by missionaries. However, the Book Store Started facing heavy losses, So Higginbotham’s Decided to Buy the Business From missionaries. In 1844 he Purchased the Book store and Named It Higginbotham’s.

With More Than 22 Book outlets in Four States including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka, Higginbotham’s is one of the oldest Companies in India.

The oldest company in India FAQ

Which is the oldest company in India?

The Wadia Group is the Oldest Company in India.

Which industry is the oldest in India?

Cotton & Textile Industries is one of the oldest industries in India.

Which is the first MNC in India after 1991?

Hindustan Unilever Ltd

Which is the oldest and most traditional business in India?

The Oldest Business in India Manufacturing Ships and Docks.

In Conclusion

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