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Part IV. Rise and Glory
prosperity to many Oshwals. Some Oshwals who left Kenya in the nineteen-sixties A.D. to settle back in India set up industrial plants in Mumbai, Indore and Ahmedabad. As Bangalore became famous for its agarbati (scented sticks), many Oshwals settled there and got involved in manufacturing and marketing agarbatis.
Meghji Pethraj set up the first Oshwal business in England in 1958 A.D. and this was followed by a grocery store by Velji Khimchand Gudhka and Harkhchand Lakhamshi Haria in London. At that time, Oshwals were mainly in the grocery business or working for large department stores. At present there are several Oshwal-owned industrial undertakings, wholesale warehouses and retail shops. Because of the opportunities for higher education, many Oshwals have diversified into service industries such as accountancy, insurance, brokerage, law, banking and finance, and the like.
In the United States of America, almost every one in the beginning came as students to pursue further studies and after completing their studies some of them stayed behind ventured into businesses. At present there are several Oshwal owned large businesses, software engineering firms, motels/hotels, laundromats and grocery stores.
Venilal Hansraj Kachra Sumaria founded a company called Sumaria Systems Inc. In 1982 A.D. The company have been recognized by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other well known industry organizations for on-time, quality project performance: In 1997 A.D. U.S. Small Business honored him and gave Veni title of 'Administrator's Award of Excellence'. Same year he was named 'Minority Small Business Person of the Year', of Region I, Northeast U.S. In 1999 A.D. the company was rated as National Fast 500 Company, Washington Technology Top 100 Federal Information Technology Company and New England Technology Fast 50 Company. Due to his entrepreneurial spirit, Veni Sumaria, was named
