Jain Journal 1970 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 15

Late Kasturmal Banthia
The late Kasturmal Banthia, who died of heart failure on July 6, 1969, at the age of 75 was born at Ajmer and had his education at Allahabad and Bombay. Having taken his B.Com degree from the Sydenham College of Commerce, he served under some business houses at Indore and in 1920 he joined the Birlas. In 1928, the Birlas deputed him to serve their firm The East Indian Produce Co. Ltd., in London which he did for the next five years. Banthia was one of the earliest from Rajasthan to go overseas against social opinion and stay there with his family. In the London Indian circle Banthia soon made a mark and was made the vice-president of the Indian Chamber of Commerce there. On his return to India in early thirties, he lost his wife and this was a turning point in his career. He gave up his job and devoted to reading and writing which he had been doing these long years. He had a good collection of books which he made over to the Sri Jinadatta Suri Mandal, Ajmer.
Banthia had a passion for writing, but much of it has been through the medium of Hindi. He wrote several books first on commercial subjects, later on Jainism. He contributed many articles in current journals but his preference was for translations. Himself a prolific writer, he translated many important books on Jainism from Guja and English into Hindi. Unfortunately, only a few of these are available in print, the largest portion of his labour still remains in manuscripts and unless printed soon by the enthusiasm of some religious organisation, trust or publishing firm, will be consumed up by the great consumer Kala (Time). Banthia had great admiration for this journal and when in 1969 its special issue was devoted to 'Jainism through Space and Time', he expressed a keenness to translate it in Hindi himself, would his health so permit. His was really a personality to be loved and admired and his exit leaves a gap which may be difficult to fill up.