Dhirajlal Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker
Encyclopedia
Dhirajlal Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker (1897–1947) was a British colonial official and Paymaster General of the Port of Karachi
; the largest wheat and cotton exporting port in British India prior to partition
, currently the largest port in Pakistan
. He was the son of Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker
, Chief Treasurer of the Princely State
of Limbdi
under Jhala
Rajput
rule and nephew of Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker
, Diwan of the Princely State
of Vadia.
As effective Chief Financial Officer of the port, he reported directly to the Paymaster General of the United Kingdom
on behalf of the Karachi Port Trust
and was instrumental in developing the Port of Karachi
as the main air entry into India. When Pakistan
was created in 1947, the Port of Karachi
was its capital, major seaport, and the country’s center for industry, administration, and business.
In 1900 at the age of three, he moved to Karachi
from Gujarat with his father and four brothers. Prior to 1920 he returned to Gujarat to marry and subsequently raised five children. In 1947 he died of throat cancer after fleeing modern-day Pakistan
following the partition of India
.
Port of Karachi
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...
; the largest wheat and cotton exporting port in British India prior to partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, currently the largest port in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. He was the son of Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker
Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker
Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker, , was Chief Treasurer of the Princely State of Limbdi under Jhala Rajput rule. He was the younger brother of Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker, Diwan of the Princely State of Vadia....
, Chief Treasurer of the Princely State
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Limbdi
Limbdi
Limbdi is a city and a municipality in Surendranagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.Limbdi has a proud place in women's education. It is home to Lady Wellingdon Girls School, now Municipal school number 3. This school was established in Limbdi on 1 March 1859 when India had hardly any...
under Jhala
Jhala
Jhala is a term in Hindustani classical music which denotes the fast-paced conclusions of classical compositions. It is often characterized by the overwhelming of the melodic component by the rhythmic component. This is sometimes effected by the rapid striking together of the chikari between notes....
Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
rule and nephew of Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker
Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker
Pranjivan Vishwanath Thaker, , was Diwan of Saurashtra, Gujarat, the highest executive office under Rajput rule. He was the brother of Mahashankar Vishwanath Thaker, Chief Treasurer of the princely state of Limbdi....
, Diwan of the Princely State
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Vadia.
As effective Chief Financial Officer of the port, he reported directly to the Paymaster General of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on behalf of the Karachi Port Trust
Karachi Port Trust
Karachi Port Trust is a Pakistani federal government agency that oversees the operations of the Port of Karachi in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.-History:...
and was instrumental in developing the Port of Karachi
Port of Karachi
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...
as the main air entry into India. When Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
was created in 1947, the Port of Karachi
Port of Karachi
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...
was its capital, major seaport, and the country’s center for industry, administration, and business.
In 1900 at the age of three, he moved to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
from Gujarat with his father and four brothers. Prior to 1920 he returned to Gujarat to marry and subsequently raised five children. In 1947 he died of throat cancer after fleeing modern-day Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
following the partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
.