Pradeep Kulshrestha
| Pradeep Kulshrestha | |
| |
| Born | 19 November 1963 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Textile technologist, operations management expert, academician, research consultant, author |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Known for | Technical textiles, carbon fiber composites, weaving technology, operations management |
| Notable positions |
|
| Spouse | Married |
Pradeep Kulshrestha (born 19 November 1963) is an Indian textile technologist, researcher, operations management expert, academician and author. With more than four decades of professional experience, he has worked extensively in the fields of technical textiles, carbon fiber composites, weaving technology, textile manufacturing, industrial operations, research and development, and project implementation.
Kulshrestha has held senior leadership positions in several textile manufacturing companies, research organizations, e-learning platforms, and academic institutions in India and abroad. During his career, he has been associated with organizations including the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA), Reliance Industries, Raymond Woollen Mills, Modern Denim Limited, Blue Blends (India) Limited, Nandan Denim Limited, IIMT Studies, and United Fiber Composites Pvt. Ltd.
His work primarily focuses on the development of technical textiles, industrial weaving technologies, narrow-width fabrics, composite materials, machinery modernization, manufacturing efficiency and industrial consultancy. He has also authored research papers, technical articles, e-lectures, and books relating to textile engineering and composite technologies.
Early life and education
Pradeep Kulshrestha was born on 19 November 1963 in India. He developed an interest in textile engineering during his early academic years and pursued higher education in textile technology.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Text.) in Textile Technology in 1984 from the Technological Institute of Textile & Sciences (TIT&S), Bhiwani, Haryana, one of India's oldest institutions specializing in textile engineering.
To strengthen his managerial and operational expertise, he later earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA) with specialization in Operations Management from the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, in 2012.
His educational background combines engineering, manufacturing management and industrial administration, which later became the foundation of his work in textile manufacturing, research and industrial consultancy.
Career
Kulshrestha's professional career spans more than forty years in textile manufacturing, operations management, machinery installation, technical consultancy, research and education. Throughout his career he has worked in India as well as several international textile manufacturing hubs including Uganda, Nigeria and Rwanda.
Early industrial career (1984–2001)
After graduating in textile technology, Kulshrestha began his career with Reliance Industries Limited in Ahmedabad in 1984. Working as Senior Supervisor in the weaving department, he supervised the erection, commissioning and maintenance of modern weaving machinery including Tsudakoma Water Jet Looms, Air Jet Looms and Sulzer weaving machines. During this period he gained experience in production planning, loom maintenance and manufacturing optimization.
In 1990 he joined Raymond Woollen Mills Limited, Thane, as Assistant Manager (Production). His responsibilities included overseeing the production of woollen and blended fabrics, improving manufacturing efficiency and implementing quality control systems within the weaving division.
Between 1997 and 2001, he worked with Modern Denim Limited in Ahmedabad as Senior Manager. His responsibilities included supervising warping, sizing, weaving operations and product development. He also participated in modernization projects involving advanced weaving machinery and process optimization aimed at increasing productivity and fabric quality.
Following subsequent industrial assignments, he returned to Modern Denim Limited during 2005–2006, where he continued overseeing weaving operations, machinery utilization and production management.
Overseas operations and international leadership (2001–2012)
Kulshrestha subsequently worked in several international textile manufacturing projects across Africa, where he managed weaving operations, production systems and plant administration.
At Southern Range Nyanza Limited in Jinja, Uganda, he served as Senior Manager and supervised complete textile manufacturing operations from yarn preparation through weaving and finishing. His responsibilities included managing Sulzer and Toyota Air Jet Looms, production scheduling, maintenance planning and operational efficiency.
He later joined African Textile Manufacturers Limited in Kano, Nigeria, where he was responsible for large-scale weaving operations involving African print fabrics, industrial textiles and related textile products.
During his tenure at Chellco Industries Limited in Kaduna, Nigeria, Kulshrestha managed the production of blankets, shawls and woven fabrics while overseeing quality assurance, maintenance planning and workforce management.
Between 2009 and 2011, he served as Senior Manager at Blue Blends (India) Limited. In this role he supervised Tsudakoma Air Jet Looms, spinning operations, boilers, compressors, utilities management and production planning, while contributing to operational improvements across multiple manufacturing units.
Educational administration and e-learning leadership
Kulshrestha served as Deputy General Manager (Business Development & Services) with **IIMT Studies** (India, UK & Global). Working alongside Chairman Manoj R. Thakkar and Director Dharmendra Thakkar, he contributed to educational management, distance learning initiatives, and student development in technical and business management streams.
Research, Technical Leadership and Academic Career
Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) (2013–2016)
In 2013, Kulshrestha joined the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA), Ahmedabad, as Principal Scientific Officer. He subsequently served as Head of the Incubation Centre for Technical Textiles, where he played an important role in establishing advanced infrastructure for research, product development and industrial consultancy in the field of technical textiles.
During his tenure, he was involved in the installation, commissioning and operation of several specialized textile manufacturing systems, including:
- Karl Mayer Sectional Warping Machine
- Dornier Industrial Rapier Looms
- Jakob Müller Needle Looms
- LACOM Coating and Laminating Unit
- SAHM Precision Winders
- Radial Braiding Machines
- High-performance yarn processing systems
At ATIRA, Kulshrestha supervised several prototype development projects related to industrial fabrics, narrow-width textiles, protective materials and high-strength composite products. His work also included technology transfer, industrial consultancy, machinery selection and process optimization for textile manufacturers.
He collaborated with industries, research organizations and educational institutions to promote innovation in technical textiles and advanced composite manufacturing.
Academic Contributions at NIFT (2016–2018)
From 2016 to 2018, Kulshrestha served as a Visiting Faculty at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Gandhinagar.
He delivered lectures to postgraduate students on:
- Technical textiles
- Composite materials
- Textile manufacturing systems
- Industrial project management
- Product development
- Textile machinery
- Entrepreneurship in technical textiles
United Fiber Composites Pvt. Ltd. (2018–present)
Since 2018, Kulshrestha has been serving as the Plant Head at United Fiber Composites Pvt. Ltd., where he oversees manufacturing operations related to advanced composite textiles and high-performance woven materials.
His responsibilities include production planning, plant administration, process optimization, machinery maintenance, quality assurance, product development, team management, and customer technical support.
Under his leadership, the company has manufactured specialized products including:
- Glass woven rovings
- High-strength woven belts
- Composite reinforcement fabrics
- Industrial narrow-width textiles
- Carbon and glass fiber-based woven materials
Production is carried out using specialized weaving systems such as Dornier Rapier Looms, Jakob Müller Needle Looms, braiding equipment, and composite processing machinery.
Technical Training, Conferences and Professional Development
Throughout his professional career, Kulshrestha has participated in numerous national and international technical training programmes, conferences, seminars and industrial workshops related to textile engineering, composite materials, manufacturing, operations management and advanced textile technologies.
Professional Training
- 1992–1993 – Finance Basics and Counselling Skills, J.K. Management Training Centre, Mumbai.
- 1993 – One-month technical training on Sulzer Loom Maintenance at Sulzer India Limited, Pune.
- 1998 – Internal Quality Auditor Training conducted by Quality Growth Services, New Delhi.
- 2000 – CAD training for Staubli Electronic Dobby (Model 2665), Singapore.
- 2002–2003 – SAP ERP implementation and operations training at Southern Range Nyanza Ltd., Uganda.
- 2004 – Technical training on Organic Cotton Textile Products at UTEXRWA Limited, Rwanda.
- 2013 – Dornier Rapier Weaving Machine Dialog Panel I & II training conducted by Dornier Machinery Limited, Mumbai.
Conferences and Technical Presentations
Kulshrestha has presented research papers, delivered keynote lectures and participated in numerous technical conferences across India and abroad.
Notable presentations include:
- 2014 – Delegate at ITMA ASIA, Shanghai, China.
- 2014 – Presented a paper on Technical Textiles at the 55th Joint Textile Conference organized by NITRA, New Delhi.
- 2014 – Technical seminar on Technical Yarns Manufacturing and Applications at DKTE, Ichalkaranji.
- 2015 – Educational consultancy visit to the Ethiopian Textile Industry Development Institute (ETIDI), Ethiopia.
- 2015 – Research presentation on Narrow Width Fabrics and High Strength Belts at the 56th Joint Textile Conference organized by SITRA, Coimbatore.
- 2016 – Conference presentation on Coated Inflatable Fabrics at IIT Kanpur.
- 2017 – Seminar on Smart and Technical Textiles organized by The Institution of Engineers (India), Ahmedabad.
- 2019 – Invited presentation during the 80th Anniversary celebrations of the Textile Association (India) on composite applications and weaving technology.
- 2019 – Technical presentation on Braiding Technology during the ISRO–ATIRA Joint Seminar.
- 2020 – Webinar at the Indian Space Industry Exhibitor (ISIE) on Braiding Techniques in Composite Manufacturing.
- September 2020 – Webinar on "The Amazing Opportunities in Technical Textiles" hosted by the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA).
- 2022 – Webinar organized by the Wool Research Association (WRA), Thane, on Technical Textiles for Sportech Applications.
- 2022 – Invited lecture at CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru, on Braiding Techniques for Aerospace Composites.
- October 2023 – Webinar on "Techniques for Operations Efficiency" organized by IIMT Studies, Ahmedabad.
- 2023 – Guest lecture jointly organized by IIT Gandhinagar and the Composites Excellence Center for Asia (CECA) on recent developments in composite materials.
- 2024 – Research presentation at INCCOM 18 hosted by CSIR–NAL, Bengaluru, on Textile Applications in the Aerospace Industry.
- 2024 – Expert session at NIFT Gandhinagar on Functional Textile Applications.
- 2024 – Technical presentation at Ahmedabad University (CINCE) on Technical Textiles for Sports and Recreation.
- 2025 – Lecture at Ahmedabad University (CINCE) on Aerospace Textiles.
- October 2025 – Invited lecture at L.D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, on Advanced Composite Materials for Space and Defence Applications.
- December 2025 – Lecture at L.D. College of Engineering covering Weaving, Knitting, Braiding, Pultrusion and Coating Technologies.
- January 2026 – Special session at IIMT Studies on People Management and Motivation.
- May–June 2026 – Workshop conducted for Ira Edu Skills on Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT and Advanced Microsoft Excel Applications.
Publications
Pradeep Kulshrestha has authored numerous technical papers, industry articles and research publications on textile engineering, technical textiles, composite materials, weaving technology, manufacturing management and operations efficiency. His writings have appeared in journals, industry magazines and online textile knowledge platforms including Fibre2Fashion, JETIR, IJSTE, TechnicalTextile.net, Textile Value Chain and Global Industry Outlook.
Research Articles
- Importance of Machinery Maintenance – Fibre2Fashion
- Basics of Weaving Technology & Modern Looms – Fibre2Fashion
- Carbon Weaving – An Advance Technology – Fibre2Fashion
- Revival and Survival of Indian Denim Industry – Global Industry Outlook
- An Attempt to Develop Belts Using Carbon Fibers – An Experimental Research – International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering (IJSTE), Vol. 1, Issue 11, May 2015.
- Weaving Defects and Trouble Shooting for Fabric Woven on Air Jet Looms – Fibre2Fashion
- Export Potential for Indian Denim Industry – International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE)
- Weaving Technology for Narrow Width Fabrics and High Strength Belts – Fibre2Fashion
- Development of High Strength Core & Sheath Ropes using Weaving Technology – Fibre2Fashion
- Material for the Future – Technical Textiles – TechnicalTextile.net
- Development of Composite Materials using Braiding Technology – TechnicalTextile.net
- Innovative Yarns for Special and Technical Textiles – Fibre2Fashion
- Nanoweb Technology and Its Importance for Mankind – Fibre2Fashion
- Importance of Communication in an Organization – Fibre2Fashion
- Maintenance Leads to Better Output – Fibre2Fashion
- Characteristics and Uses of Man-made Fibers – Fibre2Fashion
- Cost Effective Weaving by Direct Creel – Fibre2Fashion
- Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic – The End of Metal Age – International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering (IJSTE), Vol. 6, Issue 7, January 2020.
- Modern Method of Weft Insertion – World Class Weaving – IJSTE, Vol. 7, Issue 6.
- Application of Composite Material by Pultrusion – Latest Technology – TechnicalTextile.net
- Development of Pollution and Mosquito Repellent Protective Curtains Serving Aesthetic Purpose – International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research (IJSER), May 2022.
- Textile Reinforced Concrete Composite Material & Pultrusion Products for Modular Houses – Textile Value Chain, November 2022.
- Carbon Fiber – Latest Developments by Weaving and Braiding Technique – Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), Vol. 10, Issue 7, July 2023.
- Textile Application in Aerospace Sector – TechnicalTextile.net
- Techniques for Operations Efficiency – JETIR, May 2024.
- Optimizing Material Handling and Packaging for World-Class Manufacturing and Effective Branding – Fibre2Fashion
- Leno Net Fabrics for Technical Textiles and Composite Applications – Fibre2Fashion
Books
- Amazing Opportunities in Technical Textiles (2022) – Published by BFC Publications and launched by the Wool Research Association (WRA), Thane. The book discusses the growing scope of technical textiles, industrial applications, entrepreneurship opportunities and emerging technologies within the textile sector.
- Carbon Fiber Manufacturing in India: Challenges and Opportunities – Forthcoming publication focusing on the development of the Indian carbon fiber industry, advanced composites and future manufacturing prospects.
E-Lectures and Online Educational Media
Kulshrestha has delivered online virtual classes, recorded masterclasses, and digital lectures covering modern weaving, plant maintenance, and technical textile entrepreneurship. Key recorded video lectures include:
- Technical Textiles – Scope for Professionals and Entrepreneurs
- Modern Method of Weft Insertion
- Importance of Machinery Maintenance
- Machine Shop Operations for Foremen and Mechanics
- Business Communication & Tips for Success in Interviews
- Basics of Textiles
- The Amazing Opportunities in Technical Textiles – Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA Webinar)
- Techniques for Operations Efficiency – IIMT Studies Webinar
Awards and Honors
- **Appreciation Medal** – Awarded by Dharmendra Thakkar, Director of IIMT Studies, for educational contributions to e-learning and virtual professional instruction.
International Exposure
During his professional career, Kulshrestha has travelled extensively for industrial assignments, technical consultancy, machinery commissioning, research collaborations, training programmes and international conferences.
Countries visited for technical assignments include Singapore, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah), Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria, Qatar (Doha), Egypt, China, United States, Ethiopia, and Nepal.
Professional Memberships
- Life Member, The Textile Association (India), Ahmedabad Unit.
- Member, Indian Society for Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (ISAMPE), CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru Chapter.
- Life Member, TIT Old Boys' Association (India), Ahmedabad Chapter.
- Alumni Member, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune.
- Member, Composites Excellence Center for Asia (CECA), Vadodara.