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| Late
Shri Haribhai Rugnath Samani (1913 - 2001) |
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| Haribhai
Rughnath Samani, a very prominent and respected founder member
of the Lohana Community passed away on Friday 31st August 2001
at the age of 88. It was a sad loss for us all |
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| Shree
Haribhai Samani was born on 14 January 1913 in Advana in Porbandar
State. Like many young men of his generation, he was able to
have only a primary education. In 1930,at the young age of seventeen,
he married Laxmiben, daughter of Shree Jivandas Karsandas Mashru
who lived in the village of Kalavad. |
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| At
the age of 19 Haribhai traveled to Mombassa, Africa by steamer,
then on to Kampala by train and proceeded to Masaka, where he
joined his uncle's business of wholesale in textiles. He worked
hard for 5 years, where upon he returned to India for a year
and was back to Africa, in 1937. Haribhai was appointed as a
Director of Kampala Printing Press, which was owned by his uncle
in 1938. However, in 1940, he became seriously ill and was back
in India for a year to recuperate. On his returning next year,
he joined his uncle Premjibhai Hansraj Samani's business again.
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progress on business front was necessity and the norm, Haribhai
was, right from the outset, interested in community work. In
1938 he joined the Kampala Lohana Mahajan as a committee member.
This community organization was to occupy a major part of his
energies and he remained involved with it in one capacity or
another right until 1972, when General Amin expelled Asians
from Uganda. Haribhai's involvement with this Mahajan was for
some thirty-four years. He was President of this institution
for many years. The Mahajan put good use to Haribhai's energies
very much; social and family functions of 4,200 Lohanas residing
in Kampala were numerous. When death occurred, Haribhai and
his team were to be found attending to the task of dressing
the deceased (no funeral directors in Uganda) and also to the
ceremony at the crematorium.
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Under
his guidance and leadership, the old building of the Mahajan
was demolished and a new modern Lohana Club was constructed,
proudly holding marriage ceremonies and all other functional
requirements of the 4,200 Lohana families in Kampala and its
surrounding areas. A foresighted, and a born leader, he is known
for his powers of persuasion. Whereas most of his proposals
were treated with great respect, some of them he dropped because
antagonizing people unnecessarily was not his style. He believes
that a consensual approach is the best approach in community
affairs. He believes that a shrewd leader should listen to others
and try to do what the community wants to do, not what he wants
to do.
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| Some
of his projects included the building of the Vithaldas Haridas
Lohana Vidyarthi Bhavan (Lohana Boys Hostel) in early thirties,
which was possible because of substantial donation from Vithaldas
Haridas family. And an extension to the same in 1945, during
which period he was the secretary to the Boarding Committee.
Being the Superintendent for many years of the same, he supervised
the extension to the Hostel in 1945; called the Kalidas Haridas
Memorial Hall, during which period Haribhai was Secretary of
the Boarding Committee.
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In
1947, as a representative of Lohana Mahajan Kampala, Haribhai
attended the first session of East Africa Lohana Supreme Council
held in Mombassa. The late Shree Kakubhai Kalidas Radia was
elected president at this session. It was agreed here that an
Insurance Company of the Lohana Community should be set up.
Many of them deserve the credit for the formation of this Insurance
Company. These included the late Kakubhai Kalidas Radia, Girdhar
Purshottam Mehta, Dhanji Kala, Hiralal Bhovan, Tulshidas Meghji
Radia. Late B.C. Thakor was the General Manager and he deserves
credit for the able manner in which he ran the company. Haribhai
was later to be a Director of this East Africa General Insurance
Company for several years. This insurance company gave loans
to many Lohana families to purchase properties on secured mortgages.
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When
in August, 1972, General Amin suddenly announced on the radio
that God had told him in a dream to expel all Asians in Uganda
within ninety days. Under the able guidance of Haribhai, the
Lohana Mahajan Kampala gave considerable help and advice to
all Lohanas and people from other communities as well during
this period. People were helped with getting their documentation
in order, and those who could not afford tickets were helped
financially as well. It speaks volumes about the resilience
of Asians in Uganda that of the 80,000 people who left Uganda
during this period, the British Government had to pay for tickets
for only two persons.
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Following
the Ugandan influx, the Ugandan influence was soon to be felt
and Haribhai was elected President of Lohana Union London in
1973. This organization continued until 1976, when four regional
organizations were formed in North, South, East and West London.
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It
was in the early to mid seventies that the next phase in Haribhai's
life came. Not burdened with a business to look after, his time
was spent increasingly in social pursuits. Haribhai became,
during the seventies, eighties and nineties, a sort of unofficial
priest in London and elsewhere, sharing the grief of all Hindu
families, officiating at death ceremonies and the religious
rites afterwards. Countless families remember him for his consoling
presence and his wisdom and thank him for his time and his sentiments.
Haribhai became, during this time, a father figure. The thing
to remember is that he did this at a time when his own health
was not good, when he had no transport of his own, and when
his wife's health was failing.
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| In
recognition of his service as a "Good Samaritan" in
this country, as well as his services to the Community since
1938, the Lohana Community North London organized a function
to honour him, and gave him, and gave him a "Man Patra"
on 10 March 1984 at Brent Town Hall. |
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| Upon
his death, Lohana Community North London held a memorial service
at the Byron Hall, Harrow Leisure Centre, when all past presidents
and prominent well wishers paid tribute to him.His community
work of sixty years spans two generations, and the abiding goodwill,
loyalty and gratitude that thousands of people have for him
speaks for itself. LCNL salute this great humanitarian! |
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