On Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy’s 242nd birth anniversary, we’ve curated a special trail that you can embark on that will highlight this founding father and philanthropist’s immense contribution towards the city’s development in the 1800s (Story by Fiona Fernandez, with added inputs from Rajendra B Aklekar)
Updated On: 2025-07-15 11:36 AM IST
Compiled by : Raaina Jain
The location that covers this railway station was once grazing land for cattle. Sir JJ bought over this large tract near the sea-facing area of Thakurdwar, to ensure that starving cattle could graze here since cattle-owners could not afford to pay a ‘grazing fee’ introduced by the British. Thanks to his intervention, cattle-owners could ensure their cattle could graze here without any fee. The area came to be known as ‘charni’ (grazing). When the area was identified to have a railway station on the Bombay Baroda and Central India line (BBCI; today’s Western Railway), it was called Charni Road. (Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi)
Near the Sitladevi Metro station, look out for one of Mumbai’s oldest plaques dated 1846, which highlights the building of the original Mahim Causeway. This road is also called Lady Jamshetjee (Jamshedji) Road after Sir JJ’s wife, Lady Avabai. This vital road connected Mahim Island with Bandra, and proved to be a life-saving infrastructural development since prior to this, commuters had to use ferries to commute the same distance. He donated the entire amount on the condition that local residents should be exempted from the toll.
An engraving of the Bombay Native Hospital, built at the joint expense of Sir Jejeebhoy and the East India Company; it was later renamed Sir JJ Hospital (Pic/Wikimedia Commons)
The JJ Hospital was set up in 1845, and remains one of South Asia’s oldest functioning hospitals. It was set up with a generous donation of R1 lakh from Sir JJ to build this hospital for Indians. The Grant Medical College was named after Sir Robert Grant, former Governor of Bombay who was at the forefront of planning an institution for medical education in the city. Together with Sir JJ, they worked closely to realise and establish this key medical landmark in the city.
JJ School of Art, DN Road
In the mid-1800s, Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy approached the Bombay Government for land to build a school of art. The prestigious educational institution, Asia’s oldest, was named after this philanthropist, entrepreneur and visionary. After Sir JJ’s petition was sanctioned, his generous contribution of R1 lakh ensured work began in full swing. While the institution was founded in March 1857, the first structure — the School of Art — was established in 1874 with designs by GT Molecey. Sadly, Sir JJ passed away in 1859, and was unable to see his vision become a reality. The new sections, like Architecture and Applied Art that were introduced later within the campus, were also named after Sir JJ.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly VT)
Look out for the medallion portrait of Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy on the façade of the main office building facing DN Road. He, along with Sir Jagannath Shunkersett were the only two Indians on the board of the managing committee of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIP; today’s Central Railway) and played a key role in the railways’ development in West India. (File Pic)
Read full story: Tracing Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy’s contribution towards development of Mumbai
