Seth Khora Ramji Chawda
Encyclopedia
Khora Ramji Chawda better known as Seth Khora Ramji, was a reputed Railway Contractor, Coal mines owner and Banker of early 20th Century in India
, who worked from Dhanbad
and Jharia
. He was born in a small village called Sinugra
in Kutch and belonged to KGK Community. He was one the greatest Railway Contractors of his times and his expolits were mentioned by British authorities. He is also credited by them to be the first Indian to break monopoly of Europeans in Jharia
coalfields. He established his first Colliery name Khas Jharia Colliery in 1895 and moved on to establish five more by 1910. He was also a financing partner in many coalfields of Jharia coal belt and additionally worked as a Private Banker. With his half-brother, Jetha Lira Jethwa he owned Khas Jinagora Colliery, which operated under name & style of J. & K. Ramji.
As per British records – a few lines are quoted – Seth Khora Ramji have done works of great magnitude :- Hundred Miles of Railway in Sindh
& North west India. Twenty Miles of Railway lines on S.M. Railway. Twenty two miles of railway line on East Bengal Railway, loco quarters at Hubli including several bridges of great magnitude. His elder brothers were also carrying on at the same time railway works in Sothern India and they also won name as successful contractors. All them joined hands in business and formed themselves in syndicate and completed works in MSM Railway
but later unfortunately he lost all brothers but one ( Jetha Lira Jethwa). So he was left almost single handed. Seth Khora Ramji deserved much credit for the satisfactory completion of the above works because they involve much skill and labour and many mathematical calculations. Though uneducated he grasped clearly all the principals underlying these constructions and worked all the contracts entrusted to him to the satisfaction of railway authorities. In 1900 there was a turn in his business life. Just a that time Jharia
coal fields were being exploited by Europeans and Seth Khora Ramji was first Indian to seize the opportunity. He purchased two collieries to begin with. Gradually others from Kutch and Gujarat followed suite and now Jharia has been changed into a Gujarati settlement with about 50 Kutchi
out of 92 Gujarati
collieries proprietors with Seth Khora Ramji as head of them all. He is now sole proprietor of two collieries and a financing member of about eight colliries. Several District official have remarked him as "Multi-millionare, one of the first class parties in Jharia." – Year of noting 1920.
Some of the works done by Khora Ramji Chawda of Sinugra
are : 1880 : Hubli Loco Shed & other Works, 100 Miles work in North Western Railway, 20 Miles Work in Southern Maratta Railway, 177 miles in 1182–84 Hotgi
to Gadag with his brothers in SMR, 22 Miles Railway in East Bengal Railway, 1888 – 128 miles in Bilaspur
to Jharsuguda
with fellow Mistris section including Bridge over Champa River
in BNR, in 1894 Jharia
Branch line of EIR, 1895 : Railway line in East Coast Railway & Bridge over Ganjam
. His last Railway work was in 1903 : Bridge over Ganges river in Allahbad – Lucknow
section. While working for this bridge, he was harassed by Engineer I.L. Gail, so he decided to stop Railway Contracts. By this time since 1895 to 1901 he had already started two collieries in Jharia. I.E. Gail later realized his mistake and offered him contracts in other section. But Khora Ramji declined the offer and diverted all his energy to Coal Mining business, in which he was assisted by his & his brother's son. He also became a Private Banker. He rose to such a height by 1920 and became Seth
Khora Ramji from Khora Ramji that British had to mention his name in Encyclopaedia of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa. He had studied up to fourth standard in his native village school but still managed to erect & build Railway bridges requiring deep technical knowledge and mathematical calculations.
Khora Ramji and Brothers established collieries at Khas Jharia
, Jeenagora, Jamadoba
, Balihari
, Fatehpur, Gareria, Bansjora. In Pure Jharia Colliery Khora Ramji and brothers were partners with Diwan Bahadur D.D. Thacker. Khora Ramji was also partner in Khimji Walji & Company's Indian Jharia Colliery.
The credit of being first Indian to break the monopoly of British in Jharia Coalfields goes to Seth Khora Ramji Chawda of Sinugra
. In the life sketch of Khora Ramji given in Encyclopedia of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa - the British have noted this fact in year 1920 - "In Jharia Coalfield he was first Indian to seize the opportunity and by his prompt entry into colliery business, he was able to remove the stigma that would otherwise be leveled against his community as backward class." Further, details are given in the book Diary of Golden Days at Jharia - A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia - written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa -Quote: The East Indian Railway in 1894-95 extended its line from Barakar
to Dhanbad
via Katras
and Jharia
. Messrs. Khora Ramji in 1894 was working on railway lines contract of Jharia branch line and with his brothers was also building Jharia Railway Station. Messrs. Khora Ramji was a HUF
of five brothers & their sons : Khora Ramji Chawda, Pachhan Ramji Chawda, Akhai Ramji Chawda, Teja Ramji Chawda & their half-brother Jetha Lira Vela Jethwa. The Jharia coalfields was discovered while digging up the earth for laying this railway line. Khora Ramji while working near Jharia Railway station immediately realized the gold he had struck and purchased the lands from Raja of Jharia. He similarly purchased about eight coal-fields from years 1895-1909. Further, he also encouraged fellow Mistri contractors to purchase the land and even financed them to do so. He later approached Raja of Jharia for lease of mining rights and laid foundation of his colliery business. The location of his three collieries named Jeenagora, Khas Jherria, Gareria is mentioned also in 1917 Gazetteers of Bengal, Assam, Bihar & Orissa.:- Unquote
Khora Ramji died in year 1923, several after his death in 1930, two of his collieries Khas Jharia & Golden Jharia, which also housed their bungalow then run by his sons Ambalal Khora and others capsized due to now infamous underground fires. Ambalal Khora also carried on father's legacy of Railway Contracts and died in a railway accident.
As per details given in Diary of Golden Days at Jharia - A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia - written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa - Quote: "Seth Khora Ramji headed the first association as mentioned by British authorities in Encyclopaedia Bengal, Bihar & Orissa (1920).
In his native village Sinugra
he had built and donated in year 1910 a Hindu temple, Chabutro
, a primary school, which is now named Seth Khora Ramji Prathmik Shala. He also donated funds to start Gujarati School at Jharia
in 1920. He was honored by Maharao of Cutch, Khengarji III in 1920, when he was given Paghdi
by the King.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, who worked from Dhanbad
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
and Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
. He was born in a small village called Sinugra
Sinugra
Sinugra or Shinoogra or Sinogra or Sinougra is a village near the town of Anjar, the taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The village is located 7 km from the nearest city Anjar...
in Kutch and belonged to KGK Community. He was one the greatest Railway Contractors of his times and his expolits were mentioned by British authorities. He is also credited by them to be the first Indian to break monopoly of Europeans in Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
coalfields. He established his first Colliery name Khas Jharia Colliery in 1895 and moved on to establish five more by 1910. He was also a financing partner in many coalfields of Jharia coal belt and additionally worked as a Private Banker. With his half-brother, Jetha Lira Jethwa he owned Khas Jinagora Colliery, which operated under name & style of J. & K. Ramji.
As per British records – a few lines are quoted – Seth Khora Ramji have done works of great magnitude :- Hundred Miles of Railway in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
& North west India. Twenty Miles of Railway lines on S.M. Railway. Twenty two miles of railway line on East Bengal Railway, loco quarters at Hubli including several bridges of great magnitude. His elder brothers were also carrying on at the same time railway works in Sothern India and they also won name as successful contractors. All them joined hands in business and formed themselves in syndicate and completed works in MSM Railway
Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway
The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway was a railway company that operated in southern India. It was founded on January 1, 1908, by merging the Madras Railway and the Southern Mahratta Railway. Initially, its headquarters was at Royapuram in Madras but later shifted to a newly constructed...
but later unfortunately he lost all brothers but one ( Jetha Lira Jethwa). So he was left almost single handed. Seth Khora Ramji deserved much credit for the satisfactory completion of the above works because they involve much skill and labour and many mathematical calculations. Though uneducated he grasped clearly all the principals underlying these constructions and worked all the contracts entrusted to him to the satisfaction of railway authorities. In 1900 there was a turn in his business life. Just a that time Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
coal fields were being exploited by Europeans and Seth Khora Ramji was first Indian to seize the opportunity. He purchased two collieries to begin with. Gradually others from Kutch and Gujarat followed suite and now Jharia has been changed into a Gujarati settlement with about 50 Kutchi
Kutchi
Kutchi may refer to:* Kutchi people, an ethnic group in Sindh, Pakistan and Gujarat, India* Kutchi language, language spoken in Sindh, Pakistan and Gujarat, India* Kutch District, in Gujarat, India* Kuchi nomads of Afghanistan...
out of 92 Gujarati
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to anything of or relating to Gujarat, India and may refer directly to the following articles:* Gujarati people* Gujarati language* Gujarati script* Gujarati cuisine* Gujarati culture* Gujarati, a style of sari draping...
collieries proprietors with Seth Khora Ramji as head of them all. He is now sole proprietor of two collieries and a financing member of about eight colliries. Several District official have remarked him as "Multi-millionare, one of the first class parties in Jharia." – Year of noting 1920.
Some of the works done by Khora Ramji Chawda of Sinugra
Sinugra
Sinugra or Shinoogra or Sinogra or Sinougra is a village near the town of Anjar, the taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The village is located 7 km from the nearest city Anjar...
are : 1880 : Hubli Loco Shed & other Works, 100 Miles work in North Western Railway, 20 Miles Work in Southern Maratta Railway, 177 miles in 1182–84 Hotgi
Hotgi
Hotgi is a place in Solapur district of Maharashtra.Hotgi Junction is an important railway junction station under Solapur division of Central Railway zone of Indian Railways....
to Gadag with his brothers in SMR, 22 Miles Railway in East Bengal Railway, 1888 – 128 miles in Bilaspur
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
Bilaspur is a city in Bilaspur District in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, situated 111 km north of state capital, Raipur. It is the second-largest city in the state. It is the administrative headquarter of Bilaspur district...
to Jharsuguda
Jharsuguda
Jharsuguda is the district headquarters of Jharsuguda district of Orissa, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Jharsuguda district. It is an upcoming industrial hub, basically in the metal and cement sectors. Jharsuguda is well connected to all major cities of India through rail network...
with fellow Mistris section including Bridge over Champa River
Champa, Chhattisgarh
Champa is a city and a municipality in Janjgir-Champa district in the state of Chhattisgarh, India.-Geography:Champa is located at . It has an average elevation of 253 metres ....
in BNR, in 1894 Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
Branch line of EIR, 1895 : Railway line in East Coast Railway & Bridge over Ganjam
Ganjam
Ganjam is a town and a notified area committee in Ganjam district in the state of Orissa, India.-Geography:Ganjam is located at . It has an average elevation of 3 metres .-Demographics:...
. His last Railway work was in 1903 : Bridge over Ganges river in Allahbad – Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
section. While working for this bridge, he was harassed by Engineer I.L. Gail, so he decided to stop Railway Contracts. By this time since 1895 to 1901 he had already started two collieries in Jharia. I.E. Gail later realized his mistake and offered him contracts in other section. But Khora Ramji declined the offer and diverted all his energy to Coal Mining business, in which he was assisted by his & his brother's son. He also became a Private Banker. He rose to such a height by 1920 and became Seth
Sheth
Sheth was a title of honor, generally prefixed to the name of big businessmen, money lenders or rich persons of town in India. The title is still used but less often. In older days another title Nagar Seth was used to denote richest person of the town....
Khora Ramji from Khora Ramji that British had to mention his name in Encyclopaedia of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa. He had studied up to fourth standard in his native village school but still managed to erect & build Railway bridges requiring deep technical knowledge and mathematical calculations.
Khora Ramji and Brothers established collieries at Khas Jharia
Jharia Khas
Jharia Khas is a census town in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Demographics: India census, Jharia Khas had a population of 19,808. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Jharia Khas has an average literacy rate of 54%, lower than the national average of 59.5%:...
, Jeenagora, Jamadoba
Jamadoba
Jamadoba is a census town in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Geography:Jamadoba is located at . It has an average elevation of 153 metres .-Demographics:...
, Balihari
Baliari
Baliari is a census town in Dhanbad district in the state of Jharkhand, India.-Demographics: India census, Baliari had a population of 11,528. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Baliari has an average literacy rate of 59%, lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 67% of...
, Fatehpur, Gareria, Bansjora. In Pure Jharia Colliery Khora Ramji and brothers were partners with Diwan Bahadur D.D. Thacker. Khora Ramji was also partner in Khimji Walji & Company's Indian Jharia Colliery.
The credit of being first Indian to break the monopoly of British in Jharia Coalfields goes to Seth Khora Ramji Chawda of Sinugra
Sinugra
Sinugra or Shinoogra or Sinogra or Sinougra is a village near the town of Anjar, the taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The village is located 7 km from the nearest city Anjar...
. In the life sketch of Khora Ramji given in Encyclopedia of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa - the British have noted this fact in year 1920 - "In Jharia Coalfield he was first Indian to seize the opportunity and by his prompt entry into colliery business, he was able to remove the stigma that would otherwise be leveled against his community as backward class." Further, details are given in the book Diary of Golden Days at Jharia - A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia - written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa -Quote: The East Indian Railway in 1894-95 extended its line from Barakar
Barakar
Barakar is a town in Asansol subdivision of Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal. It is situated at the border of the states of Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Grand Trunk Road passes through Barakar. The town is located on the banks of Barakar River....
to Dhanbad
Dhanbad
Dhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
via Katras
Katras
Katras is a town equivalent to a city in terms of facilities and a notified area in Dhanbad district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Geography:Katras is located at . It has an average elevation of 201 metres .-Demographics:...
and Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
. Messrs. Khora Ramji in 1894 was working on railway lines contract of Jharia branch line and with his brothers was also building Jharia Railway Station. Messrs. Khora Ramji was a HUF
Hindu Undivided Family
Hindu undivided family is a legal term related to the Hindu Marriage Act. Due to the development of Indian Legal System, of late, the female members are also given the right of share to the property in the HUF...
of five brothers & their sons : Khora Ramji Chawda, Pachhan Ramji Chawda, Akhai Ramji Chawda, Teja Ramji Chawda & their half-brother Jetha Lira Vela Jethwa. The Jharia coalfields was discovered while digging up the earth for laying this railway line. Khora Ramji while working near Jharia Railway station immediately realized the gold he had struck and purchased the lands from Raja of Jharia. He similarly purchased about eight coal-fields from years 1895-1909. Further, he also encouraged fellow Mistri contractors to purchase the land and even financed them to do so. He later approached Raja of Jharia for lease of mining rights and laid foundation of his colliery business. The location of his three collieries named Jeenagora, Khas Jherria, Gareria is mentioned also in 1917 Gazetteers of Bengal, Assam, Bihar & Orissa.:- Unquote
Khora Ramji died in year 1923, several after his death in 1930, two of his collieries Khas Jharia & Golden Jharia, which also housed their bungalow then run by his sons Ambalal Khora and others capsized due to now infamous underground fires. Ambalal Khora also carried on father's legacy of Railway Contracts and died in a railway accident.
As per details given in Diary of Golden Days at Jharia - A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia - written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa - Quote: "Seth Khora Ramji headed the first association as mentioned by British authorities in Encyclopaedia Bengal, Bihar & Orissa (1920).
In his native village Sinugra
Sinugra
Sinugra or Shinoogra or Sinogra or Sinougra is a village near the town of Anjar, the taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The village is located 7 km from the nearest city Anjar...
he had built and donated in year 1910 a Hindu temple, Chabutro
Chabutro
Chabutro or Chabutaro or Chabutra is a structure mostly found in villages of Gujarat State of India. It is a tower-like structure with octagonal or pentagonal shaped enclosures at the top. In the upper enclosure are several holes, wherein birds can make their nests. In Gujarat these are...
, a primary school, which is now named Seth Khora Ramji Prathmik Shala. He also donated funds to start Gujarati School at Jharia
Jharia
Jharia is a notified area and one of eight development blocks in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand state, India. More than one town in India shares this name.- City :...
in 1920. He was honored by Maharao of Cutch, Khengarji III in 1920, when he was given Paghdi
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
by the King.
See also
- Contributions of Mistris of Kutch in History of Indian Railways in British India