'Gutka King' Rasiklal Dhariwal dies of cancer in Pune

New Delhi : Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal of the famed Manikchand Group of companies passed away at a private hospital in Pune late Tuesday evening. He was 78.

Known as 'Gutka king', Dhariwal was admitted to the hospital a few days ago, informed sources said.

He had been detected with parotid cancer a year ago and was being treated at HCG cancer hospital in Bengaluru and Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune.

A former head of Shirur Municipality, he is survived by his wife Shobha, a son and four daughters.

About Manikchand Group of Industries

Manikchand Group is a group of industries in India that has primarily launched products made of chewable tobacco in the market. Dhariwal started his career from a bidi factory that he had inherited from his father. Later, he moved on to chewable tobacco or gutka and went on to become a gutka baron.

He was the president of Shirur Municipal Council for 21 years and his son was also president of the Council.