Kamlaben Hirachand

Indian entrepreneur who founded the first women's cooperative textile mill empowering rural women in the mid-20th century

Kamlaben Hirachand (1895–1975) was a visionary Indian entrepreneur who transformed women’s economic opportunities through her establishment of the Shilpi Sangh, a cooperative textile mill in Ahmedabad. Born into a conservative Gujarati family, she rebelled against traditional gender roles by studying textile engineering in London. Returning to India in 1925, she observed the exploitation of rural women in the textile industry and founded Shilpi Sangh in 1938—the first women-only cooperative mill.

Hirachand’s mill provided fair wages and safe working conditions, training over 1,500 women in weaving, dyeing, and design techniques. She introduced handloom innovations that combined traditional Indian patterns with modern designs, creating export-quality textiles. Her 1940s collaboration with architect Le Corbusier on textile patterns for the Chandigarh government complex showcased her aesthetic vision internationally.

During India’s independence movement, the mill produced cloth for the Swadeshi movement, symbolizing economic self-reliance. Hirachand’s advocacy led to the 1950s Women’s Cooperative Act, which institutionalized women-led enterprises. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation now operates the mill as a heritage site, preserving its looms and design archives.

Hirachand’s legacy is celebrated through the Kamlaben Award, given to women entrepreneurs in India’s textile sector. Her memoir Weaving Dreams, published posthumously in 1980, details her struggles against patriarchal norms. The Indian Women Entrepreneurs’ Forum cites her as a pioneer in their advocacy for women’s economic rights. Her efforts laid the groundwork for modern cooperatives like Kala Agar, continuing her mission of empowering marginalized women.