French recognition

The decision of the French Government to bestow the Chevalier de l’Ordre Nation­al du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) on Nadir Godrej, managing director of Godrej Indus­tries and president of the Alliance Française de Bombay "is a tribute to his remarkable professional career and to his respect­ed personality...it is also because of his personal contribution to the long-standing Indo-French relationship,” commented Bernard de Montferrand, Ambassador of France in India at the award pre­sentation in Bombay on October 17, 2002.

As recipient of one of the two most prestigious civilian awards conferred by France, Godrej conveyed his gratitude in verse for the distinction conferred on him... "I thought to myself, what a chance/To strengthen ties with my dear France./Though others may deserve this more,/France is a land that I adore./I’m not the first to set eyes on France/And fall in love, right at first glance./Where on the planet could you see/A city that vies with Paris?/The culture, art and bonhomie,/The cheese, the wine, gastronomy/The lovely language, spoken and written,/All could explain why I’m so smitten...”

Referring to Godrej’s commitment to the French language and the French culture as "a tradition in the Godrej family,” Mont­ferrand continued, "Your uncle Sohrab from whom you carried forward the torch was president of the Alliance Française de Bombay. You are currently (its) president...and representative of the Alliances Françaises of Asia on the board of directors of the Alliance Française of Paris. You are also president of the Indo-French Technical Association. Your commitment to the Alliance Française network has for Indo-French relations and for the future of our societies a very special meaning.”

Godrej receiving award from Montferrand as wife Rati looks on

By offering courses in French and organizing other activi­ties, the Alliances Françaises serve to establish a dialog bet­ween many different cultures, commented Montferrand, adding, "What is remarkable is that more than 100 years after its crea­tion the network of Alliances Françaises around the world is still very lively and vibrant...The growing interest in the French language and culture in a country like India...is possible only through the commitment and dynamism of (its) leaders...Political relations between India and France are today of great quality...It is very important that our two countries who have a great consciousness of their responsibilities and a capacity to take their own decisions come close together and voice their positions. In the economic field our relations have a new dynamism but could do even better. In this perspective what you are doing in the cultural field will have long lasting effects...”

Godrej’s studies in the United States, at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford and Harvard, reflect on Go-drej’s "determination, the broadness of (his) inter­ests and (his) great intellectual qualities,” no­ted Montfer­rand. As director of Godrej Soaps since 1977 he had been active in developing the animal feed, agricultural inputs and chemical business. Research and development too has been his focus. The Ambassador referred to the Godrej family’s industrial tradition where "the common good has always been a major preoccupation,” balancing human, capital and natural resources.