Mr. Ajay Jhunjhunwala has been appointed the new president of the Solvent Extractors Association of India for the year 2022-23. This was announced by Mr. Atul Chaturvedi president of SEA. “Mr. Ajay Jhunjhunwala is the Managing Director of M/s. J.R.Agro Industries Pvt. Ltd. having solvent extraction and refining unit at Ayodhya and Barabanki. He is one of the largest processors of Rice Bran in Northern India. By Qualification, he is an Engineer having over 30 years of experience in vegetable oil industry. I am also attaching his photo which you may release alongwith this Press Release.”
On this occasion Mr. Atul Chaturvedi said, I have immense pleasure in extending a warm welcome to all our distinguished members, dignitaries and invitees assembled here today at the 51th Annual General Meeting of our Association.
During the year we lost our most distinguished senior / elder member of our Association. Shri Govindbhai Patel, the Past President of SEA; We pay our respects to his departed soul.
We may recall, the Association was started in 1963, with 40 members and thereafter was incorporated in 1971 under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956 by Shri Adi Godrej, Shri Shantibhai Jhaveri, Shri Azim Premji, Shri Jaghubhai Tanna and other stalwarts of the industry. Over the years, SEA’s membership has grown from strength to strength and we have become the premier association representing the entire gamut of the vegetable oil industry and trade.
Covid had compelled us to go Virtual for a few years. With Corona relenting and travelling having eased, we are once again meeting at this Physical AGM in Agra,
the land of world-famous Taj Mahal. We have the pleasure of once again catching up with old friends with renowned vigour and making new ones.
Friends, we are fortunate to be in a business without which mankind will never survive; namely FOOD. There have been ups and downs during the year but we will all come out relatively lesser unscathed. The run up in edible oil prices in the recent past has brought home the perils of neglecting oilseed cultivation during last few decades. Over the years we have compromised our edible oil security which makes us vulnerable to inflationary pressures. We hope adequate attention would now be given to raise oilseed cultivation as well as productivity.
Passing on the baton to the next Leadership Team Friends, after putting 6 years as President of SEA, it is time for me to hang-up-my-boots as the President and pass on the baton to Shri Ajay Junjunwalla, I am sure under his leadership our Association will reach greater heights. As said by one of our former President “each new President and his team adds new dimensions and brings greater glory to the Association”. I am sure Shri Ajay ji and his team will more than live up to these words.
I would also, like to thank all our members, Office Bearers Shri Abhay Udeshi, Shri Ajay Jhunjhunwala and Shri Sunil Mundra, Chairman and Co Chairman of various Committees and our permanent ‘Think Tank’ of Past Presidents for their unstinted support for the last six years.
We are extremely thankful to the SEA Secretariat headed by energetic young Dr.
Mehta and ably supported by Shri H. K. Shah, Shri Y. M. Mogal, Shri Ganesh Kaldate and team. It is all the more appreciable that even with Covid intermittently raising its ugly head; Mehta ji and his team ensured the work of the Association did not suffer even for a day and been very efficiently carrying out the activities of the Association to the utmost satisfaction of the members and have kept SEA’s flag flying high. I envy the energy level of Dr. B. V. Mehta and his deep commitment to tackle issues affecting our industry. We sincerely appreciate his efforts and I am sure he will continue to serve SEA for many years.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all our members and Past Presidents for their unstinted support.
This being my last address to you as President of the Association, kindly accept my heartfelt thanks for the support and encouragement you all have given me over the years in discharging my duties. The welfare of the Association and its members will always remain close to my heart and I would be just one phone call away.