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Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood
M.A Rangoonwala
Abdul Sattar Edhi
Seth Ahmad Dawood
Ebrahim Bawany
Ghulam Muhammad A. Fecto
Hussain Ebrahim Jamal
Sir Adamjee
Jetpur is a small town presently in India. In the latter half of eighteenth century a boy was born to Hanifa bai and Haji Dawood, parents named this boy ADAM. Though not much is known about his early age but it is learnt through some people, Adam was sent to Calcutta as was custom at the time
Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood
M.A Rangoonwala
Abdul Sattar Edhi
Seth Ahmad Dawood
Ebrahim Bawany
Ghulam Muhammad A. Fecto
Hussain Ebrahim Jamal
Sir Adamjee
Jetpur is a small town presently in India. In the latter half of eighteenth century a boy was born to Hanifa bai and Haji Dawood, parents named this boy ADAM. Though not much is known about his early age but it is learnt through some people, Adam was sent to Calcutta as was custom at the time
Adam was in his early teens and Calcutta was a big city. The boy from the small town was confident enough to face hardships of a big city. After spending a few days there, he noticed that most of the businessmen in Calcutta were illiterate and they hardly knew a few words of English. They had to hire persons who knew English for correspondence. But in doing so, their business secrets were leaked and they lost money. Young Adam who was ever wondering in business areas had keenly noticed this situation and took it as a bright chance. He was educated enough to write a few short lines in English. The young man offered the businessmen to handle their correspondence at very nominal charge. The boy handled his work very nicely and easily. As most of this work was done in the evening, some well-wisher told Adam that he should do some work in the spare time. He suggested the business of collecting empty jute bags. Adam did not waste any time and started this business.
He used to go to the streets of Calcutta and started collecting empty jute bags. He used to collect two or three bags and ran to the market to sell these bags at a very small profit. After some time he established his credit in the market and was offered some advance. Now he was able to collect 10 or 15 empty bags at one go. This burden was too much for him so he managed to buy or borrow a bicycle in junk condition. He repaired the bicycle and started his daily rounds on it. His business grew and in a little time he became a whole sale dealer.
He not only collected bags himself but also bought from other street vendors. All this business started sitting on a footpath. He already has gained enough experience to contact banks and machinery suppliers through correspondence. He tried contacting them and got some favorable replies. He knew that the demand of jute bags was increasing many folds, so he decided to establish a jute factory in Dhaka (presently Bangladesh Capital). It was in those days when the word Jee was added to his name (a word showing respect). This was perhaps how the Adamjee Jute Mills was established. This mill soon grew up to be the largest jute mill in the whole world.
Now Adamjee was a wealthy and an important person of business community. An incident of this period is worth mentioning which shows the honest nature of this great man. A Hindu Marvari, who was financially in trouble, contacted Adamjee for help. Adamjee offered him loan to support his business. The Marvari refused, and offered to sell a stone quarry that was running at loss. The deal was finalized then and there.
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Adamjee Jute Mill Bangladesh |
Adamjee went to the quarry next day and announced, though the ownership has changed but no body would be sacked out, everyone would work as usual.
Fortunately, workers discovered gold nuggets from the mine the same day. It was a gold mine. As Adamjee was informed about this discovery, he went to the Marvari, told him everything and offered him to return the mine.
The marvari also shown honesty and refused to take it back, saying that it was Adamjee’s luck. He told that he could not mine even stones and just as the ownership was changed gold was mined. This mine provided gold for many years. The whole matter is recorded in British Archives.
Accumulating significant wealth, Adamjee went on to establish schools, colleges and hospitals in various parts of India and Burma. A philanthropist to the core, Adamjee never refused to support a deserving cause. In 1933, realizing the overriding need for education in his own ethnic Gujarati Memon community, he established the Memon Education & Welfare Society (MEWS) to support the financially deprived students. His charitable activities were greatly appreciated by Muslims in India and they demanded that he be officially recognized for it. Finally on 9th June 1938 Lord Bradbourne Governor of Bengal, On Order of British Empire (OBE), conferred the title of Knight Commander of Indian Empire (KCIE) to Adamjee. Thereafter he was known as Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood.
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Adamjee Science College Karachi |
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Adamjee Cantonment College, Dhaka Cantonment |
When Pakistan was established there were no funds available to support the newly independent country. Extremely worried Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah asked the newly appointed Finance Minister Ghulam Mohomad to search down Adamjee. Amidst migration and transition chaos, Ghulam Mohomed searched hectically to appraise Adamjee of Quaid's message. Finally, a few days later, at the Palace Hotel in Karachi, the gentlemen were able to discuss the issues. Adamjee then spoke to his banker M.A. Habib and then turned to Ghulam Mohomed and said "your problem is solved". Singlehandedly Adamjee had financed the new nation by arranging a bridge finance secured on his personal assets. This has come to be known as the "blank cheque offer" which Sir Adamjee is remembered for today.
Adamjee died on 27th January 1948 but he is still alive in every Pakistanis heart. On Adamjee's death, The Quaid mentioned in his address to the nation: "that if I had a dozen men like Adamjee, Pakistan would have been achieved earlier. It is truly a national loss to Pakistan".
Sir Adamjee's family continued with the legacy of charities, and established educational institutions like Adamjee High School in Dhaka, Adamjee Science College, Sir Adamjee Institute of Technology ,The Adamjee Academic Center and Lady Mariam Adamjee girls School in Karachi
To pay respect and recognition to Sir Adamjee, governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan named various streets and neighborhoods in Dhaka, Karachi, Peshawar and Rawalpindi after him. In year 2000, Government of Pakistan initiated and issued postage stamps with image of Sir Adamjee.
A Shrewd businessman , a great philanthropist , an unmatched politician people like Sir Adamjee are Pride of every nation and community
CHRONOLOGY OF LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS OF SIR ADAMJEE HAJI DAWOOD
1880 Born at Jaitpur, Kathiawar (India) on Wednesday,30th June, 1880.
1895 Joined M/s. Salehmohammed Gnaziani & Co. at Rangoon (Burma) at the age of 15.
1896 Joined the family Business at Rangoon (Burma) at the age of 16.
1898 Got married with Mariam Bai at the age of 18.
1901 Established his own business & expanded the business and became one of the largest Exporter of Rice and Matches. One of the largest Importer of Jute & Jute goods in Burma.
1904 Opened a branch office at Calcutta (India).
1916 Establish a Rice Mill at Rangoon (Burma).
1918 He gave the financial help to Jamia Tibbia, Dehli (India).
1919 His mother Hanifa Bai died.
1920 Appointed as Member of Advisory Committee of Central Bank of India (Burma Branch).
1923 Established a Largest Match Factory in Asia at Rangoon (Burma).
1924 His father Haji Dawood died at Calcutta (India).
1925 Founded Burma-India Chamber of Commerce at Rangoon (Burma).
1925 Founded Burma-Muslim Chamber of Commerce at Rangoon (Burma).
1925 Appointed as Director, Rangoon Electric Tramways, Rangoon (Burma).
1925 Elected as President of “Rangoon Memon Jamat”, Rangoon (Burma).
1928 Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood met Quaid-e-Azam Mohd. Ali Jinnah first time at Dehli.
1928 Establised a Jute Mill at Calcutta (India).
1932 Settled Permanently at Calcutta (India).
1933 Fouded the Memon Educatioal & Welfare Society on 29th May, 1933 at Calcutta (India).
1934 Memon Relief Society carried out relief operation under the guidance of Sir Adamjee for Bihar Earthquake victims.
1935 Carried out Relief operation for Quetta Earthquake victims.
1938 The British Government Awarded the Knighthood title “ SIR” in recognition of his services to Humanitarian causes as well as to Business & Industry on 21st June, 1938 on Birthday of King George VI.
1941 Established “Adamjee Muslim High School” at Jatpur (India).
1943 Founded “Muslim Educational Society” in Calcutta (India).
1944 Federation of Muslim Chamber of Commerce & Industry was founded. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Proposed the name of Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood as its first President on 9-7-1944.
1947 Establish Muslim Commercial Bank in Calcutta (India) on the introduction of Quaid-e-Azam on 9-7-1947.
1947 Establish adamjee Boarding House at Karachi.
1947 Founder Member of Orient Airways Sponsored by Quaid-e-Azam.
1948 Came to Karachi on the call of Quaid-e-Azam Mohd. Ali Jinnah for the establishment of the State Bank of Pkistan on 25-01-1948 from Calcutta (India).
1948 He had Heart Attack while attending the meeting in connection with the establishment of State Bank of Pakistan on26-1-1948.
1949 He died on Tuesday, 27-01-1948 at 10: 30 PM at Karachi, Pakistan.
Mr. M. A. Rangoonwala was a philanthropist, a social worker,an industrialist and a prominent business personality of South Asia and Europe.He was born on May 20th 1924 in Rangoon to parents who taught him to follow the footsteps of great people. On his birth his father sent a cable from Rangoon (Burma) to Moulana Muhammad Ali Jouhar requesting him to send his blessings and permit his son to be named Muhammad Ali to which Moulana Saheb immediately replied in affirmation.
Mr. Rangoonwala's father, Mr. V.M. Gany Rangoonwala and mother, Mrs. Zuleikhabai always wanted their young son to follow the ideas of charity, philanthropy, large heartedness and leadership. After migration to India from Burma, the family was deprived of their wealth and business and young Mr. Rangoonwala was never upset about his poverty and with pride told his friends that his mode of transport in Bombay was a bicycle. His father was amongst the first couple of Memons in Rangoon to own a motor-car and headed many welfare organisations in Rangoon and Calcutta. Muslim dispensary in Rangoon thrived to become a well-organized clinic in later years and Rangoonwala Foundation, London, continued to assist this dispensary with generous financial assistance. Mr. Rangoonwala always told his friends that his parents had taught him a lesson to the effect that whatever you donate by your own hands would be your money and what you do not donate personally would be somebody else's money. Following this noble advice, Mr. Rangoonwala developed generosity beyond words. He gave away large amounts of money to the trust in the name of Z.V.M. Gany Rangoonwala Trust in Karachi, in 1957 through which first community centre of its type Z.V.M. Gany Rangoonwala Community Centre and V.M. Gany Public School the like of which may be few and far between in Karachi were set up. Deserving and needy students are given preference without compromising with quality of education. Mr. Rangoonwala did not like the word charity. He always preferred to keep up the morale of poor students by personally subsidising their full fees from his private purse without letting students. know that 95% fees students paid came from his own purse. This attitude helped to create sense of dignity amongst the poor students and also helped both these institutions to be ranked amongst the best of their type in Karachi.
Mr. Rangoonwala was one of the rich people of Indo-Pak yet he would walk many a miles around the pavements of Karachi, Bombay and other towns enquiring sympathetically from the fruit vendors, hawkers etc. as to how much their investment and profit was. He also invited quite a few of them if they desired some more money to increase profit. He would advance them small loans to expand their business. This was one of his favourite hobbies. His philosophy in life was rather than giving fish and loaf to a needy person, give fishing implement so that he can earn his living by fishing.He firmly believed in free trade, fair competition and the responsibility of fortunate individuals to alleviate poverty and to raise the standards of living of those less fortunate.
He started his international business in London. He donated munificently to various causes including those in Pakistan, India, Rangoon and U.- K. Trust in London was not smaller than the World Memon Foundation which he established with the active assistance of his friends in Karachi, Bombay and South Africa. The trust in London brought him close to leading philanthropists of Europe and to the Royal family of U.K. For a particular cause headed by the Queen, Mr. Rangoonwala was one of the few invites at the Buckingham Palace and the Queen desired Mr. Rangoonwala to be one of the trustees. For another cause started by Prince Philip who incidentally, was a friend of Mr. Rangoonwala, he would be invited to Buckingham Palace by the Duke with similar request. This close proximity with the royal family and also due to his generous donations he became known internationally. Through World Memon Foundation about hundred and eighty million Rupees were donated by the trustees of the Foundation. Through his own funds, with the assistance of his friends form Teli Group and others he helped acquire land to establish Dhoraji Colony, where some flats and small houses were given away either free or on subsidized rates whereas some plots were sold at no profit. He helped set V.M. Unani Medical College and Zuleikhabai Hospital in Pune, India.
He was one of the first businessmen to migrate to Karachi and did incredible service in the fields of relief to refugees, to help set up business, trade and industry. He re-activated Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries of which he became the President, helped establish Federation of Chambers & Commerce and Industries, Pakistan, and also became its President. He himself established several industries including one of the largest oil terminals.
He was one of few Asians to become the President of International Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Paris in which position he had to undertake visits to many countries of the world and had the honour of being received by the Heads of States. He received awards and titles from Pakistan as well as Germany and heads of other countries for the services he rendered.
Mr. Rangoonwala headed National Bank of Pakistan as Chairman. He was Director PICIC and many other organisations, financial institutions and similarly he was associated with some of the world renowned institutions in Europe and America.
Abdul Sattar Edhi was born in Bantva in 1925.He along with his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947.
When Edhi was at the tender age of eleven, his mother became paralyzed. Young Abdul Sattar devoted himself for looking after all her needs; cleaning, bathing, changing clothes and feeding. This proved to be a loosing battle against the disease, and her helplessness increased over the years.He was jobless and penniless young man.His mother needed bedpan and pots but they were expensive and he could not manage to buy.Her persistent woeful condition left a lasting impression on young Edhi.
He kept thinking about other poor men.He had an idea that if he begged for used pots and pans from well to do families, he could stock them for poor families' use. His idea worked and he soon collected pots, pans, wheel chairs and crutches etc. and he stocked them in a go down space someone had allowed him to use.
Then an epidemic of influenza broke out in Karachi , so Edhi got some medicines and began distributing them to the needy people while sitting on the steps of a mosque . He became famous by this action. He was worried about his personal income so he started selling pins, needles, thread spools etc. in a tray wearing a tray on his neck.
He earned just enough for his and his mother's basic needs. While he was struggling, he noted that it was pretty hard task to carry ill persons to the hospitals. He shifted some injured persons in taxis and rickshaws to the hospitals without asking for their relatives' permission and thus saved their lives .People were very happy and some people donated generously to him
He bought a volks wagon micro bus in junk condition .He spent many days and nights and converted this junk into a running vehicle himself.
He now had his first ambulance in his hands. Now Abdul Sattar Edhi was a house hold name in the field of ambulances .In those days Karachi had only one service St.John's Ambulance Service with one or two vehicles, operated by a Christian charity. Edhi's ambulance was always there and he didn't ask any questions or claimed any charges. People liked this attitude and began donating more and more, so Edhi bought another vehicle and another and another and so on to become the largest ambulance service in the world. The go down he used to stock his ware was offered for rent and he took the chance to get it for his own setup. He began a clinic with very minimum drugs and medicines and got a doctor on a nominal salary. The clinic was under way.There was full crowding of poor people.Edhi wore very simple grey cloth dress and he did not have time to shave .His beard grew and people began calling him Maulana .This name is still his identity.
Edhi was a loner. In He married Bilquis at the age of forty plus. Biquis was a nurse in his clinic. They have four children, two boys and two girls.
One incident in his life gives insight to his mentality. A building known as Bismillah Manzil(Karachi) collapsed during the night. Many people died in this accident. Edhi rescued one orphan boy and raised him in his own home.The boy grew up with his children.As the boy grew up Edhi wedded this boy to his eldest daughter Kubra. This couple had three children but there were some problems between them and Edhi's son in law divorced Kubra. Kubra took over ladies section of Edhi to forget about the scar of her pains. She was in charge of mentally retarded women.One day one ill lady grabbed Kubra's 4 year old son Bilal and poured hot water over him which killed. Abdul Sattar Edhi at the time was at rescue work at a railway accident,He was informed of the death of his grand son but Edhi refused to leave the rescue work and did not return for two more days. The woman who committed this horrible act was brought to Edhi but Edhi forgave that lady and kept her in his shelter for a long time till she ran away.
At present Edhi operates more than 600 ambulances, mental asylums, maternity homes, schools dairy farm for milk for the patients, a faculty for hydrotherapy, elaborate kitchen, staff buses etc. His total staff including drivers, numbers around ten thousand. His fifty kilometer scheme provides ambulances at every road in Pakistan after fifty kilometers
saving lives of many road accident victims
now edhi is 85 years old but he is active as ever.He regularly visits his centers around Karachi and also visits his centers in Pakistan and abroad.
His son Kutub takes care of USA operation, Faisal Edhi is incharge of Karachi operations but Edhi is hard to please, he insists on doing every thing himself.
Operating 32 different services, all for poor people work he doesn't claim any religious or community label. He says he serves only humanity.Some incidents in Edhi's life are eye openers .People like are the pride of the humanity let aside the community
Legends-M A Rangoonwala
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| Rangoonwala Hall and Community Centre |
Mr. Rangoonwala was one of the rich people of Indo-Pak yet he would walk many a miles around the pavements of Karachi, Bombay and other towns enquiring sympathetically from the fruit vendors, hawkers etc. as to how much their investment and profit was. He also invited quite a few of them if they desired some more money to increase profit. He would advance them small loans to expand their business. This was one of his favourite hobbies. His philosophy in life was rather than giving fish and loaf to a needy person, give fishing implement so that he can earn his living by fishing.He firmly believed in free trade, fair competition and the responsibility of fortunate individuals to alleviate poverty and to raise the standards of living of those less fortunate.
He started his international business in London. He donated munificently to various causes including those in Pakistan, India, Rangoon and U.- K. Trust in London was not smaller than the World Memon Foundation which he established with the active assistance of his friends in Karachi, Bombay and South Africa. The trust in London brought him close to leading philanthropists of Europe and to the Royal family of U.K. For a particular cause headed by the Queen, Mr. Rangoonwala was one of the few invites at the Buckingham Palace and the Queen desired Mr. Rangoonwala to be one of the trustees. For another cause started by Prince Philip who incidentally, was a friend of Mr. Rangoonwala, he would be invited to Buckingham Palace by the Duke with similar request. This close proximity with the royal family and also due to his generous donations he became known internationally. Through World Memon Foundation about hundred and eighty million Rupees were donated by the trustees of the Foundation. Through his own funds, with the assistance of his friends form Teli Group and others he helped acquire land to establish Dhoraji Colony, where some flats and small houses were given away either free or on subsidized rates whereas some plots were sold at no profit. He helped set V.M. Unani Medical College and Zuleikhabai Hospital in Pune, India.
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| M.A. Rangoonwala College of Physiotherapy and Research Pune India |
He was one of few Asians to become the President of International Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Paris in which position he had to undertake visits to many countries of the world and had the honour of being received by the Heads of States. He received awards and titles from Pakistan as well as Germany and heads of other countries for the services he rendered.
Mr. Rangoonwala headed National Bank of Pakistan as Chairman. He was Director PICIC and many other organisations, financial institutions and similarly he was associated with some of the world renowned institutions in Europe and America.
Mr. M. A. Rangoonwala remained for 74 years a champion on the world’s stage of business, commerce and philanthropy. He served humanity throughout the world.
Legends- Abdul Sattar Edhi
Abdul Sattar Edhi was born in Bantva in 1925.He along with his family migrated to Pakistan in 1947.
When Edhi was at the tender age of eleven, his mother became paralyzed. Young Abdul Sattar devoted himself for looking after all her needs; cleaning, bathing, changing clothes and feeding. This proved to be a loosing battle against the disease, and her helplessness increased over the years.He was jobless and penniless young man.His mother needed bedpan and pots but they were expensive and he could not manage to buy.Her persistent woeful condition left a lasting impression on young Edhi.
He kept thinking about other poor men.He had an idea that if he begged for used pots and pans from well to do families, he could stock them for poor families' use. His idea worked and he soon collected pots, pans, wheel chairs and crutches etc. and he stocked them in a go down space someone had allowed him to use.
Then an epidemic of influenza broke out in Karachi , so Edhi got some medicines and began distributing them to the needy people while sitting on the steps of a mosque . He became famous by this action. He was worried about his personal income so he started selling pins, needles, thread spools etc. in a tray wearing a tray on his neck.
He earned just enough for his and his mother's basic needs. While he was struggling, he noted that it was pretty hard task to carry ill persons to the hospitals. He shifted some injured persons in taxis and rickshaws to the hospitals without asking for their relatives' permission and thus saved their lives .People were very happy and some people donated generously to him
He bought a volks wagon micro bus in junk condition .He spent many days and nights and converted this junk into a running vehicle himself.
He now had his first ambulance in his hands. Now Abdul Sattar Edhi was a house hold name in the field of ambulances .In those days Karachi had only one service St.John's Ambulance Service with one or two vehicles, operated by a Christian charity. Edhi's ambulance was always there and he didn't ask any questions or claimed any charges. People liked this attitude and began donating more and more, so Edhi bought another vehicle and another and another and so on to become the largest ambulance service in the world. The go down he used to stock his ware was offered for rent and he took the chance to get it for his own setup. He began a clinic with very minimum drugs and medicines and got a doctor on a nominal salary. The clinic was under way.There was full crowding of poor people.Edhi wore very simple grey cloth dress and he did not have time to shave .His beard grew and people began calling him Maulana .This name is still his identity.
Edhi was a loner. In He married Bilquis at the age of forty plus. Biquis was a nurse in his clinic. They have four children, two boys and two girls.
One incident in his life gives insight to his mentality. A building known as Bismillah Manzil(Karachi) collapsed during the night. Many people died in this accident. Edhi rescued one orphan boy and raised him in his own home.The boy grew up with his children.As the boy grew up Edhi wedded this boy to his eldest daughter Kubra. This couple had three children but there were some problems between them and Edhi's son in law divorced Kubra. Kubra took over ladies section of Edhi to forget about the scar of her pains. She was in charge of mentally retarded women.One day one ill lady grabbed Kubra's 4 year old son Bilal and poured hot water over him which killed. Abdul Sattar Edhi at the time was at rescue work at a railway accident,He was informed of the death of his grand son but Edhi refused to leave the rescue work and did not return for two more days. The woman who committed this horrible act was brought to Edhi but Edhi forgave that lady and kept her in his shelter for a long time till she ran away.
At present Edhi operates more than 600 ambulances, mental asylums, maternity homes, schools dairy farm for milk for the patients, a faculty for hydrotherapy, elaborate kitchen, staff buses etc. His total staff including drivers, numbers around ten thousand. His fifty kilometer scheme provides ambulances at every road in Pakistan after fifty kilometers
saving lives of many road accident victims
now edhi is 85 years old but he is active as ever.He regularly visits his centers around Karachi and also visits his centers in Pakistan and abroad.
His son Kutub takes care of USA operation, Faisal Edhi is incharge of Karachi operations but Edhi is hard to please, he insists on doing every thing himself.
