Jagannath Nana Shankarshet: A forgotten visionary amidst colonial chaos

Against that backdrop, what’s a 19-year-old who’s just lost his influential banker father to do? Jagannath Shankarshet already knew the answer to that. Born in a wealthy Murkute family of goldsmiths on 10 February 1803 in Murbad in Bombay, the young man wanted to set up institutions. 

Fondly called Nana Shankarshet, he would spend the rest of his life helping build social, educational and cultural landmarks in the city of Bombay. The island city was recovering from the devastating fire of 1803, which had razed large parts around Old Fort, forcing the authorities to plan a new town.

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Growing up in a family of merchants and blessed with a sharp intellect, Shankarshet grew the family business rapidly. He had a headstart because his grandfather and father had been bankers to the rich and powerful, including the EIC. His credit rating was so high that Arab, Afghan, and other foreign merchants are believed to have chosen to place their money with him rather than with banks.

Had that been all, he would have passed into the ranks of the handful of rich Indian merchants who prospered under colonial rule. Instead, Shankarshet would build his reputation by how he spent his vast fortune and used his clout in the city.

He first cut his teeth in the political arena when, in 1826, the Indian Jury Act was passed, granting only Christians the right to sit as jurors in trials of other Christians. On the other hand, Christian jurors had all the right to oversee cases involving Hindus and Muslims. Shankarshet joined the renowned social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy in petitioning the British Parliament to allow Indians to be part of the Jury in criminal cases. Eventually, the British Parliament enacted a law enabling the inclusion of Indians in such juries.

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The educationist

The victory was sweet, but Nana was just getting started. Despite being from an orthodox Marathi Daivadnya Brahmin family, he was convinced of the need to promote female education in the country. To that end, he joined Dadoba Pandurang and Dr. Bhau Daji to set up Parsi, Marathi and Gujarati schools for girls, with a part of his own house and his guesthouse serving as one of the premises. 

Realizing the inhibitions in society that prevented parents from sending their daughters to school, he encouraged his daughter and his friend’s daughters to attend school. He would also go on to fund a school for the Koli community of fishermen. 

In 1824, he kickstarted the Mumbai Native Education Society, which went through a series of changes and finally became the famous Elphinstone Educational Institute or Elphinstone College. 

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All the while he emphasized on the need for vernacular language as the medium of instruction.

The entrepreneur 

Even as he busied himself with educational activities, Nana was chasing another grand scheme. The first railway line in the world, connecting the towns of Stockton and Darlington in England, had opened in 1825. Watching the development from afar were two Indians, Nana and the great merchant and philanthropist Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy. The two shrugged off the limitations of a poor country ruled by a colonial power to found the Indian Railway Association, which was eventually incorporated as the Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) Railway. 

Nana and Jejeebhoy were the only native directors on its board. Such was Nana’s enthusiasm for the groundbreaking project that in the initial years, his home doubled up as the railway association's office. On 16 April 1853, the GIP ran the first passenger train in India and Asia between Bori Bunder and Thane, a 34-kilometre distance. Nana was among its first passengers.

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For his efforts, he became the first Indian to be nominated to the Bombay Legislative Council and the first Indian member of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. He also donated generously, both money and land, to the development of public parks and theatres and was a co-founder of the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (erstwhile Victoria & Albert Museum, Bombay). Fiercely patriotic, he was suspected by the British of involvement in the first war of independence in 1857. But lacking any evidence, he was acquitted.

Nana passed away in Bombay on 31 July 1865. While relatively unknown to most Indians, he has a special place in the hearts of old Mumbaites with the Jagannath Shankar Sheth Road (formerly Girgaum Road), and a junction, Nana Chowk in Grant Road, named after him.