Seth Harchandrai Vishandas
Encyclopedia
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas (C.I.E., B.A., L.L.B.) (born May 1862) was an Indian attorney and politician. He is considered a great Sindhi and the father of modern Karachi
. His social, educational, and political services rendered to the people of Sindh
are so great that he is now recognized as one of the makers of modern Karachi. He was one of the first six Sindhi young men who graduated from the Elphinstone College
, Bombay, before 1887.
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas after completing law in the year 1885, accepted for a short period, a junior position in Shikarpur
court, but he resigned soon and start law practice in Karachi. Harchandrai was the elected Honorary Secretary of Karachi Bar Association for full 38 years just after its establishment in 1890. He was the elected president of Karachi Municipality for 1911–1921, and before that he was elected as member of Municipality in 1888.
in tehsil Kotri
, Sindh. He relates to a Bharvani family, known for its public-spirited members. He achieved his primary education in a school founded by Seth Vishandas Nihalchand
, father of Seth Harchandrai in his birthplace Manjhu
. After completing his primary, he was sent to Kotri for middle education in missionary school of Kotri and used to live there in a spacious bungalow with great comfort. After that he got admitted in NJV High School in Karachi. He matriculated in 1878 and preferred to live with his maternal grandfather.
After passing middle, he went to Bombay for higher education and joined Elphinstone College
, Bombay. Seth Harchandrai Vishandas received his law degree from Elphinstone College in 1882.
to join the Indian National Congress
and served the cause of national independence with dedication. He was a strong Congress man and was the Chairman of Reception Committee of Congress of 1913 and presided over many Congress conferences in Sindh. Harchandrai was a believer of Hindu-Muslim unity and was a Sufistic. Theosophical society made him the member of society. Seth Harchandrai plays a role as a freedom fighter of India
.
. When the white Simon Commission
disputed to India to review the working of 1919 reforms, the Congress party to press for its boycott. Harchandrai's vote was required for that purpose. He left Karachi
against the advice of doctor and friends just to record his vote against the Simon Commission
but died, on his way from the railway station to the Assembly Hall.
In the front of Karachi Municipal Corporation Building, on the 6th death anniversary of Seth Haarchandrai Vishanda on 16 February 1934, the statue of Harchandrai was unveiled and removed just after the partition of India
in 1947.
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...
. His social, educational, and political services rendered to the people of 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...
are so great that he is now recognized as one of the makers of modern Karachi. He was one of the first six Sindhi young men who graduated from the Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College is an institution of higher education affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest colleges of the University of Mumbai. It was exalted as a prestigious seat of learning during the British Raj and is generally observed for its vibrant alumni...
, Bombay, before 1887.
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas after completing law in the year 1885, accepted for a short period, a junior position in Shikarpur
Shikarpur
Shikarpur or Shakkarpur may refer to:*Shikarpur, Pakistan, the capital of Shikarpur District in Sindh province, Pakistan*Shikarpur District, in Pakistan*Shikarpur, Muzaffarnagar, town in Uttar Pradesh, India...
court, but he resigned soon and start law practice in Karachi. Harchandrai was the elected Honorary Secretary of Karachi Bar Association for full 38 years just after its establishment in 1890. He was the elected president of Karachi Municipality for 1911–1921, and before that he was elected as member of Municipality in 1888.
Early life
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas was born in May 1862, in a village ManjhuManjhu
Manjhu is a small village in district Jamshoro. The population strength of this village is approximately 450-500. The population contains a heavy part of tribe Lanjar and, Khosa, khaskheli, Panhwar, Mir Bahar, Baladi. It is situated beside railway station Unarpur and is at about two kilometers...
in tehsil Kotri
Kotri
Kotri , a large town, is the headquarters station of the Kotri Taluka, or administrative district...
, Sindh. He relates to a Bharvani family, known for its public-spirited members. He achieved his primary education in a school founded by Seth Vishandas Nihalchand
Seth Vishandas Nihalchand
Seth Vishandas Nihalchand was a Hindu Sindhi of Modern era. He belonged to a merchants , land-owners bhavnani family which was settled in Sindh of British India. Seth Vishandas had settled many of cotton ginning, cotton bailing-press and rice thrashing factories in different places of Sindh as in...
, father of Seth Harchandrai in his birthplace Manjhu
Manjhu
Manjhu is a small village in district Jamshoro. The population strength of this village is approximately 450-500. The population contains a heavy part of tribe Lanjar and, Khosa, khaskheli, Panhwar, Mir Bahar, Baladi. It is situated beside railway station Unarpur and is at about two kilometers...
. After completing his primary, he was sent to Kotri for middle education in missionary school of Kotri and used to live there in a spacious bungalow with great comfort. After that he got admitted in NJV High School in Karachi. He matriculated in 1878 and preferred to live with his maternal grandfather.
After passing middle, he went to Bombay for higher education and joined Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College
Elphinstone College is an institution of higher education affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest colleges of the University of Mumbai. It was exalted as a prestigious seat of learning during the British Raj and is generally observed for its vibrant alumni...
, Bombay. Seth Harchandrai Vishandas received his law degree from Elphinstone College in 1882.
Legal field
Harchandrai was a lawyer. He joined a subordinate job in Shikarpur court. Persuaded by his father he resigned and started his own law practice in Karachi in 1886. He was elected honorary secretary of the Karachi Bar Association.Social services and politics
Harchandrai was the first SindhiSindhi people
Sindhis are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province Formerly of British India, now in Pakistan. Today Sindhis that live in Pakistan belong to various religious denominations including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity...
to join the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and served the cause of national independence with dedication. He was a strong Congress man and was the Chairman of Reception Committee of Congress of 1913 and presided over many Congress conferences in Sindh. Harchandrai was a believer of Hindu-Muslim unity and was a Sufistic. Theosophical society made him the member of society. Seth Harchandrai plays a role as a freedom fighter of 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...
.
Death
Harchandrai Vishandas died on 16 February 1928 in DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. When the white Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
disputed to India to review the working of 1919 reforms, the Congress party to press for its boycott. Harchandrai's vote was required for that purpose. He left 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...
against the advice of doctor and friends just to record his vote against the Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
but died, on his way from the railway station to the Assembly Hall.
In the front of Karachi Municipal Corporation Building, on the 6th death anniversary of Seth Haarchandrai Vishanda on 16 February 1934, the statue of Harchandrai was unveiled and removed just after the partition of 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...
in 1947.