V M Salgaocar has been a doyen of industry. A business leader, he has been a catalyst of landmark social change.
The late Vassudeva Mahadeva Salgaocar will always be remembered for his important role in the development of Goa in the post-liberation era. He was the founder chairman of the V. M. Salgaocar Group of Companies. The parent company, V. M. Salgaocar & Bro. Pvt. Ltd., started its business activity as a partnership firm in the year 1952 and was registered under the Companies Act in 1965. The organization traces its humble beginnings to a small trading firm that first opened its doors in the city of Vasco-da-Gama in the year 1942.
Starting with trading activities which covered a wide range from ships, provisions, consumer durables to light commercial vehicles and other engineering goods, the activities expanded into mining in early 1950s. The firm made its first shipment of iron ore to Japan in 1952.
Today, the V. M. Salgaocar Group is strongly positioned in diverse fields that include mining, hospitality, infrastructure and logistics. The Group has emerged a leader in the internationally competitive business of mining and export of processed iron ore, with its fully integrated mining organization, setting high performance and quality standards in its products exported to Japan, South Korea, China and other countries. In keeping with late founder’s love for Goa and its environment, the Group has adopted the principles of sustainable development in its corporate environmental policy. All operators at the mines, processing units, transportation & transhipping as well as the Head Office are covered under ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001-2004 accreditations.
V. M. Salgaocar encouraged the spread of education which he felt was the base to ensure a dignified future. In 1972, he promoted an Educational Society named ‘Devi Sharvani Education Society’ which started the first Law College in Goa in 1973, now known as V. M. Salgaocar College of Law. The college has earned a name for itself all over India for quality education. In 1977, the Society started Goa Institute of Management Studies offering various management programs, affiliated to Goa University. V.M.Salgaocar was also instrumental in initiating and establishing the Institute of Shipbuilding Technology (Goa) at Bogda, Vasco. His assistance for those who pursued higher education was generous. Though he admired the performance of bright students, he had special consideration for those who were needy.
A great lover of sports, particularly football, he established Salgaocar Sports Club which has brought laurels to Goa. In order to provide best medical facilities to the people of Goa, he established the Salgaocar Medical Research Centre. The Centre now runs the ultra-modern multi-speciality tertiary care V. M. Salgaocar Hospital.
He had special attachment for the people of Goa and fought for Goa’s unique identity during the historic Opinion Poll. A great lover of Konkani language, he promoted the development of Konkani literature. A Goan to the core, he loved Goa and endeavoured throughout his life to give back to Goa and Goans as much as possible. He supported all Goan social causes. He helped establish orphanages, community and welfare societies, schools and institutions in villages and gave generously to needy and deserving Goans
V. M. Salgaocar’s life story was beautifully penned by legendary adman and writer Frank Simoes in the biography Fare Forward Voyager…
One of the questions asked to V. M. Salgaocar was what does the future of the Goan mining industry now that Goa was in the Indian fold, where he replied without hesitation. The Goan mining industry had been the mainstay of the economy for many decades, he said. Goan mine owners had worked against formidable odds wresting value for the people from the good earth…The mining industry had given them permanent homes, social and medical benefits, education, secure retirement. Thousands, by way of ownership of haulage equipment – trucks, barges – had become well-to-do entrepreneurs in their own right.
“How do you see the future?” he was asked… V. M. Salgaocar talked of the immediate need. Goa should build on what she already had. The groundwork should be laid at once for ancillary units to feed the mining industry… In the long term, he felt that Goa’s future lay in soft industries… Salgaocar’s love for the beauty of the land was legendary. He was known to order his mining engineers to leave undisturbed a particularly lovely grove of mango or stretch of paddy located, much to their chagrin, at the heart of a prime mining concession…
“They should not be allowed to harm the environment,” he said… As far as Goa’s economic growth was concerned, there was scope for agro-based industries, canning, fish and fruit farming, exports, soft industries such as pharmaceuticals, hotels of which there was a sorely felt need in all of Goa’s major cities…
“Goa must remain Goan,” he said. “A great deal has been spoken about our unique culture, our heritage, the beauty of our land, and the harmony in which our people live and work and play. But there is more. Thousands of years of conquest and re-conquest have forged the Goan character on the anvil of history. We have prevailed as a good and gentle people, a singular people. For us, the future of the land and of our children is the most important reason why we live our lives the way we do. We must be a proud and useful part of India, yet we must be distinctly ourselves.” Perhaps this is what made him stick his neck out to defy the government in the State during the historic Opinion Poll and fight tooth and nail to keep Goa an independent Union Territory and foil the plan of the mergerists to make Goa a part of Maharashtra
