The company's board also approved renaming the company as Gillette India Ltd to truly reflect its business, a company statement said here. The merger has been approved by Rajasthan and Delhi high courts.

``The amalgamation of Duracell India and Wilkinson Sword India with Gillette's flagship company was conceived to consolidate Gillette's grooming and battery business in India. The amalgamated entity would have a stronger financial and operational structure,'' the company's managing director Mr Zubair Ahmed said in a statement. The process of amalgamation is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal and shall be effective from January 1,2000, the company release stated. The amalgamation of the companies had earlier been approved by the board of ISPL in February 2000 approved based on the recommendations made by the committee of directors. The amalgamation of the companies was conceived to consolidate Gillette's grooming and battery business in India, the release said.

Explaining the change of name of the company, Mr Ahmed said that the renaming reflects it as a company with world class Gillette brands and products and also stands testimony to Gillette's long term commitment to the company.