▁off ▁as ▁a ▁time keeper ▁in ▁the ▁mill , ▁but ▁fed ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁repet itive ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁job , ▁he ▁started ▁working ▁with ▁supp liers ▁of ▁the ▁mill ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁far ▁and ▁wide ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁supp lier ▁market . ▁The ▁bo om ▁in ▁demand ▁during ▁and ▁post - World ▁War ▁I ▁helped ▁him ▁in ▁stabil izing ▁the ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁firm . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁Ra ip ur ▁mill ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁Later ▁he ▁established ▁Ash oka ▁M ills ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁with ▁help ▁of ▁D ah y ab hai ▁Pat el . ▁He ▁expanded ▁business ▁with ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁ment or ▁and ▁trust ed ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁all ▁the ▁text ile ▁mill s ▁Mr . ▁D ah y ab hai ▁Mot il al ▁Pat el ▁who ▁had ▁the ▁vision ▁and ▁insight ▁to ▁advise ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁or ▁ac quire ▁five ▁mill s ▁between ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁including ▁four ▁belonging ▁to ▁relatives . ▁These ▁include ▁establishment ▁of ▁Ar v ind ▁M ills ▁and ▁N ut an ▁M ills ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Ar una ▁M ills ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Ah med abad ▁New ▁Cot ton ▁M ills ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁Sw ades hi ▁movement ▁by ▁Mah at ma ▁Gand hi ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁starting ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁in