Godrej Archives: Memories of Godrej’s enterprise legacy

Located within an industrial complex in Vikhroli, Mumbai, the Godrej Archives document the legacy of the Godrej Enterprises Group. Vrunda Pathare, head of Godrej Archives, traces its journey from the late 90s. A standout example of Godrej’s early relevance was during the devastating Bombay Dockyard Explosion of 1944, when Godrej safes used by various establishments remained intact. This reinforced their branding as fire-proof and burglar-proof, an image that still lingers.

Envisioned in the late 1990s, the Godrej Archives were born from a desire to trace the company’s journey and its contributions to industrial India. Pathare says, “At the time, then-chairman Sohrab Godrej felt that as we were approaching 100 years, it was the right moment to reflect on our history.”

Vrunda Pathare, head of Godrej Archives

Early efforts included placing a newspaper advertisement inviting people to share old Godrej-related items. The response exceeded expectations. “Customers sent in old safes, refrigerators, and even receipts dating back to 1914, some signed by Ardeshir Godrej himself,” Vrunda Pathare, head of the Godrej Archives, recalls. “The Archives Committee was formed. It included former employees and veterans, and they began collecting and listing the material.” From the outset, the challenge was not only gathering material but cultivating a culture of preservation within the company. The team invested heavily in sensitising employees to the historical value of everyday documents.

“In the first two years, we focused a lot on awareness, explaining what kind of records should come to the archives,” Pathare explains. “For most people, it’s just routine work. They don’t think a letter they’re writing might be historically significant.”
Pathare joined Godrej to set up the archives after a stint at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research’s Archives, driven by a background in records management and a curiosity about business archives. “I didn’t know exactly what it would entail, but I was intrigued and said yes.”

Memory at work
The initial reception was marked by curiosity, but over time, employees began to connect with the idea. Internal exhibitions and displays—especially around events like the firm’s 110th anniversary—drew attention to the initiative. “We began by setting up what we called conference room exhibitions. We'd display printouts of archival materials on the table. Very simple,” says Pathare. “Surprisingly, even Jamshyd Godrej  came to see it.” Creative initiatives helped make the Archives a shared space of memory. Projects like Retro Fridays and calls for personal memorabilia encouraged employees to contribute to the collective story. “One project asked employees to contribute a personal object with a story,” she remembers. “I remember one person who, after her mother passed away, found a little frock from her childhood. She submitted it with a story, and we displayed it.”

The Vikhroli vision
The story of Godrej is also embedded in place, particularly in Vikhroli, now synonymous with the brand. But how did Vikhroli become its base? Pirojsha B Godrej, Ardeshir’s younger brother, foresaw the congestion of Lalbaug and acquired vast tracts of marshy land in Vikhroli. Despite initial ridicule, he saw the potential in the location’s railway connectivity, established as early as 1853. The early days were harsh. With no infrastructure or lighting, employees received cash salaries under security escort to ensure their safe passage to the railway station. A former security officer recounted how these now-unthinkable measures were once part of daily life.

Typography and advertising
The evolution of design provides another layer to the company’s history. Early advertisements relied heavily on text. Over time, sketches and figurative drawings became common as art schools influenced corporate aesthetics. One striking example is an advertisement published on 15 August 1947, the day of Indian Independence. Photographer Mitter Bedi was commissioned in 1972 to photograph products and facilities for a product catalogue that was being designed, which culminated in striking visual editions from the 1960s and 70s—an era that marked a high point for design and modernism at Godrej.

The Godrej logo, derived from Pirojsha's signature in the early 1940s, also evolved. The typography changed subtly, while the colour palette shifted: initially blue, then red (2005–2008), and later a vibrant three-colour version. Today, the brand features a distinctive purple logo, embodying its contemporary identity.

At the crossroads of history
The Archives don’t just preserve business documents; they trace how Godrej moved with the nation. During the Partition, the company, like many Indian firms, faced uncertainty. Export licences were to be applied for and Made in India needed to be inscribed on packaging for the products being sent to the dealer in Karachi. Ephemera from that period, such as applications and shipping documents, reflect this collective ambiguity.

A key contribution to the democratic journey of India came from Plant 1 in Vikhroli, which manufactured the ballot boxes for the country’s first-ever general election. If history was being made, Godrej was often at the forefront. Even product launches were tied to nationalist movements. The introduction of Chavi, a made-in-India soap, was timed to resonate with the Swadeshi movement. Advertisements claimed it was “100% pure, free from animal fat.” Endorsements came from none other than Annie Besant and Rabindranath Tagore, with the latter featuring in an ad stating, “I know of no foreign soaps better than Godrej's, and I will make a point of using Godrej's soap.”

Telling India’s story

From locks and safes to aerospace components and real estate, Godrej’s portfolio spans sectors and centuries. Preserving this complexity is no small feat. “We’ve got consumer durables like refrigerators and furniture, industrial products like storage systems and forklifts, and we also deal with aerospace, nuclear, and defence equipment,” says Pathare. So what gets preserved isn’t based on age alone. “We follow an archival process,” she explains. “We survey records and apply selection criteria based on historical, administrative, legal, and sometimes emotional value.” The archive holds a varied material consisting of photographs, corporate films, policy circulars, technical drawings, and more—all catalogued using a digital asset management system. The manuscript collection includes patents, internal communications, product ads from the early 20th century, and annual reports, documenting everything from design iterations to market feedback.

 Godrej Archives Team don’t just preserve business documents, they trace how Godrej moved with the nation

“We focused on three main areas: products, processes, and people,” Pathare notes. “So anything documenting how products evolved, how business processes changed, and the contributions of employees is of interest.” Old ID cards, engineering diaries, and even retirement gifts form part of this ecosystem. “When a vice president retired recently, we found a treasure trove of notes and diaries in his office,” she says. “We’ve had to actively tell people that even things like routine circulars or employee ID cards can be important.”

Personal histories
To address the gaps that paper records leave, the team has conducted over 350 oral history interviews with factory workers, canteen staff, schoolteachers, and executives. These narratives capture lived experience. “We’ve been conducting life story interviews with employees since day one. These aren’t fact-checking interviews, but personal narratives that help us understand the thought process behind key decisions and office culture.” The archive extends beyond the company’s industrial face. It houses materials from Godrej family initiatives from art galleries to environmental projects. For example, when Cymroza Art Gallery in Mumbai, founded by Pheroza Godrej, completed 50 years, it sent a trove of related material to the Archives.

Tackling the digital age
While paper preservation often raises concerns, Pathare flags digital advancements as a greater challenge. “When I joined in 2006, floppy disks were still in use,” she says. “We received data on them, but floppy drives disappeared. It’s interesting because people worry about paper degrading, but paper can last 50 years with little care. It’s digital media that is more fragile.”

Technological obsolescence, coupled with inconsistent record-keeping in the corporate world, remains a constant hurdle. Yet the Godrej Archives continues to evolve, embracing change while holding fast to its mission. The museum space within the Archives includes displays of process equipment in form of a video room screening corporate films and 1980s advertisements. Visitors are often drawn by nostalgia or curiosity, but leave with a deeper appreciation of how history and enterprise intersect.

“If people aren’t coming to the museum, the museum should go to the people,” Pathare recalls from her early training. “That’s how I’ve always approached it, we had to sell history, market it.” More than just a vault of records, the Godrej Archives is a living, growing institution. It preserves, interprets, and shares the multifaceted legacy of one of India’s most iconic enterprises with the care, creativity, and dedication that such a history deserves.