KHIANIS
The Khiani Mansion in Hyderabad Sind
SHAKUN NARAIN KIMATRAI’S PATERNAL FAMILY
SHAKUN NARAIN’S MATERNAL FAMILY
A note from Shakun Narain Kimatrai/ Khiani:
I am a descendant of the Khiani family.
They were/are also known as Pohukhianis.
The Khiani surname belongs the paternal side of my family.
Though I have tried my best to update the family tree, to the best of my capacity, there may be some omissions or errors which are not intentional. Please let me know who I have missed out, from which family branch and I shall be happy to add their name or/and correct any mistakes…
BHAI POHUMAL OF POHUMAL BROTHERS-Mr KHIAMAL
The following appears in: ‘Sind jay Hindun jee Tareek’ written by Diwan Bherumal Mahirchand Advani in 1946 and translated by Narain Sobhraj Kimatrai.
…Wanting to expand their wings and boundaries, Bhai Jairamdas Pohumal Dhansinghani, Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal and Bhai Dingomal Baloomal left Hyderabad for Bombay. Later Bhai Tarachand Parsram Jeweler and hundreds more followed them.
From Bombay, the Hyderabadi Bhaibunds ventured out to Colombo and Rangoon. Amongst the first settlers in Colombo were Mukhi Sukhramdas Hiranand, Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal, M/s Hardaramani and others.
Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal landed first in Rangoon, followed by Bhai Gunomal Parsram Jeweler, Bhai Lekhraj, Bhai Jhamatmal Kimatrai and others
With the opening of Suez Canal in 1869, Steamers (ships) started touching Bombay. Bhai Pohumal Khiamal of M/s. Pohumal Brothers sailed to Cairo (Egypt) and Europe, whilst Bhai Wassiomal of M/s. Wassiamal Assumal left for Singapore. Both left their homeland with intend to try their luck overseas. They carried with them Sindhi and Indian commercial goods for sale abroad. There, they lived a simple life. After a few years of staying abroad and accumulating great wealth, they returned to Hyderabad. The wealth they brought back became the envy of their friends and relatives. Soon others followed their tracks.
Three Sindhi firms were considered as pioneers: M/s. Pohumal Bros., M/s. Dhanamal Chelaram and M/s. Wassiamal Assumal. Later, the number grew”.
Diwan Bherumal wrote in his second volume published in 1947: “Sindhis have been in Malta for over seventy years”.
He adds, “One also finds Sindhis at Gibraltar, Falkland Islands and Pohumal Bros. in South America”.
In Egypt: Pohumal Bros., Syria: Mukhi Hiranand Tarachand, North Africa: Pessumal Mulchand, Gibraltar and West Africa: J. T. Chanrai, Kishinchand Chellaram, Metharam Jassumal, M. Dialdas and others.
Sindwork Merchants Association: –
The Sindwork Merchants Association was founded in the year 1918. Its first president, Mukhi Harkishindas presided for twelve years.
Foreign Remittances to Sind: –
According to information gathered by Diwan Bherumal in the year 1947, Sindworkees Bhaibunds remitted over Rupees Two and Half Crores from Overseas to Hyderabad every year. Remittances by Shikarpuris were in addition to this…
The following is an update that
I (Shakun Narain Kimatrai, born Khiani, daughter of Mr Jamnadas Pesumal Khiani
and Mrs Lajwanti, daughter of Dayaram and Radhibai Uttamchandani) have gathered.
I have been told that though the Khiani beginnings were humble, at their peak,
they owned 96 firms spread around the globe.
Mr. Khiamal had 5 sons:
1) Pohumal
2) Sahijram
3) Moolchand
4) Valiram
5) Lekhraj
According to Mr Vashi Pohoomal Mr. Sahijram was the youngest son of Mr. Khiamal
Mr Pohumal initially sold scarves, on the street.
He obviously had charisma and potential as the ‘English’ noticed him and took him, by sea to Egypt, where he sold carpets.
I am told that Thomas Cook offered Mr Pohoomal a partnership which the latter refused. He went on his own to Cairo and started a business named ‘Pohumal Brothers’
Mr. Pohumal had a son called Naraindas whose wife was named ‘Phuliwari’ which means ‘The One who wears a nose ring.’ I (Shakun) remember meeting her. She was a beautiful fair lady, and I am told that she was the first woman to accompany her husband overseas.
1) Lokumal
2) Jamnabai
3) Ishwardas
4) Jasotibai
5) Lachmandas
For descendants click on:
Mr Lokumal Sahijram’s children
1) Chandanmal
2) Pessumal
3) Ramchand
For Mr Chandanmal’s descendants click here
For Mr Pessumal’s descendants click here
For Mr Ramchand’s descendants click here
1) Bulchand
2) Gunomal
3) Rijhumal
4) Hiranand
Mr. Gunomal Valiram’s children:
1 son, Mohan and 2 sisters, Hari and Kiki
1)Mohandas had 5 daughters and 3 sons.
One of his daughters is Vydia (Seema) married in the Mulchandani family
2) Hari Gunomal married into the Kirpalani family
3) Kiki Gunomal married Atmaram Mulchandani
Mr Rijhumal Valiram Khiamal’s children:
1) Mithoo married Jyotu Aasoomal
Mithoo and Jyotu’s children:
Their children:
1)Sanjay married Reshma Mahtani and have a son Rahul
2) Priya is engaged to be married
3) Devansh (not yet married)
2) Nari married Papu (Jyoti Moolchand Melwani)
3) Sunder married to Laju Lekhraj Melwani
Their children:
1) Manoj married Darshana Sharad Shah (July 2003)
2) Manesha (not yet married)
4) Janki married to Mukhis
5) Gopi married to Melwanis
6) Laxmi
7) Sushila
8) Manjri
Mr Hiranand sired a son: Motiram
Motiram and Rajni
3 sons and 2 daughters:
Arjan married Malti
Their children: Rishi married Sherina,
Pooja
Karan
Raj married Sonia
Sired one son: Nikhil
Ashok married Shyla
(Their children:
Pia
Tanya
Asha (Shalini) married Vinod
Their children:
Arun wed Hansa ( daughter of Jagdish and Bharati Chanrai) and has a son named Raam.
Anand wed Nisha, they have a daughter: Naya
Pooja
Meena married Nirmal
Their children:
Parineeta wed Nishu,
Maya wed Jay
Amrita
1) Kishinchand
had a daughter called Yashoda
2) A daughter
Mr Sahijram’s children:
1) Mr. Lokumal
2) Ms Jamnabai
3) Mr. Ishwardas
4) Ms Jasoti
5) Mr Lachmandas
Mr Lokumal’s Sahijram’s children
1)Gobindram married Devibai Daswani
2) Satibai married Kishinchand Vaswani
3) Babu (Harkishin) married Padu Uttamchandani
4) Pishu Lokumal Sahijaram married Nirmala Ramchand Wadhwani
They sired Renu and Mahesh
Renu married Mahesh Ajwani
Mahesh married Wendy Kingsburgh
5) Kala married Sobhraj Sadarangani
6) Janki married Arjan Daryanani
7) Bhagwani married Geeta Melwani
8) Rukmani married Gobind Vaswani
9) Chandru married Margo Ramchandani
10) Duri
Gobindram Lokumal Sahijram’s children:
Vashi married to Veena Vaswani and sired Venita and Vivek
Venita married Shyam Hathiramani and sired Vinisha, Amrit and Sohini
Vivek married Tina Chanrai ( daughter of Jagdish and Bharati Chanrai) and sired Rehana Ranya (Twin girls) and Aman and Shiv
Shakun married to Arjan Melwani and sired Kishore and Satesh
3) Ashok married Durga Sadhwani and sired Sharmili and Monica.
Sharmili married Kushal Kapoor.
4) Vinod married Bina Nathani and Vinnie, Babita and Vishal
Satibai married Kishinchand Vaswani and sired:
Gopal and Kikloo ( Rajni)
Gopal married Kanta and sired: Kaushik, Kanchan and Vivek
Kikloo married Gobind Daryanani and sired: Ratan and Pooni
Ratan married Santosh Bajaj and sired: Rahul and Suraj
Pooni married Karan Chulani and sired: Venisha
Babu (Harkishin) Lokumal Sahijram married Padu Uttamchandani
Babu and Padu’s children:
1) Mohan married Gauri Daftary and sired Ashika amd Ishaan
2) Nitu married Meenu Aasoomal and sired Shaheena
Pishu Lokumal Sahijram married Nirmala Ramchand
Renu and Mahesh
Kala married Sobharaj Sadarangani and sired Ajit and Narendra
Ajit married Geetu Notani and sired Pooja and Karan
Narendra married Alka and sired Sunaina, Supreeya and Kiran
Janki married Arjan Daryanani and sired:
Mahesh, Mukesh, Anita and Deepu
Deepu married Shandy Nawalrai(Hathiramani).. who is also the sister of Deena who is married
to Sanjay Vaswani (son of Gobind & Kavita Vaswani—(Kavita is sister of Janki Khiani)
Bhagwani married Geeta Melwani and sired:
Rita and Jyoti
Jyoti married Manoj Bharvani and sired: Shaan and Talia
Kavita (Rukmani) married Govind Vaswani and sired:
Sunil, Sanjay and Sherry
Sunil married Karishma Chandiramani and sired:
Rohan and Simran
Sanjay married Dina Hathiramani and sired Ria and Jai
Sherry married Suresh Punjabi
Chandru married Margo Ramchandani and sired: Manoj and Gautam
1) Gul
2) Hari
3) Vijay
4) Laju (a daughter)
Mr Lachmandas’ and Mrs Sati Daswani’schildren
1) Veena
Veena married Bhagwan Mirpuri and sired 2 daughters:
Veena’s daughter Renu married Sunil Daswaney and sired twins:
Akash and Amrit
Veena’s daughter Sonu married Sanjay Chandiramani and have a daughter
called ‘Aanchal’
2) Ramesh
Ramesh married Shalini Mukhey
They have a son named Saahil
Also a daughter called Ekta
MOOLCHAND KHIAMAL’S CHILDREN:
1) Chandanmal
2) Pesumal
3) Ramchand
CHANDANMAL MOOLCHAND KHIAMAL MARRIED HARIBAI AND SIRED
9 DAUGHTERS AND A SON
1) Satibai married Lekhraj Aasoomal
Had 2 sons named Ashok and Haresh
2) Mohini married Shamdas Vaswani
Had 2 sons and 4 daughters named:
Lakhmi, Kamla, Gopal, Jyoti, Shobha and Ramu
3)Satbhama married Hassaram Surtani
Children: Bhagwan, Kishore and Heeru
4) Rukibai married Gobindram Mukhi
Had one son: Sunil
5) Kikoo married Hotchand Chatani
Their children: Suresh, Madhu, Geetu and Dinesh
6) Lacchu married Kamla Bherumal Melwani
Children: Renu and Mahesh
7) Meenu (Kamla) married Arjan Melwani
Children: Prakash, Haresh and Poonam
8) Rekha (Chandru) married Tilloo Vaswani
9) Lavina (Padma) married Chaturbhuj Mahboobani
Children: Shalu, Jiten and Anjalina
10)Pushpa (Suchita) married Indru Mukhi
Children: Anil and Reshma
From left to right: Behind:Lachmi,Mohandas,Jamnadas,Kamlu,Kishinchand
Front: Lala,Lajwanti,Kuntibai, Shakun ne Vimlu
Mr Pessumal married Kuntibai
Their children:
1) Jamnadas
2) Mohandas
3) Lala (a daughter)
Jamnadas Pesumal Moolchand Khiamal’s children:
1) Kamlu married Rijhumal Lakhani
2) Vimlu (Shakun) married Narain Sobhraj Kimatrai
Kamlu and Rijhumal’s children:
1)Raju married Priya
Have 2 sons: Rusheel and Saahil
2) Deepu (not married yet)
3) Neetu married Haresh Vaswani.
Have a daughter: Jina
Shakun and Narain Kimatrai’s children:
1)Sunder
2)Madhavi
3)Anuja
Sunder married Saira Hiranandani
Their children:
1)Aysha
2)Shazia
3) Jai
Madhavi married Mohan Thawardas Hathiramani
Their children: 2 sons
1) Aditya
2) Kiran
Anuja has yet to meet her mate.
Mohandas Pesumal Moolchand Khiamal has a daughter:
Anju married to Ramesh Daswani
Anju and Ramesh have 3 sons:
Manoj, Navin and Mahesh
Lalabai married Kishinchand Mahtani
have a son:
Ramesh
RAMCHAND MOOLCHAND’S CHILDREN:
1)Gul
2) Dayal
3) Jaikrishin married Veenu (Maiden name: Mohini Khemlani)
and sired 5 children:
Deepa (married name: Rani) married Monesh Ramchandani
Jaikrishen’s other children: Kamal, Sanjay, Laveena and Jyoti
4) Vashi married Barbara and sired a son Sunil and daughters, Neeta and Rekha
5) Devi
6) Gope
7) Kamla
8) Bhagu
9) Nari
SHAKUN’S MATERNAL FAMILY
My Nani’s name was Radhibai.
She was the eldest daughter of Shyamdas Hiranand Vassiamal Aasoomal and Motabai
Her younger sisters were named: Ganguli, Devi and Mitthi.
Shyamdas was a very wealthy man. In the 30s/40s he owned various Sindhi dharamshaalas in Amritsar, Haridwar…In Hyderabad he owned a Musaafir Khaana. In Bombay, Sadguru Sadan opposite Babulnath Temple was built by him.
Shyamdas made a will in the 30s/40s whereby all the daughters received the princely sum of Rs 125 monthly and Rs 10,000 at the time of the wedding of the boys and 15000 for the marriage expenditure of all his daughters, and subsequent children.
Hiranand (Shyamdas’ brother) sired 4 sons:
Dholandas, Topandas, Gangaram, and Vatumal.
My Nana’s name was Dayaram Gaganmal Ramchand Uttamchandani
He was God fearing, spiritual and well respected man.
He married Radhibai and sired 6 children (4 daughters and 2 sons)
Paru, Devi, Durupadi (Lajwanti, my mother), Gordhan, Khubo, Guli
Paru married J. Khiani
Devi (Leela) married Gangaram Daryanani
Gordhan married Kamla Kirpalani
Khubo married Ganga (Indra) Sadhwani
Guli married Tarachand Daswani
The Uttamchandanis were land-owners (Zamindars)
Mr. Tolaram owned land in Khorway
(The Chanrais are Uttamchandani)
My Nana Dayaram’s brothers and sisters:
Naraindas
2 Sisters who died 1 year after marriage
Putlibai married into an Advani family
Savitri married Naraindas Balani
Muli married Bhagwandas (V. Lilaram)
Sundri married into the Alimchandani family
Hargun married Padma
Daulat married Vimla (Lalu, V. Lilaram, Manila)
Bhagwan married Veena (Sundri Karnani)
Arjan married Manju Ramchand Vaswani
Gobind died at the age of 15 years
Mithoo married Duru (Sundri) Harjani
Kikkoo married Ram
Gaganmal Ramchand (G. Ramchand)
had a son: Jeevatram
Jeevatram’s son Ajit married Mona
Jeevatram’s other son Khubchand married Meenu
Jeevatram’s 3rd son is Murli
Comments from:
Shashi Keshab Assomull Shashi Keshab Dholandas
Hello,
I wanted to thank you for putting this information on the internet. I’m currently trying to trace my family’s roots and this has been quite a help. I was hoping you’d have some information on my mother’s side, her surname is Ramnani.
I was also hoping you had additional information on my father’s side, which is Assomull. I noticed some information on the Assomull’s (within the Khiani chapter), but nothing directly tracing their history. Please do get back to me as soon as you can. Especially with information on the Ramnani’s if you have any.
Sincerely, Shashi Keshab Assomull Shashi Keshab Dholandas
PS. My direct male family line follows: Nanomull Assomull (brother of Wassiamull Assomull) sired Dholandas Nanomull Assomull who sired Murli Dholandas Assomull who sired Keshab Murli Assomull who sired myself Shashi Keshab Dholandas Assomull and my brother Sacha Keshab Dholandas Assomull.
A note from Mahesh Pohoomul:
Hi there, We find your site fascinating and certainly took a lot of effort to put together. We have an update and are hoping that you might be able to update the info. Wendy Kingsburgh, and myself Mahesh Pohoomull have had a baby boy by the name of Jay Mahesh Pohoomull, and he is now 15 months old. He was born Sept 14th 2006. Best Regards Mahesh
SUNIL KHIANI
A Note : 06th Oct 2012
I am Sunil son of Vashi grandson of Ramchand Moolchand. I was wondering if it would be possable to add to my fathers (Vashi’s) list of names. My oldest sister Neeta married Rod Cope, I Sunil am divorced but I have sole custody of a beautyful daughter Rushna Khiani, and my younger sister Rekha is married to Nick Elander. Thank you so much I am just tring to keep the site up to date. Again Thank you
Letter/ update from Manoj Khiani , August 2016
Dear Aunty Shakun
Thank you.
I am Chandru Khiani’s son, Manoj. My dad’s father was called Lokumal Khiani (son of Saijram). I married Suman melwani from Bangalore-
we have a daughter called Maira.
Thank you for all the effort.
Manoj
Shakun Kimatrai 