Seth Chhaju Ram
Encyclopedia
Seth Chhaju Ram (1861-1943) was a leading Jat from Haryana
, India
, who made a fortune in Calcutta during the colonial
raj. A philanthropist
, he undertook many socially relevant projects. He financed the higher studies of Sir Chhotu Ram
.
district in Haryana
, in the family of Chaudhary Salig Ram of Lamba
gotra Hindu Jat in year 1861. His father had migrated from the village Gothra in Sikar
district in Rajasthan
. He completed his primary education in the village Bawanikhera and high school at Rewadi in Haryana
. He could not continue his higher education due to his weak financial position.
He was married twice. His first wife was from the village Dohaka who died due to cholera
. He had no son from his first wife. Then he married Lakshmi Devi of the village Vilawal in Bhiwani district and had children with her.
ist engineer Raisaheb Shivnath Rai of Bhiwani, who was very much influenced by the talents and sincerity of Chhaju Ram. He took him to Kolkata. For some time he coached Raisaheb’s children. Meanwhile he came in contact with a businessman from Rajgarh. He taught his children also.
The market in Kolkata during those days was dominated by Marwaris. Chhaju Ram, who had a good knowledge of Hindi and English, did correspondence work for the Seths and came to be known as munshiji. He was a talented person. During the process of correspondence with trading-firms, he got sufficient knowledge about trade. He got the trade secrets of dalali business. He started first the trade of old bags and later on shifted to new bags trade. He was, by this time, counted as a known dalal of Kolkata.
He earned great wealth due to hard work and polite behavior. He purchased shares in companies. Later he also took in hand the trade of jute
and became known as the Jute King.
He was a strong believer in God. He spent a lot of money in social welfare works. He started many hostels, libraries and dharamshalas
. He floated scholarships for financially weak and needy students. He financed higher studies of Sir Chhotu Ram. He was known as Bhamasah of kshatriya caste. The British government awarded him the title of ‘Sir’.
He died on 7 April 1943.
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, India
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 made a fortune in Calcutta during the colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
raj. A philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, he undertook many socially relevant projects. He financed the higher studies of Sir Chhotu Ram
Chhotu Ram
Rao Bahadur Sir Chhotu Ram was one of the most prominent pre-partition politicians in Punjab and an ideologue of the Jat peasantry and a champion of its interests. Sir Chottu Ram was the first Stephanian to be knighted in 1937...
.
Early life
He was born at village Alakhpura, tehsil-Bawanikhera in BhiwaniBhiwani
Bhiwani is a city and a municipal council in Bhiwani district in the state of Haryana, India. It is known as the city of temples. Besides being a seat of spiritual learning, the city has been the centerstage of regional politics. The city is hometown to three of Haryana's chief ministers: Bansi...
district in Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
, in the family of Chaudhary Salig Ram of Lamba
Lamba
Lamba may refer to:* Lamba , Punjabi Khatris or Sanatan Khatris ,or Jat and Yaduvanshi Ahirs surname or linage.* Lamba , a Baloch tribe living in Balochistan* Lamba , an uninhabited island in the Shetland Islands...
gotra Hindu Jat in year 1861. His father had migrated from the village Gothra in Sikar
Sikar
Sikar is a city located in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan state in India. It is the administrative headquarter of Sikar District. Sikar is a historical city and contains many old Havelis which are a huge tourist attraction. The best way to reach the city is to use road transport from Jaipur...
district in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. He completed his primary education in the village Bawanikhera and high school at Rewadi in Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
. He could not continue his higher education due to his weak financial position.
He was married twice. His first wife was from the village Dohaka who died due to cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
. He had no son from his first wife. Then he married Lakshmi Devi of the village Vilawal in Bhiwani district and had children with her.
Career
Chhaju Ram, at the age of 20-22, came in contact with Arya SamajArya Samaj
Arya Samaj is a Hindu reform movement founded by Swami Dayananda on 10 April 1875. He was a sannyasi who believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas. Dayananda emphasized the ideals of brahmacharya...
ist engineer Raisaheb Shivnath Rai of Bhiwani, who was very much influenced by the talents and sincerity of Chhaju Ram. He took him to Kolkata. For some time he coached Raisaheb’s children. Meanwhile he came in contact with a businessman from Rajgarh. He taught his children also.
The market in Kolkata during those days was dominated by Marwaris. Chhaju Ram, who had a good knowledge of Hindi and English, did correspondence work for the Seths and came to be known as munshiji. He was a talented person. During the process of correspondence with trading-firms, he got sufficient knowledge about trade. He got the trade secrets of dalali business. He started first the trade of old bags and later on shifted to new bags trade. He was, by this time, counted as a known dalal of Kolkata.
He earned great wealth due to hard work and polite behavior. He purchased shares in companies. Later he also took in hand the trade of jute
Jute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
and became known as the Jute King.
He was a strong believer in God. He spent a lot of money in social welfare works. He started many hostels, libraries and dharamshalas
Dharamshalas
Dharamshalas is the term for a religious resthouse. In Hindi, Dharma means religion, and shala means "sanctuary" hence dharamshala is a 'religious sanctuary' or rest-house for pilgrims, that are primarily created for a religious purpose for pilgrims, or as a religious endowment.Sometimes they are...
. He floated scholarships for financially weak and needy students. He financed higher studies of Sir Chhotu Ram. He was known as Bhamasah of kshatriya caste. The British government awarded him the title of ‘Sir’.
He died on 7 April 1943.