Known as Father of Modern Karachi, Jamshed Mehta was born in 1886 in Karachi to a wealthy family, but despite his comfortable upbringing, he chose to live a life of austerity from a young age
Zaffar Junejo
[Author’s note: This essay is based on the notes I took while reading the literature on colonial Karachi. All my notes are from the years 1993-2000, a period during which I worked at the NGO Resource Center in Karachi. Additional notes were scribed from conversations with Mr. Arif Hasan, Comrade Rochi Ram and some other senior friends and colleagues. The major part of the text in this essay is based on notes taken from the books: GM Sayed’s ‘Janab Guzarium Jin Seen’ (With Whom I Passed My Days), Jamshed Memorial Volume (published by the Memorial Committee), and ‘A Life of Yougi’ (written by two friends). This article is a creative arrangement of these notes and an elaboration of the inferred points gathered from conversations with friends mentioned above. This is a part one of the considerably lengthy article. Jamshed Nusseranji Mehta was born on January 7, 1886, and passed away on August 1, 1952. Here are some excerpts from the compiled notes to pay tribute to a legend]
In the days of united India Parsees of Bombay and Karachi were always compared. However, their comparison was in good things – charity, establishing schools, hospitals and houses of destitute people. Jamshed got his own distinct. He was always found there, where there was problem, need of mending or wise advice. Therefore, we may call him Sindh’s emergency man. He was born in 1886 in Karachi to a wealthy family. Despite his comfortable upbringing, he chose to live a life of austerity from a young age. Though he joined the family business, but his heart was drawn towards service. Like other thinking and sensitive men of those times, he was also influences by Theosophy, a spiritual philosophy he encountered from a young age. He deeply admired the Theosophical leader Annie Besant, he regarded her as a spiritual and political figure dedicated to India’s freedom.
Civic services and Commercial securities
A retrospective look at his too engaged life reveals that Jamshed’s public service began when he joined the Karachi Municipal Committee in 1918. Over the next 19 years, he served as a Councilor and then as president and mayor. His visionary leadership transformed Karachi from a retrograde city into a thriving modern metropolis with improved infrastructure, health services and cultural institutions. But it was not instant phenomenon, it all happened due to his tireless efforts and personal sacrifices. He was widely praised for his civic vision and administrative abilities, which lifted the city to new heights. One of his major challenges was addressing Karachi’s water shortage, an issue he tried to resolve by planning to harness the Indus River, though the project was delayed. Due to this project, city’s old problem was solved, and the people started migrating to the city.
The Sukkur Barrage Scheme by the Government of Bombay was first publicly discussed in 1922, when Lord Lloyd, the Governor of Bombay, convened a meeting at Ganeshkhind. Jamshed was invited to this meeting. Though he was not an originator of the scheme, but had come to know that some scheme of a barrage near Sukkur had been prepared some years ago and was lying in the Secretariat of Bombay. Jamshed drew the attention of Lord Lloyd, the Governor of Bombay, to this, and the scheme was subsequently examined and approved by the government. The Barrage and the canals took eight years to be built and completed. This project converted large tracts of desert lands into fertile areas.
Cooperative Movement, Commerce, infrastructure and health services
Jamshed was a successful businessman who devoted himself to the cooperative movement. He founded Sindh Cooperative Bank and other cooperative institutions to support agriculture and the local economy. In 1924, Jamshed joined the Buyers and Shippers’ Chamber. At the time, it was an insignificant body of traders. He used to give away the fees he earned as a member of the Karachi Port Trust Board. This, along with a donation of Rs.10, 000 from the sons of the late Lalji Lakhmidas, became the foundation of a building fund. This fund enabled the Chamber to eventually have its own building, which cost around Rs.30, 000. Jamshed was the main pillar and support of the Chamber. The Chamber not only dealt with commercial problems and grievances but also expressed its opinion on political matters in the best interests of the country.
In 1925, when Sir Charles Innes, the member for Commerce and Railways, visited Karachi, he was invited by the Chamber. As the Chamber’s Chairman, Jamshed’s speech touched several key points, considering the strategic vision of as a leader of the Karachi citizens. He argued that the Karachi Mercantile Association should be represented at the Legislative Council of Bombay, the Legislative Assembly, and the Council of State at New Delhi to ensure their interests were adequately addressed. He also advocated for the construction of feeder railways in Sindh, particularly between Hyderabad and Sukkur, to improve connectivity. In this regard, he suggested some improvements to railway infrastructure (platform sheds at stations like Karachi and Kotri). Additionally, he called for increased Indian representation on the Railway Board and the Central Board of Revenue, as well as encouragement for the Indian Mercantile Marine. He also argued that the comfort of third-class railway passengers should be assured and enhanced. Apart from that he suggested some reforms to Indianize the higher services. He also emphasized the importance of equal treatment in government services based on merit, and requested a direct train service between Karachi and Bombay via Cutch, as well as a direct mail service to Delhi and Cawnpore. Finally, the association advocated for the currency ratio to be fixed at 1/4d (d stands for penny. In Latin, word ‘denarius’ is used for penny) per rupee.
Again, in 1926, the India Taxation Committee visited Karachi, and the Chamber gave its evidence. The Chamber’s conclusion was that the system of taxation in India lacked scientific basis. The country was taxed beyond its capacity, and the army, the home charges, and expensive commissions were mainly responsible for a heavy drain of money. The Chamber advocated that taxation should not strain the taxable capacity of the people and should be the least felt by the poorest. Also, in 1926, when the report of the Currency Commission was out, Jamshed, as the head of Chamber, strongly protested against the Ratio Bill, which aimed to fix the ratio at 18d per rupee instead of 16d as advocated by the people of the country. In the same year, when Mr. Cowasji Jehangir, the General Member of the Government of Bombay, visited Karachi, Jamshed advocated the cause of the harts in Sindh and pressed the Government to declare its policy regarding the sale of agricultural lands in Sukkur.
Read: What happened to Zoroastrians in Karachi?
During major crises like the influenza epidemic, floods in Sindh, and the Quetta earthquake, Jamshed organized extensive relief efforts, working tirelessly to help those in need.
Considering the worst situation of the women, he opened the Sobhraj Maternity Home and Women’s Dispensary, demonstrating his deep concern for the well-being of women and mothers. Jamshed also testified before the Age of Consent Committee, advocating for increasing the legal age of marriage to protect young girls.
No doubt, he had a very active public life from 1918 to 1940. During this period, he served in various important institutions like the Municipal Corporation, Buyers and Shippers’ Chamber, Theosophical Society, and Sindh Legislative Assembly. He founded countless institutions during this hectic period of activity.
Politics and Welfare of Women
Jamshed initially participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s first Civil Disobedience Movement, but soon abandoned it as he felt the masses could not remain non-violent. Instead, he became associated with the Home Rule Movement led by Dr. Annie Besant, whose political views he preferred over Gandhi’s. In 1917, Jamshed was appointed as President of the Home Rule League in Karachi. He also helped establish a National College in Hyderabad, Sindh, contributing significantly to its maintenance for many years. In 1926, when Dr. Besant launched the Commonwealth of India Bill in the British Parliament, Jamshed whole-heartedly entered Indian politics under her banner, as the bill aimed to give India partnership and freedom from exploitation by the British. He also spent his considerable time in development of rural areas.
He wrote a series of articles on ‘Rural Reconstruction’ in ‘Sind Herald’, authored on improvement of drainage, reorganizing of villages, revising local government laws, and reforming the agricultural system. He also advocated for free and compulsory primary education, as well as the establishment of agricultural schools, banks, and cottage industries.
In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi launched his Passive Resistance Movement for the second time. Jamshed had previously taken an active part when it was first started in India, but due to his bitter experience and his involvement with the Home Rule League, he refused to participate this time. He however played the role of a mediator between the passive resisters and the police in Karachi. Through his mediation, Karachi was largely spared from the violence and baton charging that occurred in other cities. In this regard, one example could be quoted that in Karachi on the All-India Hartal Day, when a boy was arrested by police and the crowd got enraged, he bravely threw himself between the mob and the firing squad of the police, telling them to shoot him first. His courage averted a tragedy.
Sindh’s Separation and Sindh Hari Committee
In 1931, the Sindh Sub-Committee of the Round Table Conference recommended that Sindh be separated from the Bombay Presidency and granted autonomy. Jamshed agreed with this and used facts and figures to counter the Hindu opposition, which saw it as a loss of their influence in the Muslim-majority province. Sindh was ultimately separated and made an autonomous unit, with Jamshed playing a significant role in this.
Jamshed played an active role in establishing the Sindh Hari Committee, an association founded for the betterment of Sindhi peasants. The foundation meeting of the Sindh Hari Committee was held in 1936.
Jamshed was elected as the first Mayor of Karachi under the new Municipal Act in 1933. He received high praise and tributes from the Corporation members. When Sindh was declared a separate province in 1936, Jamshed sent a message highlighting the need for wisdom, patience, and tolerance as the people of Sindh worked towards the growth and prosperity of the new province. He emphasized focusing on the good of the province rather than personal or regional differences.
On April 25, 1936, Jamshed presided over the Second Local Self-Government Conference in Lahore. His dream was rural reconstruction, and he urged people to make every village self-sufficient, with its own schools, hospitals, and community centers.
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Jamshed entered politics and contested the 1937 Sindh Legislative Assembly elections from the small town of Dadu. His election manifesto focused on amending the Cooperative Act, establishing land mortgage banks, and implementing agricultural reforms. Jamshed declined to join any political party, saying he would work for the province’s reconstruction regardless of who was in power. This stance cost him his seat in the Assembly, which he resigned from in 1940, disgusted by the party politics and self-interest.
After leaving politics, Jamshed continued his activities, though more quietly. He did not want a statue erected in his honor, and instead raised funds to erect a statue of Seth Harchandrai Vishandas, a former president of the Karachi Municipality.
Prohibition and authorship
Jamshed wrote a book on the history of the Karachi Municipality, describing its growth from a small setup to a large, multi-departmental organization with a significant annual budget. Jamshed had a vision for a more organized and efficient approach to social service in Karachi. He proposed the formation of a “Citizens’ Service Association” that would bring together various social welfare organizations under one roof, allowing them to collaborate and work together more effectively for the betterment of the city and its citizens.
Jamshed’s exemplary service as the President of the Karachi Municipality earned him widespread recognition and praise. In 1939, the Karachi Corporation honored him with an address that celebrated his “selfless services” and hailed him as the “Maker of Modern Karachi,” whose legacy would be remembered by generations to come.
When the debate over Prohibition was raging in Bombay, Jamshed stood firmly in favor of the measure, despite his family’s involvement in the wine business. He believed that Prohibition would be a beneficial social reform, particularly in a country like India, where people were traditionally inclined towards religious and spiritual values. (Continues)
Read: Hindu Heritage in Shahdadpur town of Sindh
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Dr. Zaffar Junejo is a historian and a writer, having earned Doctorate from the Department of History University of Malaya, Malaysia. Presently, Mr. Junejo is associated with the European University Institute, Florence, Italy. Apart from scholarly contribution, he also writes for popular media. He could be accessed at: Email junejozi@gmail.com, Cell/WhatsApp +92 334 045 5333 Skype Zaffar.Junejo Facebook facebook.com/zaffar.junejo
Really great work of Dr Zafar Junejo