Raj Modi
Raj Modi | |
---|---|
Born | Rajeshkumar Indukant Modi |
Occupation | Politician , Bussinessman , Deputy Minister |
Employer | Government of Zimbabwe |
Political party | Zanu -PF |
Raj Modi is a Member of Parliament for Bulawayo South constituency , Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, award-winning businessman, philanthropist and a member of Zanu-PF.
Background
Raj was born on 4 February 1959 in India.[1]
Modi married Parul Kothari, in March 1981 in India. At the age of 22, Modi relocated to Zimbabwe from India.[2].
Modi said that:
Parul and I got married in India. We were supposed to come so that I had an appreciation of my wife’s country, but I ended up staying because something emotional happened, my father-in-law passed away
Modi worked for the India Electricity Board as a cashier for two years. On the second year of his my employment in 1981, that’s when he got married in March of that year. He came to Zimbabwe the same year in September.
When he came to Zimbabwe Modi claimed that he had $50, two pairs of clothes and a return ticket because he had no intention to stay. The ticket was funded by an Indian spiritual group in Bulawayo; the arrangement was that he was going to refund them so they got him a job. The tickets were $300 and at that time it was a lot of money so he paid every month $20 to service the loan. He alleges that is how he came to Zimbabwe because he didn’t have money to come to Zimbabwe as he couldn’t afford it.
Modi worked for eight months at a clothing shop as a general worker, he swept and mopped the floors, cleaned the toilets and windows.
Major Achievements
Raj Modi won a number of business awards in his own right and for his companies.
- Awarded the Regional Centre for Social Responsibility for Best SME Social Responsibility Initiative awarded in April 2013 for the year 2012.
- Global Award for Perfection, Quality and Ideal Performance awarded on 19 November 2012 by Otherways Management.
- 38th International Award for Leadership in Image and Quality in recognition of its commitment to Quality and Business Excellence for the year 2012 by Global Trade Leaders Club 5 November 2012.
- Newsday People’s Choice Awards Social Services Category in 2012.
- Megafest Business Awards Life Time Achievement Award for 2012.
- Megafest Business Awards 2nd Runner Up Best Social Responsible Organisation of the Year for 2012.
- Megafest Business Awards Zimbabwe’s Top 20 Outstanding Business Personalities of 2012.
- Awarded the International Award for Business Excellence for the year 2011 Global Trade Leaders in Spain 25th June 2012.
- Awarded in 2012 Business Man of the Year Award for the year 2011 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Matabeleland Region.
- Awarded in 2012 Manager of the Year Second Runner Up for the year 2011 Zimbabwe Institute of Management.
- Awarded the three prizes in 2011 Megafest Business Awards, Business Man of the Year, Great Business Minds and First Position for Social Responsibility.
- Awarded the three prizes in 2010 Megafest Business Awards, Business Man of the Year, First Position for Best Marketed Organisation and Second Prize for Social Responsibility Programme.
- First runners-up of ZNCC 2010 Business Man of the Year.
- First runners-up of ZNCC 2010 Social Responsibility Programme.
- Won the Megafest Best Marketed organisation award in 2009.
- The Managing Director Raj Modi was voted Mr Spar Retail in the year 2000.
- Bellevue Spar had a customer who won a grand prize of a Mazda B1800 truck in a Spar promotion in the year 2000.
- Current projects (2016-2018)
- Manufacturing of alcoholic beverages, modivine, Everest, etc, employs 60 people
- Manufacturing of exercise books
- Bottling of water, employs 20 people
- Construction of a shopping complex in Cowdray Park which will employ 300 people set for completion end of year
- Setting up of a solar equipment manufacturing plant which will employ an estimated 200 people
- Establishing a smartphone and laptop assembling plant which will employ about 500 people
- Appointments
- 2012 — Chief Executive Office of the Sports and Recreation Commission, Matabeleland Region
- 2012 — Board Member of the Bulawayo Publicity Association
- 2012 — Member of the Finance Committee of the Bulawayo Publicity Association
- 2009-2011 — General Manager of Zimbabwe Youth Games Bulawayo Metropolitan Province
- 2003-2007 — Board Member of Ingwebu Breweries
lobbying govt to allow him to work from Bulawayo instead of Harare
Raj Modi requested the government to allow him to work from Bulawayo instead of Harare.
References
- ↑ RAJ MODI FACT SHEET, The Chronicle, retrieved: 25 Oct 2018
- ↑ The untold story of Raj Modi, The Chronicle, retrieved: 25 Oct 2018