Hiray family basically belongs to ‘lkshvaku' legacy of Suryawanshi warriors of Ayodhya. They migrated to Chittodgad in Rajasthan. Their scion later ruled Mewar. Some groups of Hiray family migrated to Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra. In Maharashtra, they settled down in Khandesh territory.
Hiray family became prominent at the national level, thanks to Karmaveer Bhausaheb Sakharam Hiray. Overcoming poverty, he completed graduation in Law with Gold Medal. The Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaikwad supported him for his education and honoured him by offering him service in the Royal Court of Baroda State. However, Bhausaheb politely declined the Royal proposal as he wanted to work for the upliftment of his own people at his native place.
Bhausaheb started practicing as a lawyer in Malegaon, a big city in Khandesh. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhiji, he took part in the ‘Indian Freedom Movement'. After Independence he joined politics. On 1' April 1957, as the Revenue Minister of then Bombay Province, he made and passed the most important act which helped tillers for equitable distribution of land. This act was named as 'Kul Kayda' (Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Act). Bhausaheb was one of the pioneers in the formation of 'Samyukta Maharashtra'.
Bhausaheb realized the importance of agricultural and co- perative sectors and founded major co-operative institutions like Nashik District Central Co-operative Bank, Nashik District Land Development Bank, Girna Co-operative Sugar Factory, Malegaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee. He played a major role in the formation of Niphad Co- perative Sugar Factory and several other co-operative and charitable organizations.
Karmaveer Bhausaheb Hiray's contribution in the development and expansion of Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj, is immense. He worked as the Chairman of the Institution. Koyna Dam, Girna Dam and many more such projects were his creativity, which benefited the common man. In 1937, he became Director of ‘Dang Seva Mande’, founded by Dadasaheb Bidkar, for the development of Tribal Community. He also worked as an office bearer of 'Akhil Bhartiya Maratha Shikshan Parishad'. He took initiative to form ‘Shri Shahu Mandir Mahavidyalay' in Pune, the foundation stone of which was laid by then Hon'ble Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on October 5th, 1959. He played a major role in the formation of 'Gargoti University' in Kolhapur. He represented India for 'World Peace Conference' held in Japan in 1960.
As Bhausaheb became occupied in his social work and politics, his elder son Vyankatrao came forward to help him to look after 'Hiray And Sons', the first business venture started by Bhausaheb in 1937.
Bhausaheb remembered the travails,he had went through for education, therefore he founded ‘Mahatma Gandhi Vidyamandir’ 'Adivasi Seva Samittee'. He built a vast network of educational institutions and founded 1500 voluntary schools all over Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Vyankatrao focused on entrepreneurship. He started trading of oil engines and cement. His business expanded phenomenally in the State of Maharashtra as well as upto Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. On November 6. 1961. Bhausaheb breathed his last. After his untimely demise, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Yashwantrao Chavan insisted that Vyankatrao should join politics. So his younger brother Ashok, took charge of the business. Unfortunately Ashok met with an accidental death in 1969. At that time, Vyankatrao was a Minister. He carried forward his father's work in the co-operative sector and created 'Nashik District Sahakar Bhavan', 'Fertilizer Plant', 'Nashik District Agriculture and Industrial Co-operative Union', 'Co-operative Printing Press'. He played a vital role in the growth and expansion of electricity facilities in rural Maharashtra. All the important elite buildings of all co-operative instutitions in Nashik district, were his creations.
In 1970 'Hiray and Sons' was reorganized and named as 'Bhausaheb Hiray and Sons'. Vyankatrao's son Prashant took over the business ventures. Apart from business activities, Prashant also contributed substantially for the growth of Mahatma Gandhi Vidyamandir and Adivasi Seva Samittee. Earlier both these organisations were working for mass education. Prashant introduced professional education and started Dental, Pharmacy, MBA and many other professional colleges, not only in Maharashtra State but also outside the State. He started Rajrajeshwari Education and Research Foundation in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Prashant founded 'Shri Vyankatesh Sahakari Bank' and 'Mahila Vikas Sahakari Bank'. He started 'Hiray Agro Chemicals', 'Hiray Health Club' and 'Mahalaxmi Automobiles'. In the course of time, Prashant joined politics as well and served the State as Minister. He played a major role in starting sub-regional office of Transport at Malegaon and in formation of Malegaon Municipal Corporation. He worked hard on the 'Three Point Revolution' of providing Water, Employment and Entrepreneurship and endowed jobs to thousands of youths, and irrigation and water facilities to many villages.
Currently, Prashant is working as the Chairman of 'Bhausaheb Hiray Group'. Consequently, his elder son Apoorva started looking after the business activities in a tender age, under the guidance of his mother Mrs. Smita. Mrs. Smita successfully established 'Mahalaxmi Farms' and exported Pomegranates, Mangoes, Gooseberry etc., to various countries. Apoorva established 'Mahalaxmi Financial Services'. He was elected as 'Chairman of Student Council' of Pune University during his college days. He was felicitated with 'The President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal', for best student of the year. Later he was elected as MLC from Teachers Constituency and solved many issues of teachers and educational institutions. In 2001, Prashant's younger son Advay entered the entrepreneurship at his early age and contributed to business expansion, where he founded and ran successfully 'Rajlaxmi Cyber Cafe', 'Vitthal Spinning Mill’. Prashant's daughter Sampadaa is a recognised playback singer. Her devotional albums 'Madhudhara', 'Madhuranga' and 'Lalita Sahastranaam Stotra' are famous and 'Madhudhara' was highest selling devotional album of HMV Saregama, in the year 2003. She has given playback for Marathi movie 'Pratibimb', for which she has been felicitated with 'Dadasaheb Phalke Puraskar', for best playback singing. Sampadaa has also established orchestra 'Music Mania' along with her parents and brothers. This orchestra has collected more than sixty lakh rupees through charity shows and donated this fund to various social organizations, for social work. She started the first Community Radio Station' in Malegaon district for Mahatma Gandhi Vidyamandir. Radio Mast 90.4 FM is running successful and winning hearts since last nine years.
Sampadaa is a remarkable entrepreneur and a dedicated social worker. She is handling 'Smit Moviie' and 'Madhuraa Print Solutions', the firm which is providing ultimate solutions to all Printing and Packaging needs of customers, efficiently. She is socially active by contributing through 'Madhuraa Women Empowerment and Welfare Trust' (Madhuraa Trust), an NGO engaged in women and youth empowerment through education, training, technology and networking.
Meanwhile, Apoorva Hiray and Mrs. Yogita Hiray have reconstituted 'Hiray and Son's into 'Hiray and Sons Pvt. Ltd'. The venture is currently working as an exclusive distributor of 'Crompton Electric Pumps' for Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon and Nandurbar districts. Hiray Agro Chemicals is now 'Hiray Agro Industries Pvt. Ltd'. New business ventures like 'Hiray Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd.', 'Hiray Hospitalities Pvt. Ltd.' And 'Madhuram Infrastructure Ltd.' have been founded in the recent past by Apoorva Hiray. Yogita Hiray has helped many women by giving loans, asthe Chairperson of Nashik District Mahila Vikas Sahakari Bank. In the field of educational institutions 'Shrishakti Shaikshanik Sanstha', 'Mahilaratna Pushpatai Hiray Mahila Vidyamandir', 'Samajshri Prashantdada Hiray Sarvajanik Vachanalay', 'Hiray Education and Research Foundation' have been added in the empire during this time. In the co-operative sector, institutions like 'Smitatai Hiray Mahila Gruh Udyog Audyogik Sahakari Sanstha', 'Renukabai Bhausaheb Hiray Mahila Gruh Udyog Va Yantramaag Sahakari Sanstha', 'Shri Vyankatesh Nagari Sahakari Patsanstha', 'Lokmata Pushpatai Hiray Sahakari Patsanstha', Mahalakshmi Patsanstha' were founded, and they are contributing remarkably well for social development. 'Samajshri Prashantdada Hiray Sahakari Hospital and Research Center' is our next venture. Presently, Apoorva Hiray is working as Managing Director of Bhausaheb Hiray Group.
Whereas, meanwhile Advay represented 'Indian Farmers Union' as President of Maharashtra State, under the able leadership of Mahatma Chaudhart Mahendra Sing Tikait. He arranged a mass rally of farmers from Seva Gram to Mumbai. He raised a movement of farmers all-over Maharashtra, for waiver of agriculture loan, which resulted into 96,000 crore loan waiver for farmers. During his tenure as Chairman of Nashik District Central Co-operative Bank (NDCC Bank), he raised the bank to number one position in Asia, by distributing 2100 crore amount of loan to farmers in Nashik district, as a tribute to his Great grandfather Bhausaheb Hiray, who was founder of NDCC Bank.
Advay established 'Smitatai Hiray Credit Co-operative Society', which has helped 10,000 small entrepreneurs financially. He started 'Yogi Ramsuratkumar Educational Trust'. He fought for extension of Malegaon Municipal Corporation's area limits, which was beneficial for rural people. This movement increased budget of Municipal Corporation from 30 crore to 130 crore rupees. Now as a Director of 'Mumbai Agriculture Produce Market Committee', he is planning to establish new markets at every district place. Following the footsteps of their ancestors, the young generation of Hiray family is persistently trying to bring out the best from themselves and proving their sharp entrepreneurship skills as well as compassion through social work, for upliftment of the downtrodden people of the society.