Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj (4 November 1889 – 11 February 1942) was an Indian businessman and politician. He founded the
Bajaj Group
Bajaj Group is an Indian multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded by Jamnalal Bajaj in Mumbai in 1926. The group comprises 40 companies and its flagship company Bajaj Auto is ranked as the world's fourth largest two- and three- ...
of companies in the 1920s, and the group now has 24 companies, including six that are listed on the bourses. He was also a close and beloved associate of
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
, who is known to have often declared that Jamnalal was his fifth son.
Early life
Jamnalal Bajaj was born in 1889 into a poor family of farmers, to Kaniram and Birdibai, in a village named Kashi Ka Bas, near Sikar in Rajasthan state. In 1894, Seth Bachharaj Bajaj, a rich
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The administrative headquarter of Wardha district is situated here. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows on the northern, western ...
businessman, and his family were going to Kashi Ka Bas village temple. They spotted young Jamnalal playing outside his home and were drawn to him. After much persuasion, Jamnalal was adopted as Seth Bajaj's grandson. In return, Bajaj installed a well in order to help the village.
Seth Bachharaj was a distant relative on his father's side and was a well-known and respected trader in the
British Raj
The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent,
*
* lasting from 1858 to 1947.
*
* It is also called Crown rule ...
.
Upon coming of age, under the tutelage of Seth Bachharaj, Jamnalal got involved in the family business of his adoptive family. During this period, he acquired the skills of being a tradesman, rigorous bookkeeping and buying and selling commodities. He excelled in his work by the time Seth Bachharaj died. In 1926, Jamnalal founded what would become the
Bajaj group of industries.
Personal life
Jamnalal was married at age twelve to
Janki Devi, who was around nine years old. Their son was businessman and politician
Kamalnayan Bajaj
Kamalnayan Bajaj (23 January 1915 – 1 May 1972) was an Indian businessman and politician.
Biography
Early life and education
Kamalnayan was the elder son of Jamnalal Bajaj and Janaki Devi Bajaj. He was born on 23 January 1915. He cons ...
.
Honorary Magistrate
During the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the British government appeased and honoured native tradesmen, soliciting funds. They appointed Jamnalal an honorary magistrate. When he provided money for the war fund, they conferred on him the title of
Rai Bahadur
Rai Bahadur (in North India) and Rao Bahadur (in South India), R.B., was a title of honour bestowed during British rule in India to individuals for outstanding service or acts of public welfare to the Empire. From 1911, the title was accompani ...
, a title he later surrendered during the non-co-operation movement of 1921.
Follower of Gandhi
Upon
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
's return from South Africa, Jamnalal took in interest in
Gandhi's way of life, his principles, such as
Ahimsa
(, IAST: , ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to actions towards all living beings. It is a key virtue in Indian religions like Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism.
(also spelled Ahinsa) is one of the cardinal vi ...
(non-violence), and his dedication to the poor. He could understand Gandhi's vision that home-made goods were the answer to India's poverty. He considered that some British companies were importing cheap, raw cotton from India and sending back finished cloth. He was humbled by the simple life that Gandhi was leading at the
Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of the River Sabarmati, from the town hall. This was one of the many residences of Mahatma Gandhi who lived at Sabarmati (Gujar ...
. He was impressed by the Ashram's routine of prayer and physical work. He brought his wife Jankidevi and his children to live in the Ashram. However, this close relationship and his deep involvement in the independence movement did not leave Jamnalal Bajaj with much time to spend on his newly launched business venture.
Freedom struggle
In 1920, Jamanalal was elected chairman of the reception committee for the
Nagpur
Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...
session of 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 ...
. He gave up the title of
Rai Bahadur
Rai Bahadur (in North India) and Rao Bahadur (in South India), R.B., was a title of honour bestowed during British rule in India to individuals for outstanding service or acts of public welfare to the Empire. From 1911, the title was accompani ...
conferred on him by the British government and joined the non-co-operation movement in 1921. Later, in 1923, he participated in the flag
satyagraha
Satyāgraha (from ; ''satya'': "truth", ''āgraha'': "insistence" or "holding firmly to"), or "holding firmly to truth",' or "truth force", is a particular form of nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. Someone who practises satyagraha is ...
, defying a ban on flying the national flag in
Nagpur
Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...
, and was detained by British forces. This earned him national admiration.
He wanted Gandhi to move to
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The administrative headquarter of Wardha district is situated here. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows on the northern, western ...
and make it the center of his activities. After the
Dandi March
The Salt march, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of non violent civil disobedience in colonial India, led by Mahatma Gandhi. The 24-day march lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 as a di ...
in April 1930, Gandhi moved to
Sevagram
Sevagram (meaning "A town for/of service") is a town in the state of Maharashtra, India. It was the place of Mahatma Gandhi's ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948. After Sabarmati, Sevagram Ashram holds immense importance d ...
, a small village near
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The administrative headquarter of Wardha district is situated here. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows on the northern, western ...
, since he wanted to live close to the rural populace. Gandhi vowed not to return to
Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of the River Sabarmati, from the town hall. This was one of the many residences of Mahatma Gandhi who lived at Sabarmati (Gujar ...
until freedom was achieved.
Jamanalal was named the president of
Gandhi Seva Sangha, a group of workers who dedicated their time to constructive work. He was later elected a member of the
Congress Working Committee
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is the executive committee of the Indian National Congress. It was formed in December 1920 at Nagpur session of INC which was headed by C. Vijayaraghavachariar. It is composed of senior party leaders and is r ...
and as the treasurer of Congress in 1933.
Social initiatives
Jamanalal Bajaj was interested in initiatives such as the removal of
untouchability
Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...
, promotion of
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
, and
Khadi
Khadi (, ), derived from khaddar, is a hand-spun and woven natural fibre cloth promoted by Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi as Swadeshi movement, ''swadeshi (of homeland)'' for the freedom struggle of India and the term is used throughout the Indian sub ...
and village Industries. He had toured across the country promoting
Khadi
Khadi (, ), derived from khaddar, is a hand-spun and woven natural fibre cloth promoted by Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi as Swadeshi movement, ''swadeshi (of homeland)'' for the freedom struggle of India and the term is used throughout the Indian sub ...
. In 1925, he was chosen as the treasurer of the All India Spinners Association. He was also the president of the ''All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan'' (literary convention) that promoted Hindi as the single language to unite all Indians. He was instrumental in publishing Hindi magazines and books. He initiated the Gandhi Hindi Pustak Bhandar (bookshop) in Bombay and started the ''Sasta Sahitya Mandal'' (publishing house).
He founded the
Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha along with
C. Rajagopalachari
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (10 December 1878 – 25 December 1972), popularly known as Rajaji or C.R., also known as Mootharignar Rajaji (Rajaji'', the Scholar Emeritus''), was an Indian statesman, writer, lawyer, and Indian independence ...
in hopes of spreading the learning of Hindi across the country.
From 1927, he served as the first Treasurer of the Managing Committee of
Jamia Millia Islamia
Jamia Millia Islamia is a Public university, public and research university located in Delhi, India. Originally established at Aligarh, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) during the British R ...
,
New Delhi
New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
. Later in 1928, he became a life member of the university, while still serving as the treasurer.
With the intent of eradicating untouchability, he fought the non-admission of
Harijans
Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold varn ...
into
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
temples in his home town of Wardha. As orthodox Hindu priests and
Brahmin
Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...
s objected, he opened his own family temple, the Laxmi Narayan Mandir, in Wardha, for the Harijans in 1928. He began a campaign by eating a meal with Harijans and opening public wells to them. He opened several wells in his fields and gardens.
Due to his devotion, he was elected the chief of the Jaipur Rajya
Praja Mandal
The All India States Peoples Conference (AISPC) was a conglomeration of political movements in the princely states of the British Raj, which were variously called ''Praja Mandals'' or ''Lok Parishads''.; The first session of the organisation w ...
in 1938. While chief, he negotiated a truce between the Maharajas of
Sikar
Sikar is a city and municipal council in the Sikar district of the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Sikar district. It is largest city of the Shekhawati region, which consists of Sikar, Churu and Jhu ...
and
Jaipur
Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...
.
In honour of his social initiatives the Jamnalal Bajaj Award has been instituted by the Bajaj Foundation. Past awardees include
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
and
Desmund Tutu.
Business interests
Besides
Bajaj Auto Ltd
Bajaj may refer to:
People
*Bajaj (surname), an Indian surname
**Bajaj family, prominent Indian business family
* Bazaz, a related Kashmiri Pandit surname
Companies and products
* Bajaj Group, a group of Indian firms in diverse businesses, foun ...
, the other major companies in the group include
Mukand Ltd
Mukand Limited (formerly Mukand Iron & Steel Works Limited) is an India-based manufacturer of stainless steel, alloy steel, and stainless steel billets, and is an exporter of hot rolled bars. The company manufactures iron and steel products, ste ...
,
Bajaj Electricals Ltd and Bajaj Hindusthan Ltd. His two sons,
Kamalnayan Bajaj
Kamalnayan Bajaj (23 January 1915 – 1 May 1972) was an Indian businessman and politician.
Biography
Early life and education
Kamalnayan was the elder son of Jamnalal Bajaj and Janaki Devi Bajaj. He was born on 23 January 1915. He cons ...
and
Ramkrishna Bajaj
Ramkrishna Bajaj (1923―1994) was an Indian businessman and freedom fighter who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He used to describe himself as 'Mahatma Gandhi's coolie'. He spent four years in jail from 1942 to 1946 for participating ...
, took his business forward. One of his grandsons,
Rahul Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj (10 June 1938 – 12 February 2022) was an Indian billionaire businessman and politician. He was the chairman emeritus of the Indian conglomerate Bajaj Group. He was awarded the third-highest civilian award in India, the Padma Bhus ...
, ran the family flagship company, Bajaj Auto.
Legacy and memorials
Several institutions in India bear his name, including the
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (commonly referred to as JBIMS) is the Department of Management Studies of the University of Mumbai, situated in Churchgate, Mumbai. The institute is named after noted industrialist and freedom f ...
. A locality,
JB Nagar
JB Nagar, expanded to Jamunalal Bajaj Nagar, is a neighbourhood in Andheri (East), Mumbai. Its proximity to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport makes it a prime business district. Located off the Andheri- Ghatkopar link road near Chakal ...
, in the sub-urban
Andheri
Andheri (Help:IPA/Marathi, �n̪d̪ʱeɾiː is a suburb situated in Western Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Government and politics
For administrative purposes, Andheri is bifurcated into Andheri (west) and Andheri (east). Andheri (west) comes ...
in
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 ...
has been named after him.
Jamnalal Bajaj Award
Jamnalal Bajaj Award is an Indian award, for promoting Gandhian values, community service and social development. Established in 1978, by the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation of Bajaj Group, it is given annually in four categories, and usually pres ...
was established in 1978 by the
Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation and are given away each year on his birth anniversary.
References
Further reading
* ''In Gandhi's Footsteps: The Life and Times of Jamnalal Bajaj'' by B. R. Nanda, Oxford University Press, USA.
*
* Janmabhumi Se Bandha Man: Jamnalal Bajaj Va Rajastha
Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation books
External links
* of the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bajaj, Jamnalal
1889 births
1942 deaths
Indian industrialists
Rajasthani people
Indian independence activists from Rajasthan
People from Sikar district
Indian Hindus
20th-century Indian philanthropists
Bajaj Group
Indian National Congress politicians from Rajasthan
Rai Bahadurs
Businesspeople from Rajasthan
Jamnalal
Gandhians
20th-century industrialists