Nationality India Died June 16, 1911, Hong Kong Role Businessman | Name Hormusjee Mody Occupation Businessman Spouse Manekbai Mody | |
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Born 12 October 1838 ( 1838-10-12 ) Bombay, India Known for Contribution towards the founding of the University of Hong Kong | ||
Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody (12 October 1838 – 16 June 1911) was a successful Parsi businessman in Hong Kong.
Contents
- Biography
- Contribution towards founding of University of Hong Kong
- Namesakes
- Resting place
- Works about him
- References
Biography
He was born in Bombay and moved to Hong Kong around 1860. At the time there was a large community of Parsi merchants based in Hong Kong, including Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala, who founded the Star Ferry and Jehangir Hormujee Ruttonjee who helped establish the Hong Kong Ruttonjee Sanatorium. Much of the community initially engaged in the opium trade between India and China.
Mody arrived in Hong Kong in 1858 with help from his uncle Jehangirjee Buxey
After working at Buxey and Company and later Bank of Hindustan, China and Japan, Mody partnered with another Indian immigrant, Sir Catchick Paul Chater, to form the brokerage company Chater and Mody which enjoyed great success in the real estate/land business. Mody saw the potential of buying and developing land in Kowloon after it was ceded to the British in 1860.
Contribution towards founding of University of Hong Kong
Mody was a friend of the Hong Kong Governor, Sir Frederick Lugard and his wife Flora Shaw, who wished to found a university in Hong Kong. Mody offered to contribute a great sum of money, $150,000, to help establish the University of Hong Kong, provided it was matched by donations from other sources. He was knighted in 1910 after the laying of the university's foundation stone. His bust is on display as a memorial in the University of Hong Kong's Main Building.
Namesakes
Several places in Hong Kong are named after him:
Resting place
Mody died in Hong Kong in 1911 and is buried in the Hong Kong Parsee Cemetery in Happy Valley. He was survived by wife Manekbai Mody and son Naoroj Mody (one of four sons).