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SINGHI JAIN SERIES
and
Late BABU SHRI BAHADUR SINGHJI SINGHI
My dear, sincere and noble friend, Babu Shri BAHADUR SINGHJI SINGHI, who, under my special inspiration, had founded this SINGHI JAIN SERIES in 1931, in sacred memory of his saintly father, Babu Shri DALCHANDJI SINGHI and realizing whose uncommon devotion to the cause of learning as well as his ideal munificence, I also dedicated with my heart the dynamic and the precious portion of my remaining life to the Series, seeing whose fairly satisfactory and prompting progress since its inception and to find it in more advancing and comprehensive form in future, cherished an intense desire which resulted in associating the Series with the BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN, according to a scheme outlined by me. Full five years have passed since the sad demise of that noble man. In his revered memory, I am penning a few lines here.
ON THE 7TH OF JULY, 1944, Babu Shri BAHADUR SINGH JI SINGHI left his mortal coils at the comparatively early age of fiftynine. His loss has been widely felt. His aged mother received this rude shock so ill that she did not long outlive him. His worthy sons have lost an affectionate and noble father, the industrialists and businessmen of the country one of their pioneers, the large number of his employees a benevolent master, scholarship one of its best patrons and the poor people of his native district a most generous donor. To me his loss has been personal. My contact with him was a turning point in my life. Whatever I have been able to achieve, during the past eighteen years, in the field scholarship is due directly to him. The financial assistance with which he backed my activities was the least of his contributions. But for his love of scholarship with which he inspired me, this chapter of my life would have been entirely different.
Babu Shri BAHADUR SINGH JI SINGHI was born in Azimganj, Murshidabad, in Vikram Samvat 1941, in the ancient family of the Singhis, who were of old the treasurers of the Mughal emperors. The family had passed through many vicissitudes of fortune and in the 17th century it migrated from Rajputana to Bengal, but thanks to the energy and enterprise of Singhiji's father, Babu Shri DALCHANDJI SINGHI, the family firm became a very flourishing concern.
Babu Dalchandji Singhi was born in Azimganj (Murshidabad) in the Vikram Samvat 1921 (1865 A. D.), and died in Calcutta on the 30th December, 1927. Owing to financial difficulties, Dalchandji Singhi had abruptly to cut short his educational career and join the family business at the early age of 14. The family had been carrying on business in the name of Messrs Hurisingh Nehalchand for a long time though, in those days, it was not at all a prominent firm. But having taken the reins of the firm in his own hands, Babu Dalchandji developed it on a very large scale; and it was main'y through his business acumen, industry, perseverance and honesty that this comparatively unknown firm of "Hurisingh Nehalchand " came to be reckoned as the foremost jute concern with branches in almost all the important jute centres of Bengal. The fruits of Dalchandji Singhi's toils were immense, and the reputation of the firm in commercial circles was, indeed, unique.
Having thus brought his jute business to the most flourishing condition. Babu Dalchandji Singhi diverted his attention to the mineral resources of India and spent many lacs of rupees in prospecting the coal fields of Korea State (C. P.), limestone deposits of Sakti State and Akaltara, and the bauxite deposits of Belgaum and Sawantwadi and Icha'karanji States. His scheme for the Hiranyakeshi Hydro-Electric Project
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