Sir Dhanjishah Bomanji Cooper (2 January 1878 – 29 July 1947) was an Indian

Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...

industrialist, politician and the first

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

of Bombay Presidency. Cooper was made a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

in the 1937 New Year Honours.

Early life

Dhanjishah Cooper was born in a poor Parsi family to Bomanji and Firozabai Cooper. He finished his schooling in a government school in Satara. While working in a paper mill he started a contract business. He started manufacturing iron ploughs in 1922 at Satara and later became a pioneer of diesel engine manufacturing in India.

Career

Cooper entered public life in 1912 and followed the policy of seeking British support for social reform, agricultural development and industrialisation. In 1920, he joined the Non-Brahmin Party under the leadership of

Shahu of Kolhapur Shahu (also known as Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu, Shahu IV, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj) (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922) of the Bhonsle dynasty of Marathas was a Raja (reign. 1894 – 1900) and the first Maharaja (1900–1922) of the Indian princ ...

and led the party in Satara. Later due to differences among party leaders, he formed his own political group which came to be called as the 'Cooper Party' which mostly consisted of local elites. As a politician, Cooper rose to prominence as a Satara municipality member, and became its president in 1923. Later he served on the Satara District Local Board, as its vice president (1922–25) and president (1929-32). Additionally, he chaired the Satara District School Board between 1925 and 1928. During this period, he made primary education compulsory in Satara Municipal area. Cooper was also a member of the Bombay Legislative Council and served as minister for Local Self-Government from 1933 to 1934. He was appointed as a member of the Governor's Executive Council where he held the Finance and Revenue portfolios from 1935 to 1937. In 1937 Bombay Presidency elections, he was elected to the Assembly from Satara North constituency. The

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

had secured the highest number of seats in the Assembly, but refused to form government. The Lord Brabourne invited Cooper to form a government. The Cooper ministry was short lived, and was soon replaced by B. G. Kher's first government.

Personal life

Cooper was married to Gulabai and they had 5 daughters and one son. His only son Nariman died in 1944 and he never recovered from this loss. He died of heart attack at the age of 69 on 29 July 1947, at the Taj Mahal Hotel,

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

References

Chief ministers of Maharashtra Marathi politicians People from Satara (city) Bombay State politicians Independent politicians in India Parsi people Parsi people from Mumbai 1878 births 1947 deaths Politicians from British India Knights Bachelor {{Maharashtra-politician-stub