In 1987, he was also felicitated with President's award for his work

Industrialist Mansukhbhai Kothari, the founder of Kothari Group famous for its mouth freshner brand Pan Parag, passed away at his Tilak Nagar residence in Kanpur on Friday morning. Kothari was 90, and is survived by his wife Sharda Ben, two sons Vikram Kothari and Deepak Kothari and daughter Reeta Ben, besides grandsons and great-grandsons. He was ill for a long period of time. Today, his family will perform his last rites at Bhairoghat.

Born in July 1925 at a village in Nareli district of Gujarat, Mansukbhai moved to Kanpur when he was just 16 and entered the business field thereafter.

He started Kothari Industries in 1973 and came out with his mouth freshner brand Pan Parag, which became an instant hit across the country. Many more manufacturing units of FMCG products were later added to the family business.

In 1987, he was also felicitated with President's award for his work.

Besides his consumer products business, Kothari also entered into the education sector in 2005 and built schools across the country. Due to his illness, he resigned as the chairman of Kothari industries in 2010.

Concerned over the hardships of the weaker sections of the society, Kothair also established charitable trusts and educational institutions for medical treatment, scholarships to the needy students, community buildings helping in the marriage of poor daughters.