14^th April, 2024 marks the death anniversary of our community’s highly respected and leading visionary and philanthropist – Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy – the first Knight of Bombay, the first Indian Baronet, the true pride of the Parsis. He will be eternally remembered for his great philanthropy towards our community and our country, as also his long-standing vision towards education.

Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy was born on 15^th July, 1783, in a humble dwelling at Yatha Vario Mohalla (near present-day Crawford Market) to Jejeebhoy and Jeevibai. The youngest of five siblings, Jamsetjee may have been born to humble beginnings, but he went to became a pioneer in organised philanthropy, practicing, what came to be known as ‘Gandhiji’s Theory Trusteeship of Wealth’, long before Gandhiji was even born!

When Jamsetjee was five years old, his father relocated the family to his native Navsari, where they lived in a quaint little house, which today is a museum that has retained the old-time essence of a hard-working weaver. Despite not being able to receive formal education, Jamsetjee imbibed solid moral grounding form his parents.

After losing his parents in quick succession in 1799 – his mother on 9^th April and father on 16^th September – Jamsetjee decided to make a living in Bombay. In the years to come, through sheer hard work and grit, he grew rich as a Merchant Prince, earning a spotless reputation as a man of honesty and integrity. He overcame his lack of education during the course of his work and travels, learning to read and write, mastering English language and acquiring bookkeeping skills.

His philanthropy transcended geographical boundaries and communal prejudices. He earned a lot, he gave a lot. Dr. Jal H. Wadia, in his book, ‘Life of Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy’, writes “charity was his religion.” He goes on to say that even as a little boy, “he had formed the good habit of giving every morning a little money to the poor” and “kept up this habit of liberality till his death, the benefactions becoming naturally greater and greater as his wealth increased.” No human or humane cause went in need if it came to his notice.

In Gujarat and its surrounding territories, Jamsetjee learnt of the abject poverty amongst the Parsis. He realized the only permanent solution to this was education. In 1842, the year he was conferred his Knighthood, he created a fund and extended himself in every direction to promote learning. He sent donations to the Naval School at Devanport, England; he created an endowment for the Grant Medical College, donated to its Students’ Literary and Scientific Society; had books translated in Gujarati; he supported the teaching of Zend, built schools, established the country’s premier School of Art. When the Bombay University was established on 21^st February, 1857, he was appointed one of the first five Fellows. This is the man who did not have the benefit of any school education!

A letter he wrote to the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Arthur, reads, “That the interest from the fund shall be applied towards relieving the indigent of our people, and the education of their children, and I now propose to invest the sum of Rs.3,00,000/- and place it at the disposal of Trustees, who with interest shall carry out the object I have mentioned.” The total amount actually offered by Sir Jamsetjee came to a then colossal Rs. 4,44,000/-.

After a long but fruitful correspondence, The Trust Deed was finally signed on 9^th January, 1849, and thus was born the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Parsi Benevolent Institution, with eleven trustees and Sir Jamsetjee as the Chairman. The Central English School (located near current-day Bora Bazar) was established on 17^th October, 1849, with 200 students. It was soon known as Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Fort Boys’ High School – this marked the beginning of the learning renaissance amongst Parsis.

Shortly after the Boys’ School opened, Dadabhai Naoraji appealed to the Trustees for financial help to start a girls’ school. Sir Jamsetjee immediately embraced the idea, setting up two girls schools on 17^th August, 1850 – at Fort and in Gujarat. This act brought in much opposition from a huge majority of Parsis were at the time and Jamsetjee faced bitter criticism from the orthodox. Today, these schools in Maharashtra and Gujarat stand as monuments of a great mind and a noble heart.

He also donated generously to the fire in Hamburg, the war widows of the Afghan war, the famine fund of Ireland and even to the French people during the great cyclone in France.

He was self-taught and he had learnt much by experience. A man without any formal education became the founder of ‘Bombay Times’, which was later re-named, ‘The Times of India’ – India’s leading English daily today. He was appointed as member of the senate of the Bombay University; he established Sir J J School of Art at a time when there were hardly enough schools for even formal education. Sir Jamsetjee served on several boards of Education Societies. In fact, he was also the first member of the Board of Education.

Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 1^st Baronet passed away on 14^th April, 1859, at the age of 75, deeply mourned by his family, community, country and the British Empire, leaving behind a magnificent legacy of philanthropy and education with nineteen schools run by Sir JJPBI in 1859.