THE ASSOCIATION IS BORN - 1939
The Indian textile industry, started in 1850s, was still in a primitive, craft stage till 1930s. Little formal education, rule of thumb solutions to problems, secrecy by mills and isolation of technicians were rampant. Some small groups like Saturday Textile Club of Bombay and Textile Brotherhood at Ahmedabad existed on a small local scale. Ten visionary technocrats brought 126 technicians and managers together on Sunday, the 9th April 1939 to establish the Textile Association (India); a forum for free exchange of technical and other information in a spirit of fellowship and cooperation.

 HOUSE MAGAZINE STARTED -1940
The need to give publicity to activities of TAI, to convey happenings in the industry, to give summary of important articles was fulfilled by starting Textile Digest'. Early features were employment opportUnities, readers' page, open forum etc. The TD soon became a textile darling, a proud possession of every member.

ANNUAL CONFERENCES BEGIN 1944
An idea mooted in 1943, fructified in 1944, in the form of a conference to foster closer liaison and fellowship between members and to start a forum for exchange of views on vital issues related to the textile industry. An exhibition was also organised where indigenous machinery parts were exhibited. This twin affair was such a grand success that it was made into a major annual event which also served the admirable purpose of raising funds for TAI activities.  

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS START - 1945
The awards of Associateship and Fellowship by application were started to recognise acquired capability of technical and managerial kind in Indian textile mills. 

BOOK PUBLICATION TAKEN UP - 1964
Three books were commissioned and published during the Silver Jubilee. 'Indian Cotton Textile Industry - an Economic Analysis'by

*Indian Cotton Textile Industry - an Economic Analysis Dr. D. S. Mehta
*The Cotton Mills of India, 1854 - 1954 P. N. Joshi
*Technical Development in Textile Industry - a Compendium

THE STEADY GROWTH OF UnitS 1944 - 1997
As the word of TAI activities spread across the country, many other textile centres than Mumbai wished to start similar activities. The migration of experienced technicians from Mumbai also helped. A post of Liaison Officer was created and efforts made bore good fruit: 11 branches - later called Units - were established in just one decade till 1953. By 1997 almost all textile centres had been covered through 27 Units.

SOME OF THE MANY TO WHOM WE OWE OUR GRATITUDE