Jagmal Raja Chauhan

Jagmal Raja Chauhan
Born	1887 Nagher village, Kutch, India
Died	1974 Mumbai, India
Occupation(s)	Railway contractor, industrialist, philanthropist
Years active	Early 1900s–1970s
Known for	Railway and bridge construction, glass and ceramics industry, philanthropy

Jagmal Raja Chauhan (1887–1974), widely recognized as Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, was a prominent figure in India’s railway contracting sector, industrial enterprises, mining, private banking, aviation innovation, and philanthropy.

Early life

Originating from Nagher village in Kutch in 1887, he was a member of the KGK community. He left formal education at an early age to join his father’s railway contracting firm when he was just twelve, quickly establishing a reputation as a leading contractor throughout British India.

Railway and bridge construction contracts

Jagmal Raja’s father, Raja Narayan Chauhan, was himself a respected railway contractor, providing Jagmal Raja with hands-on experience from childhood. Over the years, he managed numerous major projects including the track laying between Bulandshahr and Hapur (1904), Shahdara to Saharanpur (1904), Aligarh Station development (1906), construction of the Allahabad Ganges Railway Bridge (1908), doubling the Yamuna Bridge at Allahabad (1911), building the Kanpur to Banda line with a Yamuna bridge near Hamirpur (1912), Hooghly-Katwa section (1913), Mughalsarai yard extension (1914), Dhanbad yard expansion (1922), Kidderpore Docks enlargement in Calcutta (1924), Dehri on Sone bridge (1925), doubling Nehru Setu over the Son River near Arrah (1927), and Bally Bridge in Calcutta (1926–1932).

Among his most notable achievements was initiating the Bally Bridge project in 1926 and overseeing its completion by 1932. This structure, named Willingdon Bridge after the then Viceroy of India who inaugurated it, earned Jagmal Raja significant recognition. The British government honored him by naming the first train crossing it the Jagmal Raja Howrah Express. His contractors and collaborators were mainly drawn from his own KGK community. Each girder of Bally Bridge still bears nameplates stating "Erection & Caissoning done by Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, Allahabad."

Dock construction contracts

In 1924, under the Calcutta Port Trust’s expansion at Khiddirpore, the "King George Dockyard" was constructed and completed by 1927 through the efforts of Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja Chauhan alongside Bhimjee Pancha Chauhan and Mavji Punja Chauhan—both also natives of Nagor. This dockyard is presently known as "Netaji Subhas Docks."

Architectural projects and building works

Maharao Shri Khengarji III of Cutch, who had a close relationship with Jagmal Raja—once serving as his ADC—commissioned him to erect a private residence in Bombay during the 1920s, resulting in the creation of Cutch Castle.

Jagmal Raja also directed the construction of Vijay Vilas Palace from 1920 to 1929. This project involved skilled artisans from the Mistri communities across Cutch, Rajasthan, Bengal, and Saurashtra.

Following the completion of Bally Bridge in 1932, upon recommendation by the Viceroy of India to Nepal’s King, Jagmal Raja took charge of restoring and renovating royal palaces and temples there. He entrusted supervision to Parbat Harji Chauhan, Karaman Devji Chauhan, and Manji Shivjee while deploying a workforce of 200 artisans from Kutch for this extensive assignment.

He played a role in building Darya Mahal—the second grand residence commissioned by Maharao Khengarji III in 1940. Despite his engagement in multiple enterprises at that time, he sent expert Mistri craftsmen from Kutch to work alongside the royal architects.

Additionally, during the 1920s Jagmal Raja constructed his own palace on M.G Road in Allahabad. Designed after Bhuj’s Prag Mahal, this regal-style mansion still has visible remnants today.

Glass and ceramics

Jagmal Raja played a foundational role in India's glass and ceramics sector, initiating the Allahabad Glass Factory and Naini Glass Works at Naini in 1912. In 1919, his Naini facility was honored by a visit from Sir Harcourt Butler, then Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces. Subsequently, he launched Bombay Glass Works in 1930 and Raja Glass Works near Calcutta in 1932.

For his significant contributions to the glass industry, he was granted a Fellowship by the Society of Glass Technology, London, in 1941, joining esteemed contemporaries such as John Northwood and Pandit Vishnu Datta.

Additionally, he established Gujarat Pottery Works at Derol Station in 1932, which managed production of sanitary ware, tiles, and fire clay products.

Pharmaceuticals

Jagmal Raja held the position of Chairman at Zandu Pharmaceutical for an extended period.

Airline and navigation

Together with fellow Gujarati entrepreneurs Haridas Madhavdas, Vijaysinh Govindji, and Vithaldas Kanji, Jagmal Raja was a key promoter of the shipping enterprise Shri Ambica Steam Navigation Company, founded in 1945. This company operated along India's western coastline with its headquarters based in Bombay.

In 1947, Chauhan and associates inaugurated Ambica Airlines, a subsidiary under Ambica Steam Navigation Company. The airline serviced routes including Bombay–Bhuj–Rajkot–Jamnagar–Morvi and Bombay–Baroda–Ahmedabad. However, due to insufficient passenger numbers and legal obstacles, Ambica Airlines discontinued operations in 1949.

Coal mines

Originating from the Mistri community of Kutch, Chauhan co-owned the Rajapur Colliery near Jharia with Manji Jeram Rathod from Madhapar. The coal mines were purchased in 1913 from Bhawan Kara of Balambha, another Gujarati miner. After Rathod passed away in 1954, Chauhan maintained mining activities until 1970, divesting the mine shortly before coal industry nationalization in India.

Silica mines

He possessed silica mining operations at Bargad in Shankargarh, which supplied essential raw materials for his glass manufacturing businesses.

Bus transport

Capitalizing on Cutch State's introduction of passenger bus services in 1945, Jagmal Raja secured the contract for operating the Bhuj–Anjar–Mundra route. He managed this service until 1948 when Cutch was integrated into the Indian Union.

Banker

Operating out of Jharia alongside partner Manji Jeram Rathod, he offered private banking services specializing in loans and financing for coal mining enterprises.

Insurance

Jagmal Raja was instrumental as a promoter and director of the Indian Globe Insurance Company, founded in 1929. He also owned a finance firm.

Paper Mills and other ventures

His diverse industrial interests encompassed a paper board factory named Dahanu Straw Boards located at Dahanu, an aromatics manufacturing unit called Hindustan Aromatics, as well as facilities for ice production, cold storage, and export businesses. Furthermore, he ventured into packaged food manufacturing and pickle exports.

Personal life

Jagmal Raja maintained residences, business offices, and manufacturing plants in both Allahabad and Bombay, including grand mansions situated in each city. He shared a close personal association with Maharao of Cutch, Khengarji III, acting as his personal aide-de-camp (ADC) during King George VI's Coronation in 1937—an honor uniquely bestowed upon him from the Kutch community. Khengarji III was present at Jagmal Raja’s engineering degree ceremony in London and granted him permission to own a car within Cutch State.

Beyond his relationship with Maharao Khengarji III, Jagmal Raja cultivated connections with influential personalities such as Viceroy Lord Irwin, rulers from Shankargarh, Rajkot State, Nawanagar State, members of Nepal’s Rana dynasty, the Raja of Rewa, and prominent zamindars across the United Provinces.

As a trailblazer in India’s glass and ceramics industries, he also contributed significantly to infrastructure projects by constructing numerous railway lines and bridges—including the distinguished Bally Bridge. His philanthropic efforts earned him the prestigious title of Rao Bahadur from the Viceroy during a ceremony at Shimla in 1924. Despite formal education ceasing at fifth standard in his hometown (Nagor), he was conferred an AEIE degree (UK) on recommendation by Lord Irwin.

He maintained close relationships with leaders such as Motilal Nehru and Jawaharlal Nehru; notably, wedding processions for Motilal Nehru’s daughters commenced from his mansion in Allahabad. He also engaged actively in electoral politics from Allahabad. His palatial residence on M.G. Road there was an expansive royal-style home inspired by Bhuj’s Prag Mahal.

His extensive network included prominent figures from India’s independence movement like Madan Mohan Malviya, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, C. Y. Chintamani, Rajendra Prasad, C. Rajagopalachari, and V. V. Giri. He supported their cause through generous contributions.

HH Shri Vijayaraji of Kutch frequently spent vacations at Jagmal Raja’s Allahabad mansion—demonstrating his standing among princely states.

During construction work on Bally Bridge in Calcutta, through associates such as Lira Raja Rathor and Devram Jetha Jethwa, he established connections with Jeewanlal Motichand Shah—the owner of an aluminum utensils company later renamed Jeewanlal (1929) Limited. Motivated by Gandhi’s concerns about aluminum utensil health hazards, Shah planned to exit that business. Jagmal Raja—who maintained ties with industrial stalwarts like Tatas, Birlas, Wadias, Bajaj family members, and Walchand Hirachand—alerted Gandhi about this situation and facilitated Shah's acquisition of Mukand Iron & Steel Company from Lala Mukandlal of Lahore. This collaboration with Jamnalal Bajaj ultimately led to the creation of today’s Mukand Ltd.

He counted membership among esteemed organizations such as the Indian Science Congress Association, the British-based Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain), and the Society of Glass Technology (UK).

His life story is documented within Encyclopædia Britannica as well as Book of World Knowledge.

Death

He passed away in 1974 in Mumbai, leaving behind four sons—Jairam Jagmal, Varjang Jagmal, Gopalji Jagmal, and Shamji Jagmal—who had collectively overseen the enterprise since the 1930s and 1940s. The Bombay Glass Works facility was under the leadership of Varjang Jagmal Raja, whereas the elder son, Jairam Jagmal, managed the Allahabad Glass Works along with the Gujarat Pottery Works. Notably, Varjang was also a certified pilot and affiliated with the Bombay Flying Club.

Philanthropy

He founded an ashram near Allahabad at Jhusi, situated on the banks of the Ganges, which included a spacious Dharamshala comprising more than 100 rooms. In 1932, he established and donated the Mistri Boarding House for boys in Bhuj, his birthplace, followed by a similar boarding facility in Poona in 1940. His charitable contributions extended to funding ambulance services and hospitals, as well as erecting a Hindu temple in Rajkot. Additionally, he set up charitable funds dedicated to educational scholarships, sports recognitions, and medical assistance.

In his native village of Nagor in Kutch, he contributed a public garden, a Hindu temple, a residential colony for Harijans, wells, a chabutro, an entrance gate, and a paved road spanning 10 kilometers that connected Nagor to Bhuj. His family’s ancestral residence continues to stand there. Furthermore, he provided numerous scholarships aimed at supporting research and advanced education.

Honors

In recognition of his services, he was conferred the title of Rai Bahadur in 1923. He was also honored with the George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935 and later received the George VI Coronation Medal in 1937.

See also

• Khora Ramji Chawda