Nadir Ali and Company: Musical instrument maker with global reach

The local TV news had a short video about an Indian company called Nadir Ali and Co. (NAC). The company is currently run by Managing Director Aftab Ahmad, who is over 70. It is based in Meerut, Utar Pradesh, where it has been operating since 1885.

The company makes musical equipment including horns, trumpets, and drums for many armies around the world as well as famous jazz performers.

Auctions for equipment made by them fetch high prices, and mention the company by name (for example, this auction for a cornet).

What caught my eye is that when the video footage showed Aftab diving into a pile of old and dusty wind instruments, and coming up with a trombone or somesuch instruments that had the embossing in Arabic reading الجيش المصري (The Egyptian Army), with the year on it (can't remember which year). The Arabic script used was not Indian, but definitely Middle Eastern too.

• Offical Site for Nadir Ali and Co, with some interesting pictures and historical facts on the company.
• The Indian Express: White House to Riyadh, all go for Meerut's sound of music. An article on NAC.
• Gulf News: Marching to the tunes of Meerut. A short synopsis on NAC.
• The Tribune: Marching to the beat of the Drum. Another short article on NAC.
• The Telegraph India: Army band scam opens human trafficking can of worms. At the end of the article, there is a note on how changes in the procurement by the Indian Army has affected NAC, by opening bids from global suppliers.