Ardeshir Dalal Shroff was a prominent Indian industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist. Shroff founded the chemical company Shroff & Sons, later renamed Excel Industries. Under his leadership, the company grew to become one of India’s leading chemical manufacturers.

Shroff was a prominent figure in the Indian business community and was known for his advocacy of economic liberalization. He was a member of several government committees and task forces and played an important role in shaping economic policy in India during the early decades after independence. Shroff was also involved in various charitable initiatives, particularly in the areas of education, health, and social welfare.

In 1956, Shroff set up the Forum for Free Enterprise to promote the principle of free markets in India and counter the growing socialist public messaging. The forum was non-partisan, non-profit, non-political, and educational. It conducted research, organized conferences and seminars, and published literature on economic and business issues. It advocated policies that would promote economic freedom, such as reducing government regulation and encouraging competition.

Over the years, the Forum for Free Enterprise has played an important role in promoting economic liberalization in India. From 1956 until 2010, the forum published 674 booklets on economics and free enterprise. It also hosted renowned lawyer Nani Palkhivala’s budget speeches, which gained so much in popularity that Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai had to be booked to accommodate a crowd of twenty thousand. The forum continues to be active.