Dr. N.N. Jain envisions to grow the PRESTIGE Group along with the empowerment of society

Interview by Kritika Gupta

Dr. Nemnath Jain (N.N. Jain) is designated as the Founder Chairman of the Prestige Group of Industries. He is an Indore-based 1st generation technocrat, an industrialist-cum-dedicated social reformer for the past 6 decades. He has played a pioneering role in highlighting and safeguarding the interests of millions of farmers in M.P., who had taken to soybean cultivation.

With the global orientation towards foreign trade and contacts in global agri-industry, Dr. Jain took the timely lead in opening the doors for foreign exchange earnings through exports of protein-rich unique Non-GMO variety of soyameal value-added products. This brought prosperity to millions of farmers in Malwa, Nimar and surrounding areas in M.P. For his initiatives, he was honoured by the Vice President of India H.E. Shri M. Hidayatulla with UDYOG BHUSHAN award in 1983 and by UDYOG VIBHUSHAN by President H.E. Shri Giani Zail Singh in 1987.

Initiatives taken as the Chairman of SOPA

During the severe drought of 1987, as the Chairman, I led from the front to connect and mobilize an innovative movement in rural areas of M.P. Through village to village persuasive campaign were conducted to convince farmers to use better and yet affordable techniques, judicious seed selection and planting with the right packages of cultivation practices. The impact was great and the farmers succeeded in increasing productivity and output and the crisis was won over.

Eventually, this earned me the coveted the Soya Man of the Millennium by the leading journal Oils & Fats Industry in South Asia in the year 2000. I was also conferred with D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) by the Open International University (which has consultative status with UNESCO).

Role as a Technocrat- entrepreneur

I emerged as a well-meaning patron and a friend of the farmers, continually working for the holistic development of the soybean sector of India. Thus, my role as a technocrat - entrepreneur came to be appreciated as a socially responsible industrialist. I presented to the industry a precedent for a meaningful rendering of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

From the beginning of my career, I have been consistently working towards community welfare in terms of increasing opportunities for higher professional education at affordable cost. I have been generously helping as an unknown benefactor in the field of health care – and continues assisting life-saving cases for the indigent and ever-increasing numbers of dialysis patients in Indore.

Dr. Jain’s take on women empowerment

As a leader of Jain Community, in the capacity as President of All India Seankvasi Shwetamber Jain Conference, I have expanded the scope and extent of projects all over India for promoting women empowerment, helping backward sections of the society as well as propagation of ethical values and compassionate acts.

In March 2015, under my active leadership, Indore became a successful venue of a Convention of 700 Jain Saints and Sadhvis attended by 5 lakh devotees from all over India. The concluding session was addressed by Honorable Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singhji as Chief Guest and then Chief Minister of M.P. Shri Shivraj Singhji Chouhan as a distinguished guest. With this initiative, the Conference gave a clarion call for banning Cow slaughter all over India and put the Jain Community support behind the campaign.

Contribution towards education

I have been a visionary in the field of promoting affordable yet high quality education from KG to Ph.D. This is mirrored in the Management Institutes on entirely self-financing basis at Indore, Gwalior and Dewas, an Engineering Institute, two Departments of Law at Indore and Gwalior and Public Schools in Indore and Dewas, in the past 25 years.

Currently, more than 45000 management and engineering students have graduated and are holding top positions in national and global companies. All the Institutes are open to meritorious students and now rank among the top B-Schools of M.P.

I was felicitated by then Mayor of Indore on his 81st birthday and presented ‘Nagrik Abhinandan’. In recognition of my lifelong dedication to the upliftment of Indore city.

Contribution as an Indian citizen towards Socio- Economic condition of India

For my sterling contribution to promoting socio-economic betterment of needy sections of the society, I have been honored by the Jain Community and several representative. I have been a recipient of other titles as well - Jain Ratna and Jain Gaurav by All India Jain Associations in appreciation of his compassionate socialservice programs backed by a vision of ‘Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas’.

Achievements: It brought about higher production in soybean cultivation by raising the yield from 540 to 960 Kg/hectare, by village to village campaigning amongst the farmers for using better yet affordable techniques, judicious seed selection and planting. This immensely benefitted and positively impacted the socio-economic conditions of around 30 Lakhs farmers in M.P. I has consistently worked for the prosperity of the farmers and revitalizing the Soybean processing industries. I worked immensely for improving the quality, color and odour of soybean oil forbetter acceptance as a viable and healthy cooking oil.

I propagated goodness of soya amongst the masses by way of using protein-rich soya flour as a healthy supplement in our daily diet. This has also helped in addressing the rampantmal nutrition prevalent in children and women by way of Eat Soya and Stay Ialiy campaign. His efforts were recognized with the title of Soya Man of the Millennium.

Dr. Jain’s Awards and Recognitions

Contribution to the Society

I have enabled Starts-up through Atal Incubation Center and promoted Entrepreneurial skills by introducing job oriented courses. Having various charitable foundations for providing medical aid to the people below poverty line, I have also helped various Primary School for under privileged children for over two decades in Indore.