Nationality British Indian Name Harchandrai Vishandas | Role Attorney Education Elphinstone College | |
 | ||
Full Name Harchandrai Vishandas Born 1 May 1862 ( 1862-05-01 ) Manjhu, Sindh, British India now Pakistan Occupation Lawyer, politics, independence fighter Known for Father of Modern Karachi Died February 16, 1928 (aged 65), Delhi, New Delhi Similar Muhammad Hashim Gazdar, Yusuf Haroon, Ghulam Ali Allana Nationality British | ||
The father of modern Karachi Harchandrai Vishandas جديد ڪراچيءَ جو اڏيندڙ سيٺ هرچندراءِ وشنداس
Diwan Bahadur Sir Seth Harchandrai Vishandas (Sindhi: سیٹہ ھرچندرای وشنداس) PC KCIE CSI KIH QC MA LL.B. (1 May 1862 – 16 February 1928), was a British Indian attorney, politician and former mayor of Karachi, in modern-day Pakistan. 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 recognised as one of the makers of modern Karachi. He was one of the first six Sindhi young men who graduated from Elphinstone College, Bombay, before 1887.
Contents
- The father of modern Karachi Harchandrai Vishandas
- Early life
- Legal field
- Mayorship of Karachi
- Social services and politics
- Death
- References
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 a 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. As mayor of Karachi, he oversaw a major beautification project which involved development of new roads, parks, residential and recreational areas. He was subsequently appointed to the Viceroy's Executive Council and was ex officio a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom until his death in 1928.
Early life
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas was born in May 1862, in a village Manjhu in tehsil Kotri, Sindh. He relates to a Bharvani family, known for its public-spirited members. He achieved his primary education in a school at Manjhu, which was founded by his father, Seth Vishandas Nihalchand,. 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 went to live with his maternal grandfather.
After matriculating, he went to Bombay for higher education and joined Elphinstone College, Bombay. Seth Harchandrai Vishandas received his law degree from Elphinstone College in 1882, which he later patronised as his Alma mater.
Legal field
Harchandrai was a lawyer and Queen's (later King's) Counsel, under Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V. 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.
Mayorship of Karachi
Harchandrai was elected mayor of the Karachi Municipal Committee in 1911 until 1921. Under his mayorship, civic improvements led to the installation of gas lamps along the city's streets and the introduction of footpaths. He was also responsible for development works which led to shifting the course of the Lyari River, which opened up land for development.
Social services and politics
Harchandrai was the first Sindhi to join the Indian National Congress and served the cause of national independence with dedication. He was a strong Congress man. In fact the 28th session of Congress in 1913 was held in Karachi largely due efforts of him, his father, Seth Vishandas and Ghulam Mohamed Bhurgari. He and his father served as chairman and Secretary of reception committee in that session. and he later 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.
Death
Harchandrai Vishandas died on 16 February 1928 in Delhi. 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.