Shri Arvind Narottambhai Lalbhai (1918 - 2007) Known as a visionary and a courageous industrialist, Arvind Lalbhai successfully steered Arvind Mills through the textile crisis of the mid-80s and transformed it into India's largest denim manufacturer. He was son of Narottam Lalbhai, who along with his brothers, Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Chimanbhai Lalbhai, founded the Arvind Mills in 1931. He headed the Arvind Mills for nearly three decades after he took over its reins in 1975 as MD and in 1980 as Chairman. The doyen of Indian textile industry also headed several national and state level trade and industry bodies, including the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – as president in 1981-82, He was also president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He helmed various textile bodies like the Indian Cotton Mills Federation (1982), and was also chairman of the Textile Committee in 1980.

Thrice president of The Ahmedabad Textile Mills Association, he also nurtured the ATIRA (Ahmedabad Textile and Industrial Research Association) as chairman of the governing council. Arvind Kākā, as he was lovingly called, also established numerous institutions prominent among which is the Blind Men's Association, Ahmedabad. He was also on the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and member of the governing council of the Ahmedabad Education Society. Not only was he a businessman, but also a philanthropist, institution builder, sportsman and nature lover. He was an avid golfer and evinced interest in mountaineering and other adventures.

About the Collection:

Among the noteworthy objects on display from the Shri Arvindbhai Collection, are a flamboyant Chola style Nataraja (11th century A.D.) and an exuberant Nepali/Tibetan bronze Mandala (18th century A.D), and an elaborately decorated Chinese/Japanese style cupboard in wood, which widens the scope of the collection to include Asian Art.