Jain Heritage and Beyond

Author(s): Shailesh Shah
Publisher: Oshwal Associations of The UK

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During the early 1940's Oshwal instituations were established for social, religious, cultural and educational purposes. In 1941 the 'Oshwal Education and Relief Board' was established with the objective of promoting education. To meet the needs of the local Oshwals, community centres were set up in various towns and cities in Kenya. In Kenya alone Oshwals have very successful Nursery schools, primary schools, Secondary schools and even a college. Opulent Jain Derasars have been built in Nairobi and Mombasa.
In the early 1960s some Oshwals decided to Oshwal Assembly Halls
migrate, from East Africa, and set up home in the U.K. Amongst the first families to set up in the U.K. were the family of Shri Meghji Pethraj Shah whose name is not only synonymous with charitable activities in East Africa and India, but who have also made their mark in the U.K. Another notable person who came to the UK in 1957 was Shri Jayantilal Ranmal Shah, who until May 2003 was one of the 7 trustees of the Association. Africanisation policies in East Africa and the post independence uncertainty led many Oshwal families to look towards settlement in the U.K. and the trickle which started in the late 1960s became a steady flow in the early 1970s. By 1976 it was estimated that there were at least 15,000 Oshwals in the U.K. Today this figure is estimated to be around 20,000. Whilst the majority of the U.K. Oshwal settlement is in the various suburbs of London there are substantial settlements in cities like Leicester and towns like Luton, Northampton and Wellingborough In a similar fashion to East Africa, the pioneers of the U.K. Oshwal settlement foresaw the need to organise their growing numbers into a community and the Oshwal Association of the U.K. came into being in 1969. It was then formally transformed into a registered charitable organisation in 1972. To meet the needs of the large community the Association has been organised into nine administrative Areas each of which has an elected body of members to carry out the day to day tasks of providing community service to the members of the Association residing in those Areas. The main objective of the Association was the Advancement of Jainism by the provision of a place of worship. It was with this objective in mind that the elders of the community purchased the site in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside known as "Hook House".
This site, now known as Oshwal Centre, which, at the time of purchase, consisted of almost 80 acres of green field with a listed old mansion and a few run-down stable buildings and barns has been transformed into the headquarters of the Association and its administrative nerve centre. The mansion was totally renovated, in accordance with the provisions of the law relating to listed buildings, and
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