Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy
Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 1st Baronet, CMG, FRAS (1783–1859) was an Indian merchant and longtime philanthropist who built one of Bombay’s great fortunes. Born on 15 July 1783 in Bombay, he was the son of Merwanjee Mackjee Jejeebhoy, a Parsi textile merchant, and Jeevibai Cowasjee Jejeebhoy. When he was 16, after his parents died, he was brought up by his maternal uncle Framjee Nasserwanjee Battliwala and began his first journeys into business.
As a young man he traveled to Calcutta and China to trade cotton and opium. He learned the ropes from mentors and even survived a voyage in which his ship faced a French squadron. On another voyage he met William Jardine, who would later help him in the opium trade. After several challenging trips, he established himself as a successful merchant with a growing fortune. In 1803 he married Avabai, the daughter of his maternal uncle, and settled in Bombay, where he ran his business on a larger scale. He also began using the name Jamsetjee (instead of Jamshed) to fit Gujarati naming customs.
By the age of 40 Jejeebhoy had earned an immense sum from cotton and trade during the Napoleonic Wars. He bought his own fleet of ships and, with the help of the British East India Company, expanded his business. In 1814 he bought his first ship, the Good Success, and he later added several more, often transporting opium and some cotton to China. In 1818 he formed the firm Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy & Co. with Motichund Amichund and Mahomed Ali Rogay, later joined by Rogério de Faria. His connections with Jardine Matheson & Co. helped build a lasting trading relationship.
Known in business as “Mr. Bottlewalla” (a nod to his bottle-making ventures), Jejeebhoy grew his enterprise so that by the 1830s his firm employed many family members and relatives. He became a prominent representative of Bombay’s Indian community in the eyes of the British. He also served on the board of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, along with Jagannath Shankarsheth.
Jejeebhoy was a self-made man who cared for the poor. He funded hospitals, schools, homes for the distressed, and pension funds across India, especially in Bombay, Navsari, Surat, and Poona. He spent on wells, reservoirs, bridges, and causeways, donating what many considered a fortune—over £230,000 by the time of his death. His philanthropy began in 1822 when he paid off the debts of the poor in Bombay’s civil jail. Among his notable charitable acts, he helped found Bombay Panjrapole in 1834 with Amichand Shah to protect animals from cruelty.
In recognition of his services, Jejeebhoy received a knighthood in 1842 and was made a baronet in 1857—the first such honors Queen Victoria bestowed on a British subject in India. On his death in Bombay on 14 April 1859, his baronetcy passed to his eldest son, Cursetjee Jejeebhoy, who later changed his name to Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy as the second baronet under a special act.
Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy is remembered as a simple, dignified man who used his wealth to improve the lives of many. His life shows how one person’s enterprise and generosity could shape a city and support countless people across India.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:34 (CET).