Latest news with #JamsetjeeJeejeebhoy
India.com
20-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
The orphan man was once Bombay's biggest merchant, received 'Knight' title by Queen Victoria, donated all his money to... he was...
In 19th-century India, creating a name for both trade and social service was a challenging task. However, an orphaned Parsi boy, Indian, was able to create history through hard work, vision, and benevolence. His name was Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy. Jamsetjee was born on July 15, 1783, in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a common Parsi family. After the early death of both parents, Jamsetjee lived with his uncle. Born into poverty and a lack of formal education, Jamsetjee carved out his life through sheer willpower and intellect. Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy was just 15 years old when he entered the world of commerce. He initially worked with his uncle to gain experience in the trade of opium and cotton. A few years in, he started his own company and expanded his trade overseas, including to China. Before long, he was one of the leading merchants of Bombay (now Mumbai) and well-respected. However, Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy was not solely known as a prosperous businessman. He invested many years of his life in social service. His legacy rests in the creation of the JJ Hospital and the JJ School of Art, both of which he financed to a very considerable degree. Jamsetjee's philanthropy extended beyond the Parsi community, but he assisted people of all religions and communities. He set up dharamshalas (rest houses), schools, orphanages, and other educational facilities. The sum of money he contributed in those days was in lakhs of rupees, a sum that would be equivalent to probably crores today, and an extraordinary legacy of generosity and social service. In 1842, he was knighted by Queen Victoria and in 1857 given a hereditary baronetcy; in both cases he was the first Indian subject to receive these honours, as reported by the Royal Collection Trust's official website. Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy has been described as 'the most famous Parsi of his time and perhaps the first famous non-European colonial subject' because of his honours and public charity. According to the Sir JJ School of Arts, after a preliminary visit to Calcutta, he undertook a voyage to China, then fraught with so much difficulty and risk that it was regarded as a venture betokening considerable enterprise and courage; and he subsequently initiated a systematic trade with that country, being himself the carrier of his merchant wares on his passages to and fro between Bombay and Canton and Shanghai. 'His second return voyage from China was made in one of the East India Company's fleet, which, under the command of Sir Nathaniel Dance, defeated the French squadron under Admiral Linois (Feb. 15, 1804),' reads the official website of Sir JJ School of Arts. It further added, 'The total of his known benefactions amounted at the time of his death, which took place in 1859, to over 230,000. It was not, however, the amount of his charities so much as the period and circumstances in which they were performed that made his benevolent career worthy of the fame he won.'
Indian Express
22-06-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Know about Maharashtra's First Medical College — Grant Medical College in Mumbai
The Grant Medical College (GMC) in Mumbai, having been established in 1845, is among the earliest institutions to introduce formal medical education in India. As one of the oldest medical colleges in South Asia, it laid the foundation for western medical practice in the region. At present, the college is affiliated with the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) and continues to attract top NEET UG scorers aiming for government MBBS seats in the state. Over time, it developed into a premier institution known for clinical training and medical research, alongside the Sir J J Group of Hospitals, which together form a major healthcare and teaching hub in western India. These institutions are under the administrative control of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Maharashtra. NEET UG 2025 Results: Master the counselling process with these tips The Sir J J Group of Hospitals—named after philanthropist Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy—have a combined bed strength of 2,844 beds, making them one of the largest public hospital setups in the country. Each year, they cater to over 1.2 million outpatients and more than 80,000 inpatients, with patients coming from across Maharashtra and even central India for specialised and tertiary care. Located in the Byculla area of South Mumbai, the GMC-JJ campus spreads over 44 acres, combining colonial-era architecture with modern facilities. According to its official website, the institute houses 45 clinical and surgical wards, 5 hostels, and 7 canteens, offering residential and support infrastructure for undergraduate and postgraduate students, faculty, and healthcare workers. Its central location in Mumbai makes it easily accessible via local trains and road transport, which is especially vital for emergency and referral cases. Pioneering research and distinguished alumni The college has a long history of contribution to global medicine. It served as the workplace of Sir Waldemar Haffkine, who developed the world's first plague vaccine at the JJ hospital campus in the late 19th century. Nobel laureate Robert Koch also conducted research on cholera here. Among its prominent alumni are Dr Jivraj Mehta, the first Chief Minister of Gujarat and a prominent physician, and Dr V N Shirodkar, a noted gynecologist known for pioneering techniques in obstetrics. Admissions and reputation The Grant Medical College is reputed to be among the known government medical college in the state. The institution admits approximately 250 MBBS students annually through the NEET UG counselling conducted by the Maharashtra CET Cell. Due to its academic standards, clinical exposure, and research opportunities, it remains a top preference among NEET aspirants in Maharashtra.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
The day the Bangalore Mail steamed into town
With the southwest monsoon making landfall over the Andaman Islands last week and our beloved 4 pm rain showing up in tandem - and how! - Bengaluru's brief summer is truly done. Since we can no longer moan about the heat, we must shift our baleful gaze elsewhere; this year, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), with its interminable delays in the opening of the Yellow Line, has offered itself up for the honour. But let us leave the metro aside for a moment, and focus instead on its predecessor, the railway. 2025 marks the centenary of the first electric train in India, which ran between Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) and Kurla in Mumbai on February 3, 1925; today, close to 97% of the country's broad-gauge network, which is 97% of our entire railway network, has been electrified. Karnataka's own broad-gauge network has been 100% electrified since early 2024. Almost 75 years before the first electric train, the very first Indian passenger train, a 13-carriage beauty pulled along by three shiny steam engines named Sahib, Sultan and Sindh, puffed out of Bori Bunder station (later Victoria Terminus) on April 16, 1853, completing the 34 km distance to Thane in 57 minutes. This line, like most early railway enterprise in India, was wrought by private entrepreneurship – specifically, by Mumbai businessmen Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy and Nana Shankarsheth. 'Nothing,' exulted the venerable Times of India (estd 1838) on the occasion, 'could've been more magnificent…' In Madras Presidency, after a brief hiatus in operations, MRC began construction of the first passenger railway line between Madras (Royapuram) and Arcot (Walajahpet, now Walajah Road Jn) in 1853. On its completion in July 1856, Cubbon lost no time in petitioning MRC for a railway line between Madras Presidency and Bangalore Cantonment. His sustained advocacy won the day, and Cubbon had the pleasure of laying the foundation stone for the Bangalore Cantt station in 1859. When the Bangalore Mail steamed into Bangalore Cantt on its debut run in 1864 – the same year, incidentally, that north India got its first railway station, Delhi Junction – down the 149-km broad-gauge line from Jolarpettai, it was welcomed with great rejoicing. In the years to come, the Mail would bring trade, commerce and, inevitably, waves of new settlers into Bangalore. It would also prove invaluable in transporting relief supplies to the city during the devastating Mysore famine of 1877-78, which would claim a staggering 1,25,000 lives, a fourth of the kingdom's population. Something to think about the next time you ride the Bangalore Mail! (Roopa Pai is a writer who has carried on a longtime love affair with her hometown Bengaluru)
