Haji Abdullah
Khan Bahadur Haji Abdullah Haji Kasim Saheb Bahadur | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1882 Udupi, India |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder and inaugural president of Corporation Bank |
Khan Bahadur Haji Abdullah Haji Kasim Saheb Bahadur
Haji Abdullah was the inaugural president and founder of Corporation Bank, a prominent banking institution in India. The bank was established on 12 March 1906 in Udupi with an initial capital of ₹5,000. After functioning independently for 113 years, Corporation Bank merged with Union Bank of India on 1 April 2020.
Early life and lineage
Haji Abdullah Saheb is believed to have been born around 1882. He belonged to a prosperous family originally from Junagadh, Gujarat, who had settled in Udupi. His grandfather, Haji Budan Saheb, was a well-known trader in the Madras area, maintaining a residence in Malpe and conducting business from an office located in Badagu Pete (ಬಡಗು ಪೇಟೆ), Udupi. The family enterprise specialized in exporting sandalwood oil, dried fish, fragrant rice, and spices to markets in Sri Lanka, Burma, and the Gulf region. They also imported ceramic ware, fine textiles, and dates for sale within Udupi and Mangalore. Following the death of his father, Haji Qasim Saheb—who had expanded the family trade—when Abdullah was 19 years old, he took over the business after completing education equivalent to the current 9th grade.
Professional accomplishments
During the early 1900s, Udupi was a vital commercial hub but lacked an organized banking system; financial services were dominated by affluent individuals. Although the Bank of Madras had established a branch in Mangalore in 1868 to support British plantation enterprises, local traders in Udupi did not benefit from this facility. Motivated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Swadeshi Movement, Haji Abdullah joined forces with other local entrepreneurs sharing similar ideals to create a bank that catered to their community’s needs. This initiative resulted in the formation of Canara Banking Corporation (Udupi) Limited on 12 March 1906 with a starting capital of Rs. 5,000. Over time, the institution evolved into Corporation Bank, which grew to operate 2,432 branches.
Contributions to society
Haji Abdullah played a pivotal role in enhancing Udupi’s public amenities by donating land for educational institutions and founding a hospital accessible to the community. During World War I, he facilitated rice shipments to Rangoon amid shortages through his shipping ventures. He also extended aid to financially struggling monasteries in Udupi by supplying necessary resources and made gold donations for religious ceremonies at the Krishna Temple. Additionally, his family was responsible for gifting the Anjuman Mosque in Udupi.
He served in various prominent capacities: as a member of the Udupi Local Board, co-founder of the Udupi Co-operative Society, chairman of both Kundapur and Udupi Taluk Boards, and as the first president of the Udupi Municipal Council. His leadership was recognized through unanimous election to the Madras Legislative Council. Furthermore, he chaired the Welcome Committee during Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Udupi in 1934.
Recognitions
- The Krishna Math of Udupi honored him with the "Daylight torch" (ಹಗಲು ದೀವಟಿಗೆ) in appreciation of his services to the monastery.
- For his significant contributions, he was awarded British honors: Khan Saheb in 1909 followed by Khan Bahadur in 1920.