Seth Chhaju Ram

Seth Chhaju Ram (Hindi: सेठ सर छाजूराम) (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.

Early life

He was born at village Alakhpura, tehsil-Bawanikhera in Bhiwani 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.

Career

Chhaju Ram, at the age of 20-22, came in contact with Arya Samajist 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.

References

• Dr Mahendra Singh Arya, Dharmpal Singh Dudee, Kishan Singh Faujdar & Vijendra Singh Narwar: Ādhunik Jat Itihasa (The modern history of Jats), Agra 1998, Page 310-311

Persondata
Name	Ram, Seth Chhaju
Alternative names
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Date of birth	1861
Place of birth
Date of death	1943
Place of death