Tracing Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy’s contribution towards development of Mumbai

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.

Charni Road railway station

Pic/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

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.

Sir JJ Dharamshala, Bellasis Road

Sir JJ is believed to have donated over Rs 1 lakh to set up this space that till date, supports old and destitute people with food, clothing, shelter and medicines, free of cost. This dharamshala welcomes people across caste, creed and religion. It was the first such free facility for senior citizens in Asia.

Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Fort Boys’ High School and Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Parsee Benevolent Institution Girl’s High School, DN Road

Sir JJ was responsible for setting up the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Parsi Benevolent Institution to promote education among the Parsi community. The Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Fort Boys’ High School (originally called The Central English School) was started in 1849, and later, at the suggestion of Dadabhai Naoroji, a girls’ school was started in 1850.

Grant Government Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals, Nagpada, Byculla

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 courtesy/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.

Other major contributions

Sir JJ made significant endowments towards charities, hospitals and schools in the city and aided in construction of wells, reservoirs and bridges. He also donated towards Bombay Samachar (today’s Mumbai Samachar; pic below), which remains Asia’s oldest still-operational newspaper. Another landmark that he contributed towards was the Victoria and Albert Museum in Byculla that is known today as the Dr Bhau Daji Lad City Museum.

Philanthropy in his veins

Then Governor of Bombay, Lord Elphinstone said this about Sir JJ: “But it was not the mere possession of wealth that made Sir Jamsetjee’s name memorable. It was the distribution of that wealth with unparalleled benevolence and an enlightened desire to attain the height of usefulness, which was equally rare; that rendered him famous.”

Added inputs: Rajendra B Aklekar
Map/Suhas Kale
NOTE: Map not to scale

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