Shapurji Broacha

Sir Shapurji Burjorji Broacha (30 April 1845 – 23 June 1920) was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist.^[2][3] He was appointed as the Sheriff of Bombay in 1911^[1] during the visit of the King-Emperor, then King George V.

Sir Shapurji Burjorji Broacha KCIE
Shapoorji Broacha
Born	30 April 1845 Bharuch, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died	23 June 1920 Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Nationality	British Indian
Citizenship	Indian, British
Occupation(s)	Industrialist, philanthropist
Organization	Sir Shapurji Broacha Mills
Title	Sheriff of Bombay
Term	1911[1]
Spouse	Lady Pirojbai
Relatives	Cyrus Broacha (Great Grand Child)
Family	Broacha Family

He was the president of Bombay Native Share and Stock Brokers' Association for more than 25 years. Sir Shapurji Broacha was connected as a director with at least twenty-five joint-stock companies.^[4] He was honoured with a Knighthood by His Majesty the King-Emperor on the occasion of the 1911 Coronation Durbar.^[5] In 1913, he was the only Indian member^[6] to be appointed as a member of Royal Commission on Indian Finance and Currency.^[7] He was one of the founding members of Bank of India, which was founded in 1906.^[8]

Early life

He was born on 30 April 1845 at Bharuch, Bombay Presidency to poor parents. His father died when he was a child, so his mother and his sisters migrated to Bombay when he was only 12 years old. He would stitch clothes with his mother and his sisters in order to earn a living in Bombay, His family couldn't afford higher education for shapoorji but young shapoorji was able to speak fluent English without any training. He joined Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway as a Petty Clerk in 1863, after a year he joined the Asian bank also as a petty clerk but his love of maths grew in his life working as a clerk in the bank. In 1864 he became a stockbroker.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Broacha died on 23 June 1920, at the age of 75. It was reported that a large number of commercial houses, share, bullion, and various other markets were closed on 24 June 1920, the day after his death.^[4][9]

Honours and legacy

He was honoured with a Knighthood by His Majesty the King-Emperor on the occasion of the 1911 Coronation Durbar.

On 1 March 1923, White marble busts on the grey pedestal of the late Sir Shapurji Broacha and his wife Lady Pirojbai were unveiled in the Masina Hospital compound, Mumbai by Sir George Lloyd, the Governor of Bombay.^[10][11]

A bust of Broacha was unveiled at the Stock Exchange Building, Bombay by Michael Knatchbull, the Governor of Bombay on 4 April 1935.^[11]

One of the oldest and largest hostels for Boys of Institute of Science, in Banaras Hindu University, built in 1921 is named after him as Broacha hostel.

As per the Gujarat Government Gazette, in 1961, the Sir Shapurji Burjorji Broacha Hall, a public hall in Gujarat, is named after him. It was built at a cost of Rs. 49,446 and was opened on 12 November 1912.^[12]

References

1. Directory Of Bombay City Province 1939. p. 86.
2. "Club for sick and wounded". The Hindu. 22 June 2017.
3. Sorabji M. Rutnagur (1927). Bombay Industries: The Cotton Mill. A Review of the Progress of the Textile Industry in Bombay from 1850 to 1926 and the Present Constitution, Management and Financial Position of the Spinning and Weaving Factories. p. 701. The Late BROACHA. SIR SHAPURJI BURJORJI, Kt. Sir Shapurji Broacha was instrumental in financing large industrial undertakings and public utility concerns and was the trusted broker and adviser of important Native States. Was agent and ...
4. "SIR SHAPURJI BROACHA - DEATH AT BOMBAY". The Pioneer Mail. 2 July 1920. p. 12.
5. Prag Narain Bhargava (1912). Who's Who in India Supplement 1 (1912).
6. Barnett, Vincent, ed. (2014). Routledge Handbook of the History of Global Economic Thought (Many of the chapters were already drafted before Keynes was appointed, while Sir Shapurji Burjorji Broacha was the only Indian member.). Routledge. ISBN 9781317644118.
7. Debrett's Peerage. 1920. p. 834.
8. "Bank's Founder Members, Bank of India". Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
9. Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Volume 68. Royal Society of Arts (Great Britain), The Society. 1920. p. 540. SIR SHAPOOBJI B. BROACHA. — The death of Sir Shapoorji Burjorji Broacha, the Bombay financier, has occurred in India. lie did much to promote industrial development in the Western Presidency and elsewhere, and was equally ...
10. Parsi Prakash Vol. VI, p. 106
11. Marzban Jamshedji Giara (2000). Parsi Statues. pp. 47, 49.
12. Gazetteers: pt. 1 Surat District, Volume 2, Part 2 of Gazetteers, Gujarat (India). Directorate of Government Print., Stationery and Publications, 1961. 1961. p. 738.