Chapter 16

BHARVANIS:  

Were originally known as Sanwalani Seths after the elder of the family  Seth Sanwalmal Bajaj.  Some used Bajaj as their  Nukh. They are Lohanas.

Sanwalani Seths  (Bharvanis) are an ancient  Sindhi family.  Their family tree Vance is shown as Raghuvansh.  Maryada Purshotam Shri  Ramchander also belonged to the Raghuvansh line.  This  family, too, originated from the old Raghuvanshi clan.

The Lohanas  claimed to be the descendants of Shri Ramchander’s son  Sharlau.  Originally, the Lohanas were Kashatris who later became traders.  In the beginning,  the forebears of this family used to live in some village on the banks of  Indus.   They were farmers.  Whenever Sindh was invaded by foreigners, they armed themselves and gave  battle to the marauders to defend their land.  After the invasion was over, they would resume farming.

Their ancestors, during the year 711 Arab invasion, were Buddhist.  Despite being Ahinsawadi (peace lovers), they fought for Raja Dhahar against the Arabs who laid siege to his fort.  When Dahar’s devoted soldiers saw his fort crumbling they went down fighting.  Among those who laid down their lives was Rajmal – a member of the Bajaj (Bharvani) clan. After the battle was lost they along with all other Hindus left  Sind. After time immemorial they returned to Sind during the Kalhora reign and lived at Khudabad and were called Sanwalani Seths.

Seth Sanwalmal Bajaj (died 1773): 

He was  the elder of the family and used to live in Khudabad in the early 18^th century.   He was a prosperous jeweler and trader.  Sindh was in those days  ruled by the Kalhoras and Khudabad was their capital city.  The family came to be known as the Sanwalanis after Sanwalmal.  Sanwalmal had business interests in Khudabad, old Sukkur, Kotri, Thatta and Keti Bunder, all of them were important trading centers of Sindh in those days.

When the Kalhoras were on the decline, Baloch marauders attacked Khudabad in 1768 and put the city to torch.  There was an exodus from the ransacked capital.  Sanwalmal and his family found refuge in Unnarpur and resumed their business activities.  Sanwalmal   died   in 

1773, leaving behind four sons, Chhatomal, Lakhimal, Bharomal and Tolomal.   After his death his property was divided among his heirs.  However Bharomal and Tolomal continued to live together after their father’s death.

Seth Chhatomal:

Was a trader.  He migrated to Keti Bunder and set up his business there. As on  1776, there was no information available about  his family tree.

: 2 :

Seth Lakhimal’s:   

His family members were later on came to be called ‘Lakhianis’.

Seth Bharomal: 

He had only  one son Khushaldas who was  also blessed with only one son Sangomal who died issueless.  Seth Bharomal and Seth Tolomal had  involved themselves in Trade and Business and were very successful businessmen in their time.

Seth Tolomal: 

He had two sons.  Seth  Lakhmichand and Seth Moriomal.

Seth Lakhmichand: 

He had only one  son named Seth Nihalchand  who fathered  two sons named Seth Vishindas and Seth Lilaram.

Seth Moriomal: 

Had two sons  named Seth Devandas who had no issue and  Seth Jethomal who had three sons named Wadhumal, Kesavdas and Naumal.  Wadhumal died in Child hood.   Of  the other two sons,  Kesavdas was born in 1862  and was issueless.  Naumal was born in 1866 and died

young at the age of 25.  He left behind 2 sons Ramchand (Born 1884) and  Jairamdas (Born 1885). Like his father Ramchand also died young at the age of 24 years.  Jairamdas had six sons Jawarmal, Mohanlal, Hiralal, Harilal, Kanialal and Arjunlal.  Towards the end of his life Jethomal grew very week and spent most of his time at home.  He died in 1898.

Seth Nihalchand Lakhmichand 1798-1865: 

He was born in village Manjho, District Kotri.  His father had business, offices and large size shops at Chhapri (Sakhar), Kotri and Thhata.  He expanded his business and also opened many shops at Ulharpur and village Wachheray.  He even came to acquire   and own many acres of agricultural lands and several fruit gardens.

Seth Nihalchand  who was himself a  very well to do Trader  married  the daughter of a wealthy business man of Hyderabad Sindh  Seth Khushaldas Parumal who also  had offices at Lucknow, Agra and  Delhi.   For a long time Seth Nihalchand did not have children.  Absence of an heir effected him emotionally.  He therefore left the business and devoted his  time to  look after Sants, Saints and Sadhus whom he often  invited to come and stay in his Gardens one of which had later on came to be known as “Bilas Baug”.  He came in close  contact with a Sant Parmahance who was the  disciple of Satguru  Gulabdas of  Punjab. In his company  he became a Sadhu himself and people named him ‘Bhagat Nihal Lal’.  Bhagat Nihal Lal himself  became a Sant with a  Big follower-ship and chose to live  the rest of his days as an ascetic.  

3

After many years of his marriage at the age of 45, Bhagat Nihal Lal was blessed with 2 sons  name Vishandas and later  on yet another son  named  Lilaram.  They were both brought up with great love and affection  under the care of their father.  However their fathers piety  left  a deep imprint on their mind.  Sages and Saintly men used to meet every day in their “Bilas Bagh” to engage in learned discourse and  listen to devotional music.  All these influenced the two boys in their formative years.  Their father taught them Punjabi in the Gurmukhi script and  Sindhi at home.  The two brothers were married in 1859.  Vishandas was married to Seth Dunimal Tilokchandani’s   daughter Reejhalbai of Village Manjhand.    Lilaram was married to Nirmalabai who was the daughter of Seth Bojhraj Khealdas.  Both Dunimal and  Bojhraj  were leading merchants in Manjhand.  On his demise in the year 1865,  Bhagat Nihal Lal  was not cremated but his body  was laid to rest in a Samadhi in his own garden next to the Samadhi of his Guru Parmahance  who died in 1857.  The Samadhi was named after him and was called Darbar Parmahance.

Seth Vishindas Nihalchand 1843-1929: 

Seth Vishindas Nihalchand was born in Manjho, a village near the Railway Junction of Kotri in Sindh, now a part of  Pakistan .  His father Nihalchand, belonged to a family of landlords and merchants and the family was known as Gulabdasis. It was said that soon after he was born, Sant Parmahance, the Guruji, of Vishindas’s father, had said that the boy will attain both wealth and fame, but will lead a religious and austere life  like his father.  The family named him Vishin who was showing more and more leanings towards religious ways of life even as child.  Though married  to Beejhalbai, daughter of Seth Dunimal Tilokchandani, a wealthy businessman of Manjand at the age of 16, he accepted asceticism at the age of 19 and also obtained mantras from Sant Gulabdas.

At the same time, Seth Vishindas was building a business empire which slowly but steadily expanded from Manjho to Karachi and from  Karachi  to Mumbai and  Hyderabad .  But he continued to take keen interest in religious and social activities.  He gave liberally for the welfare of the poor and also involved activities like ending dowry and  also educating people to avoid extravagance in marriages, etc.  He  got a book published which is considered as a code of conduct for Hindus which was distributed through local bodies.  Once there was a terrible drought in Kohistan and the people living there began to find it difficult to make ends meet.  This moved Vishandas and he promptly ordered that fair price grain shops  to be opened in

: 4 :

Manjho and Kotri.  He was a big timber contractor and he allowed the poor to sell wood to make a living and also permitted them to graze their cattle on his land. In recognition of  his role as a social reformer, he was conferred with the title of Rai Bahadur.       

As a businessman, Vishindas was the biggest contractor of forests of Sindhi, owner of Ginning factories, rice thrashing units and a fleet of Boats to undertake transportation of Merchandise upto Persian Gulf , Malabarcoast and  Madras . He ran a large Commission Agency Business in Kharadar in  Karachi . He also owned thousands of acres of agricultural land.  He built a huge Mansion in  Lakhi Street in  Karachi which had a magnificent Hall named Vishan Sabha where he would host daily musical sessions.  Similar sessions used to be held in his Gardens in Manjho at Vishin Nagar in  Hyderabad. His constant contact with prominent singers and teachers of music enabled Vishandas to acquire a deep knowledge of the intricacies and nuances of various ragas.  Noted singers from all over  India used to be invited and applauded for their art.  Performers had to be careful singing before Seth Vishindas as he was himself a good magician and also possessed a deep knowledge of the intricacies of Music. 

In 1897, a plague epidemic hit  Karachi causing great panic among the  people. Extreme adverse conditions led people to abandon friends and relatives of each other.  The local civil hospital was poorly equipped and managed.  Vishandas rose to the occasion by establishing a hospital at his own expense and put it under the charge Dr. Nazrat, a leading physician of his time.  The hospital was situated in the Bhimpura Quarters near the Bara Akhara.  It had 75 beds and a full complement of nurses and paramedical staff. The Hospital came to be known as  Vishandas Hospital .  Everyone was given the best treatment without regard to his caste or creed.  The patients were looked after day and night also by the Seth’s son Harchandrai and nephew Seth Keshavdas.  .

At the time of his death in the year 1929, Vishandas left behind over 8000 acres of land and also other huge fortunes for his descendents.  In the last few years of his life, afflicted by asthma, he was obliged to move and settle down at Phulayli in  Hyderabad  Sindh.  The locality was named after him as “Vishan He had a Serai (inn) established for travelers.  He organized   annual fares with free community kitchens.  He also took considerable part in local and political affairs.  He attended the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd sessions of the Indian National Congress and upto the end of his life, he was a member of Karachi District Board and was the President of the Kotri Tehsil Local Board.   He set up schools, hired the services of teachers and ordered the construction of a hospital. Seth Vishandas had 3 sons Seth Harchandrai, Seth Shrichand and Seth Odhudas who divided the ancestral   property among themselves. Seth Vishandas had also four daughters.  Gungalbhai, Panjalbai, Motibai and Chandibai.  Gungalbai was married to

: 5 :

Mukhi Gheimal Karamchandani from whom she bore three sons, one of whom, Seth Shevakram was for many years President of the Kotri municipality. Panjalbhai was married to Seth Chhatumal Hotchand of Alam Khan Marri village.  The couple  was issueless.  Chandibai was married to Seth Tolaram  Devjiram of Alhyar village.  This couple, too, was issueless.  Tolaram died in the 1935  during the  Quetta earthquake.  Chandibai was also injured.  She died in  Mathura in 1948.

Seth Lilaram Nihalchand 1845-1900:  

He was born 2  years after Seth Vishindas in village Manjho in Kotri Tehsil.  Since both the sons were born to Seth Nihalchand after many years after his marriage,  they  both  grew up with a lot of love and affection under their fathers care.  Because the sages and sanits  used to meet every day in the “Bilas Bagh”  belonging to their father, the 2 sons  were greatly influenced by them. At the age of 14 in the year 1859 Lilaram was also got married  to Nirmalabai daughter of Seth Bojhraj Khealdas a trader and businessman in Manjhand.  Seth Lilaram ran the  family business with much success.  He was  fond of cattle  and practiced herbal medication.  Due to  cholera that broke out  in Manjho in 1900, he sent his family to  Karachi and stayed back to look after the poor and sick  and fell prey  to the epidemic and died the same year.

 

Seth  Harchandrai Vishandas: C.I.E., B.A., L.L.B.  1862-1928: 

He was born  in a small village in Manjho Tehsil Kotri  and obtained his primary education  in Kotri at a school founded by his father Vishandas.  He passed his matriculation from Karachi Govt.  High School  in 1878 and went to Bombay for higher studies. In Mumbai he studied at Elphinston College and passed BA in the year 1881 and  later passed his law  in the year 1885.  After  returning  to Karach ,  Seth Harchandrai accepted a subordinate job  in  Shikarpur court under the  advice of Diwan Dayaram Gidumal Shahani  whom he had considered his hero.  Government servants in those days were held in great public  esteem and awe which prompted  Seth Harchandrai to join  the  Government service.  But his father, Seth Vishandas, who was reputed as a prosperous  businessman at that time did not approve of his son’s decision to accept a Govt. job and persuaded him to resign. By now a Barrister in law,  Seth Harchandrai  returned to Karachi and  set up his  own legal practice in the year 1886.  In those days there were only a few lawyers of reputation in  Karachi  .  Seth Harchandrai soon achieved fame and established his name and as a lawyer of great repute. He was highly talented and knew the art of public speaking and  was even charming in private conversations and served his clients with a great amount of integrity and honesty.  He was elected  as a  Honorary Secretary of the Karachi Bar Association which was established in 1890.  He held this office  for full 38 years which was  a positive proof of the love and respect in which  the legal fraternity  in Karachi.

: 6 :

 held him.  It is said the Md. Ali Jinnah did attend the chambers of Seth Harchandrai and worked as an apprentice with Harchandrai Vishandas and company and later on went to build himself up as a great lawyer.  Despite the heavy load of legal work, he always spared time for social welfare work.  It was Seth Harchandrai who saved the old cremation grounds at Sakhar and built new ones.

Seth Harchandrai was very critical  about the happenings in the Karachi Municipality that was established in the year 1885.    In 1888 at the age of 26, he was elected member of  Karachi Municipality  and  was   its legal advisor from 1896 to 1910 until when  in 1911  he was elected its President and  continued as  President  until 1921.  Because he wanted to make Karachi a beautiful and clean city, he toured  Europe to see for himself how cities are planned there and studied the  Municipal  laws of those cities.   In 1921 when Seth Harchandrai  was elected to the Indian Legislative Assembly, he was obliged to remain in  Delhi  for long period of time.  He therefore voluntarily resigned from the Presidentship of the Municipality.  His service spanning  33 years to the  Karachi Municipality ended with a  grand and marvelous farewell party.  The meeting held on  April 20, 1921 was the last that he had attended.  Many speeches and tributes were paid to enlighten the work and achievements of Seth Harchandrai. 

The meeting had adopted many eulogizing   resolutions of the great services rendered  by him. 

Of Seth Harchandrai, a villager who reached such heights  in  India , was a matter of  pride for  Sind .  Of him,  it was said that Seth  Sahib is the father of Modern Karachi because of his Association with the Municipality of  Karachi  as its member for 22 years and as its President for 11 years.   It is during this period that  Karachi was transformed from a sleepy little fishing village to a  Modern  Town .  The relevance of Seth Harchandrai’s contribution to making of Modern Karachi can be assessed from the fact that after his death a statue committee was formed by leading  citizens of  Karachi under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner Mr. Hudson to execute its project.  A Statue  of Seth Harchandrai Vishandas  was installed in the compound of the Karachi Municipal Corporation at a very well attended function by many leading personalities who paid homage to the services rendered by Seth Harchandrai in the making of the city of  Karachi.

Seth Harchandrai took interest in the Nation’s affairs. He joined The Indian National Congress party in the year 1888 and for 30 years he remained a congress leader from Sindh.   It would not be far too wrong to say  that congress was Sindh and for Sindh, congress was Seth Harchandrai.  The 28^th  Congress session was held at Karachi in the year 1913 at the invitation of Seth Harchandrai.  He was Chairman of the welcome committee.  The great leader of Sindhi Muslims, Ghulam Muhammad Bhurgari lent full support to Seth Harchandrai as did Ghula

: 7 :

 Ali  Chagla, Ghulam Hussain Qasimad  and Ayub Khan.  Chagla even became one of the Secretaries of the reception committee.  Sindhi Muslims not only participated  in large members but also gave full support.  This was a new chapter in the history of the Congress.  A good part of the credit for this went to Seth Harchandrai.

From the year 1910 to 1920, he was elected as a member of the Bombay Legislative Council representing the Municipalities.  Since Seth Harchandrai had lived in  Bombay for 7 years some of the council members got to know him  well and since he used to attend Indian National Congress Meetings from 1888 onwards, he got acquainted with many leaders some of whom were actually his friends.  The Council  embarked upon a programme of social welfare and Seth Harchandrai represented Sindh  to the best of his ability. During the 10 years membership of the  Bombay legislative Council Seth Harchandrai served his people in many ways so much so that he put an end to the explication  and   the   High handed  attitude of  the bureaucracy.  It can be said without fear of denial that a new chapter of socio-economic growth  in Sindh  was  authored  almost  entirely by  Seth Harchandrai  Vishandas.   It will be interesting to know that some  of the members of the Bombay Legislative Council in those days were  Sir Pheroz Shah Mehta, Mr. Gulam Muhammed Bhurgari, Mr. Vithalbhai Patel, Pandit   Madanmohan   Malvia,  Mr. Purbashankar Patmni,   Sir  Ibrahim  Rehmatallah,   Mr. Sheeraf Devji Kanji, Chunnilal V. Mehta, Mr. V. Mehta,  Shrian Shulam Hussain Hidayatullah, Motilal Nehru and Mr. D.V. Beelvi.

From 1920 until his death in 1928, Seth Harchandrai was also  elected Member of the Indian Legislative Assembly representing the Hindus from Sind .  As a member of the Assembly he had to handle many public grievances and grants that needed the approval of the government  which were got redressed by  Seth Harchandrai.  The most important was the fact that with his efforts and intense persuasion, he got the  Bombay government to implement the Sukkur Barrage Scheme in 1923.  The work of the Barrage  was resumed and completed subsequently and it changed the face and fortune of Sindh.  Harchandrai was one of the pioneers who sold the idea of separation of Sindh from Bombay Presidency.  The motive behind this move was the realization that the administrative and social problems of Sindh could be solved only after it acquires the status of a separate province.  In the annual session of All India Congress of 1913 Harchandrai raised this demand in his presidential address delivered in the capacity of Chairman Reception Committee.  It was Seth Harchandrai  who was the revolutionary   worker who also gave legal  Battle for separation of Sindh from  Bombay .

Seth Harchandrai’s contribution to the cause of education was well-known.  He found time to teach children in their make shift schools which  used to be set up by different communities   in the old town in those days.  He got an opportunity to expand and set up educational facilities when he became the President of the  Karachi Municipality .  In those  days there were several associations belonging to different  communities which were engaged in educational activities.  He supported them   and allocated plots  of land free of cost to built schools and colleges.   This encouraged the associations to work with much vigor – and enthusiasm  for the cause of education of each community.

8

The untiring efforts of Diwan Dayaram Gidumal led to the creation of the  Sindh College .  Harchandrai devoted his time to collect  donations for the creation of college.  He also remained a member of the standing committee of the college for several years.  When Pandit Madan Mohan Malvia launched his  fund  raising campaign to raise the standard of  education in Benaras (now Varanasi)  Hindu University,  Seth  Sahib Harchandrai gave him all out support and was made the Vice-President of the University.

 

In the year 1928 when Seth Sahib was unwell, Lala Lajpatrai wrote to Seth Harchandrai asking him to be  present at the Hind Assembly at   Delhi and vote against the all white Simon Commission which was deputed to  India to review the working of the 1919 reforms and the Congress party decided to press for  its boycott.  Seth Harchandrai’s vote was required.  Even Shrimati Sarojini Naidu came down to  Karachi to impress upon him of the imperative need of his  presence in the Assembly for that purpose.  Despite his ill health and against the Doctor’s advice, he  went to Delhi.  On the day of the meeting,  he had to be  carried to the meeting  Hall but expired there.  News of his death  spread like a wild fire.  The Assembly meeting was indefinitely postponed and members gave their shoulders to carry his body to the cremation ground on the bank  of River Jamuna.  Dignitaries like Pandit Motilal Nehru, Pandit Madan Mohan Malvia, Mr. Vithalbhai Patel (father of Sardar Valabhbhai Patel), Lala Lajpatrai, and Sir Lancet Graham, who later became the first Governor of Sind were present to pay their last respect.  At the 45^th Annual Meeting of the congress held in Karachi in the year 1931 it was acknowledged that Seth Harchandrai was the moving spirit behind the first congress session at  Karachi The fact that he was the first Martyr of National struggle, the camp was named after Harchandrai (Harchandrai Nagar) to pay tribute and to honour Harchandrai as a great leader. The story of the life of Seth Harchandrai was  in fact an integral part of the  political history of Sindh.   

Married to Attoribai daughter of Baldev  Belani, Seth Harchandrai was blessed with 4 sons and 2 daughters.  The eldest was a daughter Parvati (1914)  who was married to Deomal son of Fetechand Keswani of Tandojam,  then a son Atmaram (1916) Suraj Prakash (1918) Sachanand

: 9 :

(1920) daughter Dhanvanti (1922) who was married to Hiranand son of  Dalamal Ramnani  and Daulatram (1926).

Much more has been written about Seth Vishandas  and Seth Harchandrai in the Book complied by Kadim Hussain Soomro and composed by Taswar Hussain.  The First edition was printed in September 1996 and the Second edition printed in April 2001 by sain publishers Sehwan Sharif and printed at Saddat Art Press 19-A, Abbot Road Lahore which throws much light of their greatness. 

Seth Srichand Vishindas (1874-1932):

He was  the second son of Seth Vishandas.  He did his BA and graduated from  Karachi’s  D.J. College in 1898and looked after the family property and business.  Like Seth Harchandrai he also went to  Europe for holidays.

Seth Srichand was member of Karachi Municipal Corporation.

He expired in the year 1932 at Manjho due to heart failure.  He had only one son Hiralal, who later on  became the Principal of the  Dayaram Gidumal National College,  Hyderabad .

Hiralal Srichand (1905-1949):

Principal Bharvani Hiralal Srichand, B.A ., (Bom.), M.A. (Cantab.), Bar-at-law, was born on 17^th April 1905 was initially educated at the N.J.V. High School and graduated from D.J. Sindh College at Karachi.  As a student he had a  brilliant career and was the recipient of innumerable prizes and scholarships.  He stood first class first in Sindh in his B.A. Examination   with English  and Persian.   In 1925 at the young  age of 21 years, he  was appointed a full-fledged Professor   of English in  Sindh National College, Hyderabad .  He was perhaps the youngest Professor in   India.  He proceeded to  England  in 1927, passed English  Tripos (Honours) at  Cambridge with French and Italian as his subsidiary languages in 1930.  He was unanimously  elected President of the Indian Majlis Cambridge.  During the same year he was called to the Bar from the Honourable Society of Lincolns’ Inn .  He joined Harchandrai and Company as an advocate in January  1931.  In June 1932 he rejoined  Sindh National College as senior Professor of English and French on the day when the college was renamed   after   Diwan   Dayaram Gidumal  in June 1932.   He became  the  Principal  of the

College from December 1938 onwards.  He had traveled  every part of    India and  Ceylon and had visited  Europe 7 times and saw for himself  the  Seven Wonders of the World .  He wrote many  learned articles and  debated  with rare power and charm and improved the College.  During his days, the college had grown  from strength to strength and had expanded in all

: 10 :

directions, the number of students having risen from under 300 to over 600 within four years.  He was a keen Mason having seen Right Worshipful Master of his mother lodge Sir Charles Napier (1064 S.C.).  He was the President of Rotary Club, Hyderabad, and an old Member  of Dialdas and Bhaibund Clubs besides the Karachi Club.  His hobbies were traveling, Music and Novel reading.  He was a University Examiner upto B.A. and was a Member of Bombay University Students Welfare Committee.   He came from one of the best and most prominent  families of Sindh,  son of Seth Srichand a Land Lord and Zamindar and the nephew of Late Seth Harchandrai Vishindas a leading light of Sindh and grandson of Seth Vishindas Nihalchand.   Principal  Hiralal  died in Delhi in 1949.   He died  at a young age of 46 years after prologue  illness.  He remained unmarried.  During his  illness he  was attended up to the very end by Seth Suraj Prakash son of Seth Harchandrai.  His body was cremated on the Banks of river Jamuna and  the  urn containing his ashes  was taken to  Hardwar by  Seth Suraj Prakash and immersed  in the river gangs. 

Seth Udhavdas Vishindas (1879-1926):

Born in Manjho, Seth Udhavdas was the third and the  youngest son of Seth Vishindas.    He obtained his primary education at Manjho and joined Karachi Govt.  High School where he studied upto Standard Forth English and due to bad eyesight had to give up  his studies.

Seth Udhavdas then joined his father and looked after the Grain and Cotton section  of the business.  He was fond of music and poetry (Shairee).

Seth Udhavdas’ had 4 sons: 

Seth Sukhdev, Seth Lachmandas, Seth Ramchand and Seth Bharatraj.

Seth Sukhdev Udhavdas (1896): 

Born in Manjho and studied upto Standard Seventh English.  He  joined  his Grand father in his business.

In the year 1934 he joined his brother and dealt in Grain and Cotton.  At   Karachi ,  he ran his business under the name,  “Seth Vishindas Sukhdev”.  For many years he took up Zamindari and was member of ‘The Imperial Council of Agriculture Research’.  He was also Trustee of Karachi Port  Trust.  He was President of ‘Indian Merchants Association’ from the year 1944 to 1945.

He was a Congress freedom fighter and participated in Congress Satyagrah and  freedom struggle in 1930, 1934 and 1942 and was sent to jail and fined.  Appreciating his devotion, the

: 11 :

Congress leaders in the year 1945 – 1946 nominated him from  Sind for Hind Assembly Elections and he won.  In 1946,  like Hon’ble Seth Harchandrai Vishandas,  he became member of  the Central Assembly at  Delhi.  He continued to live in  Pakistan after the partition and remained a member of the Assembly in  Pakistan until 1954.  He was blessed with 4 sons Khushiram, Sunderdas, Mahesh and Mohan. 

Seth Lachmandas :

Was Born in 1927 in Manjho.  The family continued to live in  Pakistan after partition.  He had 3 sons, Kishichand who is today a well known High Court Advocate in  Karachi , Bhagwan is the financial advisor and Manager costing to Pakistan International Air Lines and Ishwar  who is settled in the U.K and a successful  Charted Accountant.

Seth Bhartraj: 

Was born in 1917 at Manjho and died in  Bombay in the year 1961.  He  had only one son Anil  (Monu) who lives in Pune and is engaged in real state and food supplies business.

Seth Ramchand 1927-1998: 

He   was born in Manjho.  The family migrated to  India during early 1950.  He had 3 sons.  Inder, who initially involved himself in the construction business is successfully carrying out business in Diamonds.  Both Ajit and Raju went to live in Antwarp and joined the business of Diamonds and are successful.

Seth Harchandrai’s family:

To put the record correctly  about the family  of Seth Harchandrai Vishandas,  it is necessary to add as to  how over the last three generations, the surname Bharvani  had originated.

Seth Harchandrai Vishandas  was asked to submit his surname upon his election to the Indian legislative Assembly in the year 1920.  He traced his 7^th generation ancestor,  Seth Bharomal  who died issueless and left behind  no family tree. In order to perpetuate his memory,  he chose an abbreviated   surname  “Bharvani’’ which was derived from the name Bharomal.  Descendants  of Seth Vishindas therefore  came to be known as “Bharvanis’’

However the sons of Seth Harchandrai – Seth Atmaram (1916), Seth Surajmal Prakash (1918), Seth Sachanand (1922)   and Seth Daulatram (1926) all came to be known in the Business Community as ‘Harchandrais,’ because the business friends and also their foreign principals found their names long stretched and also since Seth Harchandrai was well-known, they chose  the surname “Harchandrai”.    All the sons of Seth Harchandrai had migrated to  India after.

: 12 :

partition in the year 1947,  except  Seth Surajmal Prakash who had to windup his business in  Karachi and migrated in the year 1948.  They all left behind huge properties, including several thousand Acres of Agriculture land, 2 large size Ginning factories and 2 big residential buildings in  Karachi .  However, after migration   Suryaprakash was invited to join the services of the government of   India and worked as a  refugee  re-settlement officer at Bantwa  in  Kutch .  But, he became dissatisfied with the widespread corruption in the service and left his job and joined his childhood friend Mr. Gobindram Hemumal who had good knowledge and experience in the   construction business.  Later on, his other brothers joined him and   all pooled the resources that they were able to bring with themselves from  Karachi and constructed 2 Buildings on Mughal lane in Mahim (Mumbai) known as –  Union House No. 1 (1950) and Union House No. 2 (1952).  Meantime, because of his knowledge and experience in  Karachi in the business of  Machinery Parts,  Seth Suryaprakash,  together with   his youngest brother Daulatram, opened a  trading house in  1950 at the  Masjid Bunder Road (Mumbai) and named it “Ball Bearing & Machinery  Corporation.”  Seth Atmaram who  at that time was  practicing law did not find  the profession interesting and  along with Sachanand joined them in business and together  put up  a small office on the  Masjid Road and started the  business of  Importing   Ball Bearings and leather beltings.   Their new company was known as “Harchandrai Sons”. 

 

However, in the year 1953-54 business suffered a set back due to changes in the Government Policies.   As a result, Atmaram left for the Far East to explore the possibility of expanding their Indian business and finally landed up in  Japan in the year 1954 where he organized Imports of Bearings into  India .  He saw good prospects in  Japan and called his younger brother Sachanand and set up a Business of Artificial flowers in  Yokohama  ( Japan).  Meantime, Daulatram  left  Bombay to join his in-laws, who after partition had settled down in  Jamaica in the  West Indies .  After settling Sachanand in Japan, Atmaram returned to  India .  Meantime business climate in  India improved and the Bearing trade too showed major improvement, BBMC came to be known as one of the biggest importers and leading suppliers of Ball and Roller Bearings.  In 1956 they   acquired a bigger place and in a prime location of  Nagdevi Street  and moved both the companies there.

Sachanand who was carrying on with the flower business in  Japan received an offer from an American buyer who wanted him to work as his Agent for purchasing cultured pearls from  Japan .  The family thereafter also got involved in the business of cultured pearls and prospered very well.   Soon Daulatram joined Sachanand in  Japan and both together expanded the business in  Japan .  Because the younger Harchandrais who grew up and joined the family business, the Harchandrais in India had to expand their Business activities and in 1966 opened a diamond export business. In 1969 Seth Sachanand   moved to  Hong Kong to set up an office

: 13 :

there as well.  Initially he started  Importing Diamonds from  India and got jewellery  manufactured in  Hong Kong for exports to  Dubai  and to other gulf countries.  Finding exports to  Dubai profitable, one of the younger sons of Harchandrais  was sent to  Dubai to handle  the Business there.  The Original Ball Bearing Business was doing very well.  The Harchandrai also came to acquire and own agricultural land of over 130 acres  in Hyderabad Deccan ( India ) and even  involve  themselves  in the business of construction.   Harchandrais built Bay-View (1959) in Malabar Hill.  In 1962 they  Built  “Delstar” on  Huges Road. In 1964 they constructed “ Central Court ” on  Motlibai Street at Bombay Central and  “Harchandrai House”  in 1965 on the  Queens  Road and  lastly  Naples ” on the  Sobani Road at Cuffe Parade,  Colaba  in the year 1966.  Because the family tree expanded Seth Surajmal together with his son Prem separated from the family business in December 1973.  Seth Daulatram separated in 1976.  However Seth Atmaram and Seth Sachanand remained in business with each other until 1984 when they too separated and divided equally the assets amongst themselves.

Seth Suryaprakash Harchandrai  1918-1977:

Suryaprakash Harchandrai, son of Seth Harchandrai was born on 9^th March in the year 1918 in  Karachi .  He had his earlier education in  Karachi and Graduated from Pune’s  Furghson College

Returning to   Karachi , after his graduation, Suryaprakash established a trading house  in hardware and machinery.   But partition in the year 1947 forced him to leave  Karachi,   leaving behind  huge family  property which included vast acres of land.  He had only a cash of  around Rs. 80,000 with him when he  arrived in  India in the year 1948. However, life for him and the family was in disarray.  In  India , the Government of India came to his rescue by offering  Suryaprakash a job as the refugee  Resettlement Officer in  Kutch .  But finding that corruption  and many malpractices marked the rehabilitation scheme for the refugees, he resigned and left Kutch for  Deolali in  Maharashtra and started exploring business opportunities.  But finally, came down  to Mumbai to join  one of his childhood friend in  the construction industry.  Because of his earlier experience  in the Business of Machinery Parts,  he started trading in Ball Bearing and Machinery Parts from a small shop at   Masjid Bunder Road .   Later on as the business expanded  the ball bearing business  was shifted to  Nagdevi Street, one of the premier business centers in the city.  He made good progress here and continued with the ball bearing business in  Nagdevi  Street  till he died in  April 1977 at the age of 59 after a brief illness.

Right from his childhood, his grand father, Seth Vishandas,  had noticed in Suryaprakash a  keen interest in classical music and encouraged him to gain expertise.  Although Suryaprakash was never a professional  singer, noted  singers like Jagjit Singh, Gobind Prasad  Jaipurwala,  

: 14 :

Nina and Rajendra Mehta came to him to get  the perfection   of their ragas.  They all  had great faith in the expertise  of Suyraprakash  in the ragas of classical music and held him in high respect.  Seth Surya Prakash would also hold regular Musical Darbars at his Residence in Malabar Hill.  Jagjit and Citra Singh, Nina and Rajendra Mehta  and Nirmala Devi were some of the few noted gazal singers who would regularly perform at his residence.  Singers such as Bhimsin Joshi, Actarbhai Begam,  Kishori Amolkar  would specially invite him whenever they performed in   Bombay

Suryaprakash was good natured and  involved himself  in  social, cultural and religious activities.  He was fond of traveling and had traveled all over  Pakistan  and made several visits to  Jammu and Kashmir in the Pre-partitioned days.  Being very Religious and  Pious  he had visited almost all places of pilgrimages in  India . He was well traveled and had visited almost all countries abroad.  When he  passed away  in the year 1977  his family had received many condolences from all over the world expressing deep sorrow  and saying wonderful things about him.  As a mark of respect and love for him, over thousand  people attended his condolence meeting.  He was one of the founders of The All India Ball Bearing Merchants Association and its President in the years 1960-63 and 1967-68.  He was one of the champions of  India’s Ball Bearing Trade and passionately worked for the well-being of this trade.  

He was married to Lal alias Ratna daughter of an oil merchant bhai Tharoomal Mirchandani and had one  son Prem, (born on 10^th  January  1943) and daughter  Shakuntala,  (born on 1^st  May 1945) – Prem married Asha alias Kaajal,  Daughter of Wasiamal  Bagamal Daryanani settled in London  and Shakuntala  was married to    Ramkishin,  son of Raisahib  Roopchand  Assomal Aswani.  

Prem Suryaprakash Born January 1943:

Prem Suryaprakash Harchandrai (Prem) was born in  Karachi  (now in   Pakistan ) on  January 10, 1943 .  He is  the only son to his late parents – Seth Suryaprakash Harchandrai and  Lal Alias Ratna Suryaprakash Harchandrai.   Prem had his education first in  Delhi and later in Pune and also in Mumbai. 

Prem’s family, a distinguished Sindhi Zamindari from Hyderabad Sindh, (now a part of  Pakistan).  had produced not only some of the well-known Zamindaris and business leaders and famous philanthropists  of the day but also stalwarts whose contribution to  India’s freedom movements was great.

: 15 :

Prem’s grandfather, late Seth Harchandrai Vishandas, was the first Mayor   of Karachi and from 1910  until his death in 1928, was a member of  the Viceroy’s  Council, a Legislator in the Bombay Legislative Council and later in the Indian Legislative and Central Assembly during  the Pre-independence days.   He had close acquaintance with leaders like Shri Pherozeshah Mehta,  Madan Mohan Malvia, Jamshed Mehta, Motilal  Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel,  Lala Lajpatrai and Mahatma Gandhi.

Following partition, the family migrated to  India and Prem’s father, late Seth Suryaprakash Harchandrai, was a Refugee  Settlement Officer.  Later, in the year 1950 the Harchandrais settled down in Mumbai where Suryaprakashji  established his own business.  

As a student, Prem was bright in his studies.  He was also a keen Sportsman.   He was awarded the ‘B’ and ‘C’ Certificates of the NCC Cadets.  Prem, has some firsts to his credit.  He was the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1^st Maharashtra Battalion and also 

was the only Cadet selected from Maharashtra   in 1963 to represent that State at the Republic Day Parade in  Delhi .   During   India ’s war with  Pakistan in the year 1964 he was commissioned in the Army and  posted at NDA  under training  for almost 5 months.   He left the army after intense pressure   from his father.

Interrupting his college education Prem had to also join his father’s business in Mumbai – Ball Bearing distribution – at an early age of 18 in the year 1960.  After a brief  period of training in Mumbai he was sent to Kolkata where his firm, Ball Bearing & Machinery Corporation (BBMC) had opened a branch.  Heading the branch in Kolkata, Prem  found himself forced to return to Mumbai as the Nexalite  movement in  West Bengal  had  begun to pose a serious threat to the life and properly of the business and trading community in Kolkata.

In Mumbai, under the active guidance of his father. Prem slowly but steadily raised the business size, status and reputation of his firm –  BBMC.  By the end of 1960s, BBMC had emerged as one of the top importers and stockists of all types of ball, roller, taper roller bearings and accessories in India and also Agents for FAG – West Germany, RHP – UK and all-India Sole Selling Agents of Asahi transmission Ball Bearings and Rod End Bearings manufactured by the  famous Japanese manufacturers  Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd.

Side by side, Prem also devoted his time and talent to increase the business expansion and opportunities of the Indian Ball Bearing trade and also his business status and reputation.

: 16 :

It was Prem who was responsible in ridding the Nagdevi Business Zone, the premier trading center in Mumbai, especially of hardware and engineering goods of the continued labour problems.   Trade unions of his business zone was posing a big threat to the trading community of this area.  Prem’s courage and tact coupled with his single-minded effort to put an end to the “irresponsible” attitude of the labour unions of the Nagdevi Business zone brought peace and orderly business conditions.  He was able to tame the labour unions of the Area without being unsympathetic to their genuine grievances and demands.

Naturally then, Prem was entrusted with positions and responsibilities not only by the ball bearing trade but other segments of the hard ware and engineering trade.  He served as Hon. Regional Secretary of The All India Ball Bearing Merchants’ Association (AIBBMA) for two consecutive terms (1978-1982) before  he was elected as its Hon. General Secretary which office he held until 1996 when he became its Vice-President and later as President in 1998.  After the two-year term, he vacated the office in the year 2002, but was again elected in 2004 for a two-year term (2004-2006).  Incidentally Prem’s father, Seth Suryaprakash Harchandrai was one of the founders of the AIBBMA and its President for the two terms.  

Prem’s stewardship of the AIBBMA was noted for striking an unprecedented improvement in the business conditions and also fortunes of the Indian Ball Bearing distribution business while the AIBBMA’s membership and resource position grew steadily. AIBBMA is today regarded as the national representative of  India’s Ball Bearing Trade and is treated with utmost respect and consideration by all the Authorities and by the Ball Bearing Industry.  Considering the fact that Prem has given the Ball Bearing Trade his life’s best, and his  voice and suggestions are listened to by everyone,  including the Authorities,  it was for the Ball Bearing Trade that it showed concern to ensure that the trade had the total involvement and commitment of Prem.  Here, the trade had to be selfish in relying on him.  It, therefore, needs no emphasis that the Association could ill afford to lose the services of a team and also a person like Prem who are dedicated and committed, and delivered results for the Association and to the Ball Bearing Community.   

Prem was also invited to serve the trade associations of other segments of the hardware and engineering associations.  He was the President of The Engineering & Industrial Store  Merchants’ Association, Chairman of The Nagdevi Action Committee, Vice-President of The Federation of Associations of Maharashtra.  Of Prem, it could be said that over the quarter of a century, he had been in the forefront of every cause and movement that had been initiated to safeguard and promote the business interest, not only of the Ball Bearing Trade, but also of the Nagdevi Business Community.  He devoted a good part of his energy and time for the betterment of the trade.  His dedication, hard work and total involvement, and his readiness to listen with respect to the views and suggestions of his colleagues in the respective Committees, and also others, had won him everyone’s trust, confidence and acceptability.

18

In recognition of his excellence in any field of activities of the trade he was bestowed with the Award of “Vyapar Seva Puraskar” for Mumbai District at a function held at Sangli by the Business Weekly.  He was also honoured with the title of “Karamyogi Shreeman” by the Karnataka Ball Bearing Trade.  Because of all these and more, he was appointed as Special Executive Magistrate for eight years at a stretch by the government of  Maharashtra .  Prem also became the President of one of the most prestigious clubs on South Mumbai The  Bombay Presidency Radio Club Ltd.

Married to Kaajal who belongs to a distinguished Sindhi family in England, Prem has two sons – Susheel and Daleep, daughters-in-law Chandni  and Baani, grand sons Shaanil and Nirvan, grand daughters Shinain and Drishti. Both Shaanil and Shinain have blue eyes like Prem.

Prem is actively associated with various religious and cultural bodies.  While remaining active and dedicated to the cause of the trading community. Of him, it could be said without any exaggeration that he spontaneously involves himself in any worthwhile cause and gives his very best without being burdened by consideration of cast, creed, religion or any narrow feelings and prejudice.  To him only the cause which helped a larger section of the society mattered.

Contributed by Prem Harchandrai  July 2006