Tejraj Dedavat

Summary :Late Tejraj Sagarmal Dedavat- Kanku Chopra : Historical Jain Legend , Business Tycoon.

Tejraj Sagarmalji Dedavat (1920-1997) (Kanku Chopra) was one of the leading Oswal Jain Social Worker, Jain scholar & Umbrella Industry tycoon & establisher in Mumbai, India. He was pioneer & founder member of many educational organisations, trust & Social organisations. His presence was motivating for everyone in his circle & Oswal Rajasthani Religion Segment. In Rajasthani Oswal jain society one fails to find such an individuality like Tejraj Sagarmalji Dedavat who was versatile in terms of money power, charismatic personality , highly socially active , Highly intellectual Scholar on Various Subjects whose presence was felt like a roaring lion.

Brief Background
He was born in Rajasthan,in Pali district,in Sanderao. He graduated from Elphinstone College & completed LLB & had huge command in his voice.He was a business tycoon & had friendly relations with Maharajah of Jodhpur, Maharajah Ummedsingh. He belonged to Shwetambar, Oswal Segment.His Father had donated Maharajah a Hospital constructed in Sanderao which was First Hospital of Pali-District, Rajasthan, India. His elder brother had died at age of 21 years in absence of medical facilities which motivated to him & his family towards social acts. He used to also actively participate in Freedom fights. He was one of the Varkana's Jajam ( place in Pali District ). He was found socially active from age of 16 years & he was more inspired by following persons i.e. his Grand Father who was too a Business Tycoon Chimnat Trilok who migrated from Bikaner to Sanderao,by his father (Sagarmalji) Establisher of Oswal Umbrellas & his eldest Brother who died at Young Age of 21 in an Accident (Ganesmalji) & his elder Sister in Law who opted for Jain Nun after her Husband (Ganeshmalji) expired. Tejraj Dedavat's wife Smt. Umadevi was driving force behind his Social commitments & sacrifices without whom his success wouldn't have been possible.

Honoured by King of Jodhpur
His Joint family had invited King of Jodhpur, to Sanderao & constructed a building for stay of His Highness. On same occasion his Father donated King Money, gemstones weighing Kings Weight along with Elephants, horses. King was pleased by this & honoured their family with Title of Dedavat. He had very good close cordial family relations with His Highness of Jodhpur Dynasty & had strong commanding hold. Like Bafnas had strong hold in Jaisalmer, Tejrajji had Strong hold in Sanderao, in Jodhpur, in Oswal Marwari Community & Umrella Industry.

Business Success
His joint family was umbrella industry establisher in Mumbai. And under his leadership, his Firm M/s Oswal Umbrella became number one firm establishing him as Business Tycoon of Industry. He used to take care of his younger brothers, sisters, other family members & employees.

Scholar of Various Subjects
Though loaded with Many social responsibilities his main interest lied in studying various subjects like Buddhism, Vedanta Philosophy, Christianity, Islam,Western Philosophy, Yoga, Numerology, Astrology, occultism, Ayurveda, Law, Meditation, Reiki. His age group friends used to always find him involved in Books readings whenever free from Social & business commitments. He had scholarly knowledge on above various subjects & use to always win in Debates on any subject.His majority predictions proved right.Because of his Scholarly knowledge & Altruistic Nature he was favourite of Many Jain Monks specially Muni Ratna shri Vallabh Duttji popular as Phakkad Maharaj, Disciple of AcharyaBhagwant Shri Vallabh Suriji & Many Astrologers used to respect him for his Vast knowledge on Various subjects. He spoke many languages like English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujarati, Marwari, Marathi, Urdu, French, and German. He firmly believed in principles of jainism, Jain philosophy & implemented same in his life.

Note : Today also in his closed house in Mumbai one can witness a books library & various language intellectual books which he used to refer.

Cordial relations with other faiths
He had very good relations with different faith followers. Iranis in those days used to take his permission before doing business in that area of Mumbai. And as matter of fact as love for their , this friend they used to celeberate diwali too on Diwali Poojan by their free will.

Tejrajji on Education
He imparted education to daughters too along with his sons ,whereby it was tough during those days for females to complete education due to conservative approach. He believed education should be first imparted to females than males because he believed that a mother was the first teacher of her children and needed education first.His three daughters completed their graduation& one was Gold medalist in LLB.

Other Aspects of Tejraj Dedavat
He was pioneer of Shri Parswanath Ummed Shikshan Sangh,Falna (falna college) in Pali district at Rajasthan (Privileged Education Institute of Oswal Jains). He used to finance many business persons & needy confidentially without Obligation. He had financed also many Film Personalities like Raj Kapoor, hema Mailini , Vishwajeet, Shailender Singh , etc. In spite of his huge influential contacts he always kept himself away from glare of spotlight. His command was so much that on Major issues of Oswal-Gaudwad segment his decisions were invited & indisputably were implemented. He enjoyed Presidency of Shri Sanderao Oswal Jain Sangh for many years with no volunteers standing in front of him. Though being a business tycoon versed with immense knowledge on Various subjects he had no ego & was down to earth. He hated lie & was lover justice forgetting that in front was his dear person or stranger. In His life he was founder of many Organisations & re-knowned for Social work in Oswal Jain Community.

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