Dayaram Surajmal Lahoti

Dayaram Surajmal Lahoti is one of the old Maheshwari Marwadi family to have come to the Hyderabad State in the 1860's from Gullar, a village in Nagore District.

Today the family is based out of Hyderabad, Gulbarga and Latur.

On the request of the Nizam, the Lahoti family come to the Hyderabad State and has been with Secunderabad for the last 120-150 years. They were the leading industrialists during the Nizam time with head office in Secunderabad, Textile Mills, first Oil Refinery in Hyderabad state, oil mills, cotton ginning factories, Banking and various businesses all over the Hyderabad State. The family members have been on boards of many major industries in the state.

The family has been instrumental in establishing various Charitable Institutions/ Educational Institutions / hospitals at different places in the Hyderabad State besides Secunderabad. They also constructed one wing for the poor patients coming to KEM. Hospital (later known as Gandhi hospital). They have been providing scholarships to students.

The family had been closely associated with the Stock Exchange, Hyderabad Oil Millers Association and various business associations.

The family members were in regular touch with Nizams of Hyderabad the British resident in Secunderabad apart from Nobles like Salarjung who was on the board of the MSK Mills owned by the family.

The family has given a major support for the freedom movement during the Razakar period. As a token recognition, Shri Puranmal Lahoti was nominated to the first Rajya Sabha from the state representing the Business community. During the Nizam time, Rai Sahab was conferred to Pannalal Lahoti.

Even today the family continue to do Philanthropic works and are also rendering social service as members of social organizations, charitable institutions and trade associations in city, state and country level. The family runs charitable trusts which runs schools / colleges / medical centres. Some of the institutes are Seth Puranmal Lahoti Government Polytechnic College, Godavaridevi Lahoti Kanya Pathdhalla, Seth Puranmal Lahoti Pathshala, Seth Bankatlal Lahoti English School, Godavaridevi Lahoti Kanya Vidhyalaya, Seth Shankarlal Lahoti Law College, Rai Saheb Pannalal Lahoti Charitable trust.

Lahoti Foundation conducts Krishnakriti - An annual festival of art & culture at Hyderabad from 7th to 11th January every year. The objective of the Krishnakriti foundation is to nurture creativity in the visual arts, and to support the initiatives of creativity and understanding in the cultural sphere, with a special focus on fostering art scene and connecting it to larger developments in India and internationally. Krishnakriti foundation which is dedicated to the memory of Krishnachandra B Lahoti is supporting the education of over 125 deserving young students in different parts of the country

For the first time three scholarships co-sponsored by the Krishnakriti Foundation and the French Embassy will be offered to students in Visual Arts. This program highlights the Indo-French cultural and university cooperation initiated by the French Embassy in India. It will provide an unforgettable experience for the three students who will enjoy across daily life, Arts, education and culture during their stay in some of the best fine arts schools across France.