HKL Magu, managing partner of Jyoti Apparels, has started work as the new Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) for 2018-20. Before assuming charge as the chairman of AEPC, he was Vice Chairman of the Council. He took over from Ashok Rajani at the conclusion of the Council’s executive committee meeting.
With over 40 years of experience, Magu is a veteran of the apparel and textiles industry in India. He is one of the few who freely gave their time, devotion and allegiance for the growth of the industry. He has been instrumental in getting various incentives and subsidy schemes from the Central and State Governments.
Explaining his vision for the apparel industry, Magu says these are challenging times for the industry with global headwinds blowing over us. The industry has not been able to cope-up with the sudden dilution of DBK and RoSL rates and is still reeling under the adverse impact of the move. “The apparel sector has been recognised as one of the most important sectors for employment generation and for furthering the growth of the sector, our PM has given the ‘5F’ Formula - Farm to fibre; fibre to fabric; fabric to fashion; fashion to foreign, but 2017 has been an extremely difficult year for us and the export data of the last two months indicate a trend of declining exports. We are hopeful that in the new year the Government will extend the necessary support to the sector in the form of continuation old DBK rates and RoSL rates till June 2018 which would help us in making the Indian apparel industry the most competitive industry globally. Only then, the vision of our PM would be realised.”
Over a career spanning four decades, Magu has held various positions such as the President of Garment Exporters Association (GEA), Chairman of Finance & Budget sub-committee, AEPC and he has also served on the Board of Governors of Apparel Training & Design Centers (ATDC). He has been a recipient of Certificate of Merit from President of India for doubling exports during 1993-94 and has also served as the Member of the Grievance Committee of DGFT.
