TIMES OF INDIA NEWS 14/02/2013 MUMBAI: A story the Memons love to tell concerns the making of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi. When a Durban (South Africa) based Memon firm, Dada Abdullah and Co, landed in disputes, they sought the services of a London- educated, fellow Gujarati lawyer. Next, Gandhi left the backwaters of Porbandar, landed in Durban and once, in connection with a case of his employer Abdullah Karim Hajee Adam, travelled to Pretoria on a train. He was thrown out of a first-class carriage at Pietermaritzburg railway station because of his colour. The rest is history. As some senior members of the World Memon Organisation (WMO)-an umbrella body of nearly 18 lakh worldwide Memon community-meet in Mumbai on Friday to debate and decide how to strengthen its India chapter, it seems apt to talk about the Memons, the most prosperous among the Muslims. Basically, a prosperous mercantile community, the Memons have flourished but also contributed immensely to Mumbai. Saboo Siddique Polytechnic near Nagpada, Saboo Siddique Musafirkhana (erstwhile Haj House near Crawford Market), Noor Hospital at Mohammed Ali Road are but a few institutions the Memons have created. We believe in working hard, creating wealth and sharing it with the less-privileged, says Iqbal Memon Officer, vice- president of the All India Memon Jamat Federation (AIMJF), a parent organization established in 1971 in Mumbai with 472 jamaats across India. Through various schemes aimed at providing housing, medical aid, women empowerment, interest- free micro finance, relief and rehabilitation of the natural or man-made calamities, the federation helps the less- privileged. In 2012-13, we distributed Rs 3.75 crore among the beneficiaries. Applications for help are authenticated by the local jamaats testifying that the applicant is a Memon and deserves help, explained noted physician and AIMJFs president Dr Nasir Fulara. But who are the Memons? The oft-quoted story goes that there lived a Hindu community called Lohanas in Sindh (now in Pakistan). In 1432 some of the Lohanas were converted to Islam by a saint who gave them the name of Momins (believers). The word Momin subsequently corrupted to Memon. A mercantile community, the Memons are mostly settled in coastal areas, from Mumbai to Karachi to Colombo. Trades flourish in coastal towns and initially many Memons made fortunes in trades which needed sailing, says Ateeq Agboatwala, president of Memon Chamber of Commerce. Established in 1929, the Chamber is a bridge between its 3000 members, 50% of them non- Muslims, and government agencies in India and different embassies of the of the world. Although there are dozens of big Memon business houses in the country, a senior Memon lists four super rich Memon families in Mumbai-Allanas, Darveshes, Kader Sopariwala and Agboatwalas. More will join the list soon. A prosperous communitys journey continues. *Memons converted from the Lohana Hindus in Sindh centuries ago. *Total population of the Memons in the world-18 lakh * In India- 9 lakh, in Paksitan - 7 lakh while 2 lakh distributed in 37 countries. * In Mumbai and suburbs- 2 lakh.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 15:52:37 +0000
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