Svetloxf at 11:02, 25 April 2026

2026-04-25T11:02:42Z

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{{Short description|Coal miner and philanthropist}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
'''D. D. Thacker''' (1884–1961) better known as '''Diwan Bahadur D. D. Thacker'''<ref name=pp/> was a noted coal miner and philanthropist from [[Jharia]], [[Dhanbad]].<ref name=a>{{cite book|title=Quarterly journal of the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Society of India, Volumes 23–24|year=1951|pages=lvii, xxii|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jT4cAQAAMAAJ&q=1884}}</ref>

==Biography==
He was born in a [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] family in [[Bhuj]] in [[Princely State of Cutch]] and did his preliminary education there.<ref name=a/> He was attracted to coal mining business due to his connection with [[Mistris of Kutch]], who had taken leadership in Jharia coal mining belt.<ref name=n>'''Diary of Golden Days at Jharia – A Memoir & History of Gurjar Kashtriya Samaj of Kutch in Coalfields of Jharia''' – written by Natwarlal Devram Jethwa of Calcutta compiled by Raja Pawan Jethwa (1998) – ''A brief life sketch of Diwan Bahadur D. D. Thacker – page 25''.</ref> He started his career as coal agent around 1900, later he entered into coal mining in 1905<ref name=a/> when in partnership with [[Seth Khora Ramji Chawda|Seth Khora Ramji & Brothers]], he purchased ''Pure Jharia Colliery'' located in Jharia.<ref name=n/> After death of Seth Khora Ramji in 1923, however, he became sole proprietor of ''Pure Jharia Colliery'', purchasing the stake from heirs of Khora Ramji.<ref name=n/> Later on he vigorously expanded his coal mining as well coal trading business and purchased several mines in Bengal & Bihar.<ref name=n/>

During his lifetime he held several posts like, chairman and Secretary of the [[Indian Mining Federation]],<ref>Peripheral Labour: Studies in the History of Partial Proletarianization
edited by Shahid Amin, Marcel van der Linden-1997- Page 94</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Indian annual register, Volume 1|year=1940|pages=55|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mckZAAAAMAAJ&q=diwan+bahadur+d.+d.+thacker}}</ref> the President of The [[Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Society of India]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of scientific and industrial research, Volume 6|year=1947|publisher=Council of Scientific & Industrial Research|pages=40|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xz47AAAAIAAJ&q=diwan+bahadur+d.+d.+thacker}}</ref><ref name=n/> Further, he also held post of Honorary First Class Magistrate of Jhaira<ref name=pp>Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress, Volume 36, 1949 :Thacker, DD, Diwan Bahadur, MIME, FRSA, (Lond.), Honorary Magistrate (First Class), Colliery Owner, Pure Jharia Colliery, Jharia (Manbhum).</ref> He also served as President of the [[Bihar Chamber of Commerce]], the [[Indian Colliery Owners' Association]] in his lifetime.<ref>{{cite book|title=Quarterly Journal of the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Society of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jT4cAQAAMAAJ|year=1951|publisher=The Society}}</ref><ref name=n/> He was among the patron and trustees of [[Jharia Anglo-Gujarati School]].<ref name=n/>

In 1928–29, ''Pure Jharia Colliery'' owned by him started a primary school for the benefit of the children of labour working in his mines. Further, in 1939–40, he also started a Labour's School in Jharia to train labours for coalmines, the school was then called Rao Bahadur D. D. Thacker's Labourers' School.<ref name=n/> In 1954, he donated money to award a Gold Medal called ''Dewan Bahadur D. D. Thacker Coal Mining Gold Medal'' to be awarded annually for works of merit and research in field of coal mining.<ref>{{cite book|title=Progress of the mineral industry of India, 1906–1955|year=1956|publisher=Mining, Geological, and Metallurgical Institute of India|pages=33|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=caJOAAAAMAAJ&q=diwan+bahadur+d.+d.+thacker}}</ref> Even today the above gold medal award is considered to be very prestigious and awarded annually by The Mining, Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India to persons excelling in field of coal mines industry in India.<ref name=n/><ref>[http://www.mgmiindia.com/last.pdf DEWAN BHADUR D. D. THACKER GOLD MEDAL]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1954 he donated money to commemorate a running shield trophy for sports held in coal mining community.<ref name=n/><ref>Indian labour gazette: Volume 12, 1954</ref>

He died in 1961 and his coal mine business was carried on by his sons under name and style of D. D. Thacker & Sons, which was finally taken over by Government of India after nationalization of coal mines in 1972.<ref name=n/><ref>[http://coal.nic.in/ca6.pdf Coking Coal Nationalisation Act of 1972 – D. D. Thacker & Sons, Pure Jharia Colliery] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313073759/http://coal.nic.in/ca6.pdf |date=13 March 2012 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thacker, D. D.}}
[[Category:People from Dhanbad district]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1961 deaths]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]
[[Category:Dewan Bahadurs]]
[[Category:Indian businesspeople in mining]]
[[Category:Indian businesspeople in the coal industry]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Jharkhand]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian philanthropists]]
[[Category:People from Jharia]]

D. D. Thacker - Revision history

Svetloxf at 11:02, 25 April 2026