In 1952, Sudhir Kumar Sen set up Sen-Raleigh bicycle manufacturing unit in Kanyapur, Asansol. The vast (125,000 sq, ft) modern factory with state-of-the-art equipment had the capacity to manufacture 2,00,000 cycles annually. Initially, the accessories and various components of the bicycles were imported from England and Germany but within a couple of years, manufacturing of these components began in the factory at Asansol. The sturdy cycles gained huge popularity within a short time as the pricing was fixed keeping in mind the buying capacity of the common man. Sen not only concentrated on manufacturing the Sen-Raleigh bicycles but also imported other renowned bicycle brands like Humber, Robin Hood and popularized them in India. Sen-Raleigh bicycles were also exported to different countries abroad.
Sen-Raleigh Company was the only player and ruled the bicycle market in India for many decades as the sole manufacturer and distributer, but gradually other players joined the race and individual manufacturers set up factories in different states and made bicycles locally that they sold at a much cheaper price. Sen-Raleigh Company needed to change its strategy to remain in the race. Amid all this, on August 28, 1959, Sudhir Kumar Sen breathed his last while on a tour to Germany. During this time, the government encouraged the setting up and expansion of four wheeler industry in the country. The middle class was enticed to go for four wheeler vehicles. This gave a big blow to the bicycle market. Sen Raleigh was forced to cut down its price to remain in the business but that did not help and the company’s financial condition went for a downhill journey.
Finally, in 1975, the Central Government took over the management of the company and continued production under the brand name of Cycle Corporation of India Ltd. But by then the company was embroiled in a series of litigations that led to its closure in the 1990s. However, the Raleigh brand bicycles are still doing robust business abroad. Manufacturing of components are outsourced to companies in China, Taiwan and Thailand from where the cycles are manufactured in the main units at England and America. It is a pity that we Indians failed to continue our association with a premier brand and manufacture world class bicycles here in India.
The deserted factory, living quarters, and playground – the entire township at Kanyapur off Asansol stands as a silent observer to the golden phase of industrialization this place witnessed and then wilted and then died.
The Sen-Raleigh brand always held a very special place in the hearts of most Indians and still brings back memories of another era for many old-timers. It is not unusual to come across families who still get excited when they announce with pride their vintage possession: a Sen-Raleigh bicycle!
The story of Sen Raleigh Ltd, Asia’s 2nd biggest cycle manufacturing factory
https://youtu.be/eB3UBjMiMzw
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The Gandha witch with a patch of grey hair in front spoilt it all. She got crores from Punjab and Haryana, nationalized the company and ensured Sen Raleigh's downfall.
Then came the Hanikararak Jyoti in WB. The bugger drilled the last nail into whatever life was left in the company ðŸ˜
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* Indian Roadie Recollections
Finally, in 1975, the Central Government took over the management of the company and continued production under the brand name of Cycle Corporation of India Ltd. But by then the company was embroiled in a series of litigations that led to its closure in the 1990s. However, the Raleigh brand bicycles are still doing robust business abroad. Manufacturing of components are outsourced to companies in China, Taiwan and Thailand from where the cycles are manufactured in the main units at England and America. It is a pity that we Indians failed to continue our association with a premier brand and manufacture world class bicycles here in India.
The deserted factory, living quarters, and playground – the entire township at Kanyapur off Asansol stands as a silent observer to the golden phase of industrialization this place witnessed and then wilted and then died.
The Sen-Raleigh brand always held a very special place in the hearts of most Indians and still brings back memories of another era for many old-timers. It is not unusual to come across families who still get excited when they announce with pride their vintage possession: a Sen-Raleigh bicycle!
The story of Sen Raleigh Ltd, Asia’s 2nd biggest cycle manufacturing factory
https://youtu.be/eB3UBjMiMzw
.
.
.
The Gandha witch with a patch of grey hair in front spoilt it all. She got crores from Punjab and Haryana, nationalized the company and ensured Sen Raleigh's downfall.
Then came the Hanikararak Jyoti in WB. The bugger drilled the last nail into whatever life was left in the company ðŸ˜
.
.
.
* Indian Roadie Recollections
I am from senraleigh my house is just beside the factory.Nothing is left.Even the last brick has been stolen. Left and Congress destroyed it.
ReplyDeleteMy father, Derek, worked for Raleigh Cycles in Nottingham,England and was sent to India in 1952 to help establish the Sen Raleigh factory. I was 18 months old and my father, mother and myself lived in a company bungalow (next door to a hotel) until returning to England in 1955 when I was 4. I still remember the bungalows and wondered if there was anything left of the accommodation now? I doubt it. I would be interested to know exactly where on a map they were. I recall that the road was close to a railway line with a bridge at one end of the road and a crossing over the same line if you went in the other direction from our bungalow. There were I think 3-4 bungalows on the road. My family retained very close ties with the families of 2 German managers who were there working to set up the factory at the same time. My father sadly passed away aged 88 in 2011.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul,
DeleteI know this is rather unprecedented but I am writing my dissertation on the Sen-Raleigh factory, I was wondering if we could get in touch. My email is judehowarth50@gmail.com
Hi Paul, I know exactly the bungalow you were in when you’re in kanyapur. I have had indirect connections with the place as my maternal uncle was the Tool Room Supdt from 1966 until its demise. His bungalow was second from the level crossing across from the kanyapur club that was the focal point of most social and civic activities. Me and my family visited this place 4-5 times in the summer months from Calcutta. I was 12-13 then and the place has some indelible nostalgic memories that are still drilled in my heart. My summer vacation dsys’ highlights was to collect hot metal shavings and part rejects that a trolley train would dump next to a dump not too far from that level crossing. It was an enchanting feeling….brief freedom from home, arid smell of the warm metal cutting fluid and the hot metal parts created a world of its own in my young mind. It’s so deep that I can still smell it in the air.
ReplyDeleteLong gone are those idyllic days of doing nothing. All the families that were clustered around the club have moved. My uncle became an executive at the new found venture called Sen & Pandit in Kalyani and they were to make power generators. He was with this company for a long until his demise in 2004. I have emigrated to the US in 1979 and have no connection with the place. But, at 71 at times I go back to back to that dumping ground and try to take deep breath of that simmering smoke of cutting fluids and waste metal parts. It makes me a kid again.
Same sad history also applicable for Hindustan pilkington glass factory , Asansol . This was also Asia's largest glass factory . But this was also closed at 1980 due to trade union problem. In the west bengal, only politics is there . Industries are being closed daily and unemployment is increasing day by day . That's why people are leaving West Bengal and go to other states for job
ReplyDelete