Pandharinath V. Narvekar – Textile Printing Industry Veteran Passes Away
11 January 2024: Devang N Sheth, Editor & Publisher, Screen Print India magazine, pays his respects to an inspirational role model and leading consultant.
Textile printing industry veteran Pandharinath V. Narvekar passed away on 16th December 2023 at Mumbai. He was 75 years of age at the time of his demise. A leading textile printing consultant, he contributed 57 years in the service to the industry.
He was born on February 10, 1948 at Kankavli village in Ratnagiri district and was a Diploma holder in Printing Technology from Mumbai. His tryst with printing began during his school days, when he started part time working with Print Arts (Parker Studio) in the year 1966. He worked there for 5 years and got immense knowledge and understanding of technical parameters as well.
Then, Pandharinath V. Narvekar joined Bombay Dyeing as Chief Photographer in Screen / Textile / Engraving Department from 1970-80. He was a pioneer in introducing half tone (photography) in rotary or flat-bed textile printing in Bombay Dyeing at their Worli process house. After that he started working as a Consultant with East India Cotton Mills (Ajanta Suitings) at Faridabad as the Head of Printing Department and after that with Simplex Mills, (Somani Group) Mumbai, followed by Hindustan Dyeing & Printing Mills, Mumbai (Thackersey Group), Mumbai at the same position.
Interlining fabric used in collars was developed by him in India in the year 2000 (earlier it was being imported from overseas countries) while working with Rotogravure, Mumbai for 6-7 years before retiring from the active business life in 2008.
He is survived by his daughter Smita Parker, a freelance fashion designer working with leading fashion houses who has done a Diploma in Fashion Designing from SASMIRA College, Mumbai and his son (Sanjay), a Computer Engineer working as IT In-Charge with a government college.
From the last 15 years, he was working as consultant with many leading reputed textile printing companies in India and across the globe. Even at the age of 75 he was actively working 10-12 hours per day moving all around to meet clients and visit their printing units to solve their technical problems.
My friendship with P. V. Narvekar was since 20 years; we met at a printing exhibition in Mumbai and then due to his eagerness to learn more about new technology and ideas, he used to visit my office once in a month and we used to have a detailed discussion. He was full of energy and enthusiasm and always ready to help fellow printers who were stuck in technical problems. To commemorate his 75th birthday we had published an article in SPI magazine in the February 2023 issue.
He actively participated in recently held Uniform & Sportswear Expo 2023 in Mumbai from November 23-25, 2023. He was a good gentleman who interacted with people from the heart. I have lost a good friend and well-wisher. May his soul rest in peace. On behalf of the textile printing industry, we pay homage to an inspirational role model who will be missed by all of us. Om Shanti.
