Where Confidence Meets Leadership

Confidence is a result of your knowledge, and knowledge comes from Experience & Extensive reading .”
Such is the motto of BhalchandraSinh RaoRane, Chairman of Federation of Industries of India,
Chairman Euro India Business Council, and Chairman and Managing Director of Urmila Chemo Pharma – UCP India and Europe.
RaoRane began as an inexperienced apprentice at Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), rising to production officer within eight months by mastering strict regulatory compliances. Despite a 300- worker ambush over his insistence for discipline at May & Baker Ltd, he restored productivity and was recruited as USV Ltd’s Production Manager at age 25. After rebuilding their injectable department, he was integrated in all business operations and new factory setups, earning 11 promotions in 11 years to become a multinational board director by age 31.
Motivated by his father Keshavrao Rane, BhalchandraSinh RaoRane founded Urmila Chemopharma (UCP) Ltd to manufacture food-grade antioxidants for Europe and America. At the time, international business was highly challenging; finding customers required traveling to various consulates for contact details and sending faxes that often went missing. American and European inspectors routinely flew in to verify regulations before approving imports. “The respect we get today took thirty years of hard work to build,” RaoRane says. “In the beginning, people were not confident and we had to prove ourselves every single day.”

His company survived tough times, like the global financial crash of 2009-10, simply because RaoRane kept travelling, finding new customers, and changing directions when needed.

Born in 1963, RaoRane grew up in Nanded till grade 9. His family donated a piece of land at Vaibhavwadi to start a school and college named after his older brother Hemant RaoRane. BhalchandraSinh RaoRane further added auditoriums in his mother UrmilaDevi’s name and initiated IT Education. Through the RaoRana Foundation, they support the Indian Army and provide resources to young students.

A decade ago, as chairman of the Thane Manufacturers’ Association, he rebranded it as the “Federation of Industries of India” to provide businesses a national and global platform. Today, he leverages this position to connect small, rural Maharashtra businesses with major global corporations. Recognised for his dedication to manufacturing self-reliance and sustainable development, he has received personal invitations from German Chancellors Angela Markel and Olaf Scholz (for the ‘Make in India’ Hannover Messe alongside PM Modi). He was also an honoured guest of the Italian Prime Minister Dr Romano Prodi. In addition to participating in EU-India Free Trade Agreement deliberations, he regularly addresses international business issues at European World Economic Summits. He leads major joint ventures between European MNCs and Indian companies, with his EIBC and Federation events regularly gracing senior global diplomats, ambassadors, and trade commissioners. His son SangramSinh is currently with the United Nations Secretary General’s office at Geneva headquarters as part of the ‘Global Crisis Management Group,’ and his daughter Shourya is currently the Global Sustainability Lead of Heineken Group.

His journey proves that success might be personal, but it is also about lifting the entire community up with you.