| Muljibhai
was born on 1st May 1894 at Ansiapat, a small village in Saurashtra
in India. He is the son of Prabhudasbhai, who was a man of devotion
and duty. Muljibhai, whose mother died
when he was young, was a smart and intelligent student. He studied
in Ranavav, and secured admission at Lohana Boarding House in Porbandar
in 1906. |
| Muljibhai's
mind was ever yearning to fly to greater heights of adventure. He
joined his elder brother Nanjibhai who immigrated to Uganda in 1906
for retail trade business there in 1908.
At that time in Uganda, trade could only be taken at risk to one's
life. A man with determination as unyielding as iron and will power
as strong as steel, he remained firm even in this situation.
After passing through this ordeal, he was entrusted with the independent
management of a shop at Cairo owned by the firm of Vithaldas Haridas
& Co. |
| Business
activities of Vithaldas Haridas & Co. commenced to progress
with rapid strides. The Jinja office of this firm was placed under
his charge for managing its business affairs and he concentrated
all his energies in order to develop the business activities of
his firm in a solid way.
Shri Muljibhai became the managing director
of four concerns, Vithaldas Haridas & Co. Ltd., Uganda (Kakira)
Sugar Works Ltd., Nile Industrial & Tobacco Co. Ltd. and Uganda
Cotton Brokers Limited. Later, the directors of this Company separated
themselves with the same noble heart.
Muljibhai accomplished unique development in industrial ventures,
which he got as his share. Not only did he exhibit his unique vision
and imagination with the establishment of Madhvaninagar, but also
transformed that imagination into a sound achievement by introducing
therein splendid colours in the form of gigantic works and farsightedness.
Madhuvaninagar means golden pages in the
history of Indian settlement, an inspiring example of adventure
and incessant work of Shri Muljibhai |
| It
is a very difficult task to establish an industrial town, but being
a man of dauntless spirit and matchless will power he transformed
his dream into reality. Madhvani Group
at Madhavaninagar was humming with all kinds of industries, it had
its own railway, schools were opened, and free education was provided
for children of Indian and African employees. Medical and sports
centers were also provided for employees by the company.
A man of vision, he also spread his business empire in India. Tea
plantations known as Singara Nilgiri Plantations Company which are
situated in Coonoor in Nilgiri area, Tungbhadra Sugar Works plant
which is situated near Bangalore in Mysore, Shree Mukesh Textile
Mills (formerly known as Colaba Textile Mill) that is situated in
Colaba area in Bombay and Saurashtra Salt works at Port Victor near
Bhavnagar were established.
Shri Muljibhai, a man of strenuous action
and a devotee of relentless activity, made his life fragrant
with the sublime virtues of service, sacrifice, dedication and renunciation,
which he imbibed in his life. He made good use of his wealth by
donating for the general welfare of the community, society and country
at large. Some of the outstanding institutions among them,
The Muljibhai Madhavani Commercial College for Africans (Kampala),
The Muljibhai Madhvani Town Hall & Clock Tower (Jinja), The
Munjibhai Madhvani Cricket Stadium (Kampala), The Muljibhai Madhavani
Assembly Hall, Arya Kanya Gurukal, Baroda (India), The Parvatiben
Muljibhai Madhvani Girls School (Jinja).
He served as the President of Lohana Community Jinja for period
of about thirty years. Magnificent and impressive buildings for
a hostel for the student and a clubhouse for the general public
were erected under the auspices of his President-ship.
He was the Trustee of many public bodies,
during the British Rule in Uganda; the then government had appointed
him as a member of Cotton Exchange Committee and Coronation Committee.
He rendered praiseworthy services as the President of Uganda Cotton
Association, Uganda Planters Association, Uganda Chamber of Commerce
and several other public bodies.
In 1939-40, the Uganda Government bestowed upon him the honourable
title of 'MBE'. He was a staunch advocate of action. He stated that
action is nectar and action is light. He did not believe in luck
or fortune and disapproved of the mentality, which leads one to
believe in the theory of luck, which reflects nothing but illusion
and diseased mind.
On 10th July 1958, Shri Muljibhai the
creator of Madhvaninagar passed away after fulfilling the lofty
mission of his life in this world. |
