During the post-independence era the Government of India decided to promote industrial growth through the establishment of scientific temper and a chain of new national laboratories was created. For the textile industry, the government decided for a Regional Research Associations on the British Model, set up and managed as a joint venture of the mills and the Government.
The enlightened industrialist of Ahmedabad under the leadership of Mr. Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was the first to take advantage of this Government Policy by registering the Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA) as a Society in December 1947. The Society began to work in 1950 on rented premises with a nuclear staff of thirty. ATIRA’s own estate was acquired in a Mango Orchard situated far away from the main city of Ahmedabad.
Council of Administration was formed with Mr. Kasturbhai Lalbhai as the first Chairman and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai as the first Director. The CoA of ATIRA meeting was held in February 1949.
Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA) is an internationally renowned textile research institute for the textile allied industry. Established in 1947 by the textile mills of Ahmedabad as autonomous non-profit R&D institution the activities of the institution cover all aspects from Fiber to finished fabrics in traditional textiles as well as Technical Textiles in the arena of Geo-textiles, Nanoweb technology, and Composites. With extensive and comprehensive infrastructure on NABL approved cotton, yarn, and fabric testing laboratories, state-of-the-art Geotextile laboratories, modern composite material testing labs, calibration lab, environmental engineering lab, Workshops and Pilot mill for prototype developments, ATIRA is the largest of all the Textile Research Associations (TRAs) in India having 8 Science Technology Divisions, 11 Laboratories, three power loom Service Centers and a Regional Center at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It has 150 staff both technical and supporting staff.