By Dr. Sohail Ansari

Sir Seth Jehangir Hormasji Kothari

(Born: 9 November 1857 – Died: 1 November 1934)

His grandfather was Charles Napier’s agent who came to Karachi from Surat. Had basic education at Karachi High School. Karachiites will remember him for his donation of Jehangir Kothari Parade. He was a noted philanthropist.This is how the press reported about him:He devotes his life largely to the welfare of the British Empire. During the war he maintained a large staff at his own expense to conduct patriotic work and contributed £175,000 to the British World War Loan. He has also made large gifts to his native city, Karachi. He has presented the citizens of Karachi with a fine parade, pier, school for the blind, and sanatorium. He is well known in society circles in England, and is an intimate friend of the King and Queen.Sir Jehangir Kothari, the greater portion of whose estate of £150,000, it was disclosed the other day, has been left for the benefit of orphans and the poor and suffering throughout the world, died with every appearance of poverty at Trieste on November 1, 1934.

For years he had been travelling about the globe, and had been round the world nine times. He returned only for the briefest periods to Karachi, where lay the bulk of his property (says the Karachi correspondent of the ‘Daily Mail’), Sir Jehangir was a soured man. Following the death of his only son, and later that of his wife, he developed a dislike for India and Indians, adopting European ways.His eccentricities included the lavish entertainment of friends at famous hotels in London, while he lived in some mean, backstreet boarding-house. First charges on his estate are £30,000 to his son’s widow, annuities totalling about £300 and other family allowances.