Shanti Kumar Narottam Morarjee
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Shanti Kumar Morarjee (1902 – 1982) was a noted industrialist, businessman and close associate of
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
. He was son of Narottam Morarjee, the mill owner and shipping magnate of India. He was educated at
Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...
. He was on the board of SS Loyalty, on its maiden voyage to
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
with his father, Narottam Morarjee, Walchand Hirachand and other diginatories. He was married to
Sumati Morarjee Sumati Morarjee (13 March 1909-27 June 1998), also known as the first woman of Indian shipping, is credited to have become the first woman in the world to head an organisation of ship owners - ''Indian National Steamship Owners Association'' (la ...
. They did not have any issue from the marriage. After death of his father, Seth Narottam, in 1929, he became the Chairman of Scindia Steamship Company, which was a joint venture between Walchand Hirachand, Kilachand Devchand and their family but was managed by their family firm Narottam Morarjee & Company, who were the major partner in the steamship company. He was also the Senior Partner of family firm - Narottam Morarjee & Co., who were Managing Agents of the Morarji Gokuldas textile mills and shipping firms. His wife Sumati was also co-partner in the family firm and actively engaged in managing family business and especially shipping firm - The Scindia Steam Navigation Co Ltd. He was also director in firms Eastern Shipping Corporation and
Hindustan Shipyard Limited Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) is a shipyard located in Visakhapatnam on the east coast of India. History Founded as the ''Scindia Shipyard'', it was built by industrialist Walchand Hirachand as a part of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company ...
The Morarji Gokuldas mill was sold to Piramal Chatrubhuj in 1935, however, Scindia Steamship remained with Morarjee's till Shanti Kumar's death. He came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi at a young age due to his father and started wearing khadi at a very young age. He and also his wife remained close associate and confidante of Mahatma Gandhi throughout his life. When
Kasturba Kasturbai Mohandas Gandhi (, born Kasturbai Gokuldas Kapadia; 11 April 1869 – 22 February 1944) was an Indian political activist. She married Mohandas Gandhi, more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, in 1883. With her husband and her eldest so ...
died in prison, Shanti Kumar was among the few close aides, who was allowed inside the prison. He was with other few personalities like Lady Premlila Thakersey,
Kanu Gandhi Kanu Gandhi (1917 – 20 February 1986) was an Indian photographer. He was a grandnephew of Mahatma Gandhi who lived with him in several of his ashrams and was a member of his personal staff. He is best remembered as Gandhi's photographer, ...
, Kamal Narayan Bajaj with Mahatma Gandhi at time of his profound grief. In 1944, after demise of Kasturba and due to failing health when Gandhiji was released from Agha Khan's Palace at Pune, he stayed at the Juhu bungalow of Shanti Kumar Morarji for many months for convalescing. Sarojini Naidu and Vijaya Laxmi Pandit also stayed at his house during this time. Further, he was closely involved and associated with other prominent leaders of
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...
like Vallabhbhai Patel,
J. L. Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India du ...
, Vaikunth Mehta, G. L. Mehta, Jai Prakash Narayan,
Maulana Azad Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad (; 11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958) was an Indian independence activist, Islamic theologian, writer and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Following Ind ...
, Rajendra Prasad and others. He was closely involved in political activities and important communications of pre-independence era. He and his wife were also actively involved in picketing,
Quit India movement The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule in ...
and activities for India's independence. He was one of the chief sponsors of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust along with
Thakkar Bapa Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, popularly known as Thakkar Bapa (29 November 1869 – 20 January 1951) was an Indian social worker who worked for upliftment of tribal people in Gujarat state in India. He became a member of the Servants of Ind ...
, Narandas Gandhi, Devdas Gandhi,
G. D. Birla Ghanshyam Das Birla (10 April 1894 – 11 June 1983) was an Indian businessman and member of the Birla Family. Birla family history Ghanshyam Das Birla was born on 10 April 1894 at Pilani town in Jhunjhunu district, in the region known as ...
, V. L. Mehta and others. During
partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
upon the call of Mahatma Gandhi, Shanti Kumar and Shoorji Vallabhdas sent their steamers to
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
to bring the
Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the Caste system in India, castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold Varna (Hinduism), varna syste ...
s stranded there to back to India, free of cost. When the Gandhi Birth Centenary Postage Stamps were issued by India Post in 1969, the department publicly acknowledged the help provided by Shanti Kumar in designing of postage stamps of Mahatma Gandhi. He died in 1982 survived by his wife. By the time of Shanti Kumar's death Scindia, the affairs of which were largely looked after his wife Sumati was already in big debts and trouble and in 1987, the control of the company was taken over by the government of India.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morarjee, Shanti Kumar 1902 births 1982 deaths People educated at Harrow School Businesspeople from Mumbai Indian businesspeople in shipping Gujarati people Indian businesspeople in textiles Gandhians Indian independence activists from Maharashtra