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{{Short description|Indian businessman}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Raja]]
| name = Gokuldas Malpani
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| birth_date = 1839
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1909|12|11|1839}}
| death_place = [[Jabalpur]], [[Central Provinces and Berar]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| birth_place = [[Jabalpur]]
| party =
| office = President of the Municipal council of [[Jabalpur]]
| term_start = 1880s
| term_end = 1880s
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| term_start3 =
| term_end3 =
| profession = [[Businessman]]
| relatives = [[Seth Govind Das]] (grandson)<br>Vallabh Das (nephew)
| father = Khushalchand Malpani
| mother =
| spouse = Chunni Bai
| children = Vitthal Das, Jeevan Das
| website = https://www.gokuldas.com/
| date =
| year =
| source =
}}
'''Raja Gokuldas Malpani''' <small>[[Rao Bahadur|RB]]</small> (1839–1909) was a [[Marwari people|Marwari]] millionaire from [[Jabalpur]] during [[British India|colonial rule]] in [[India]].<ref name="silent">{{cite book |last1=Jaffrelot |first1=Christophe |title=India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India |date=2003 |publisher=Hurst |isbn=978-1-85065-398-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-rMW03l_gx0C&dq=RAJA+GOKULDAS&pg=PA59 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="gokuldas">{{cite web |title=Raja Gokuldas |url=https://www.gokuldas.com/rg/ |website=www.gokuldas.com}}</ref><ref name="tata">{{cite book |last1=Raianu |first1=Mircea |title=Tata: The Global Corporation That Built Indian Capitalism |date=6 July 2021 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-25953-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_8vEAAAQBAJ&dq=RAJA+GOKULDAS&pg=PA87 |language=en}}</ref> He was the wealthiest banker in the [[Central Provinces]] of [[British Raj|British India]].<ref name="heritage">{{cite book |last1=Taknet |first1=D. K. |author-link=D. K. Taknet |title=The Marwari Heritage |date=22 July 2016 |publisher=IntegralDMS |isbn=978-1-942322-06-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXS2DAAAQBAJ&dq=Raja+Gokuldas&pg=PA506 |language=en}}</ref> Born into a prominent family of [[Marwari people|Marwari]] bankers in [[Jabalpur]], his banking firm was one of the "great Marwari firms" as termed by T.A. Timberg.<ref>Timberg, Thomas, (1971), A Study of a "Great" Marwari Firm: 1860-1914, The Indian Economic & Social History Review, 8, issue 3, p. 264-283.</ref>

==Background and early life==
Gokuldas was born to the first wife of Khushalchand Malpani in 1839. His grandfather, Sewa Ram, was a [[Marwari people|Marwari]] of the [[Maheshwari]] caste who migrated from his hometown in [[Jaisalmer]] to [[Jabalpur]] around 1800.<ref name="bio">{{cite book |title=Biography of Raja Gokuldas |date=1929 |location=Bombay |url=https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31293839326}}</ref><ref name="com">{{cite book |title=The Commercial Kingdom of Raja Gokuldas - Chapter 8 |url=https://asianstudies.github.io/area-studies/SouthAsia/Ideas/CP/ch08raja.html}}</ref><ref name="marwar">{{cite book |last1=Timberg |first1=Thomas A. |title=The Marwaris: From Jagat Seth to the Birlas |date=22 May 2015 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-93-5118-713-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5cWUAwAAQBAJ&dq=Sevaram+Khushalchand&pg=PT47 |language=en}}</ref> He earned a fortune and was succeeded by Khushalchand, his son and Gokuldas's father.<ref name="silent"/><ref name="lib">{{cite book |last1=Virginia |first1=McEldowney, Philip F., Department of History, University of |title=Colonial Administration and Social Developments in Middle India: The Central Provinces, 1861-1921 |page=342-343 |url=https://libraetd.lib.virginia.edu/public_view/n583xv002}}</ref>

Gokuldas acquired his meagre education at Gulan Rai's school, [[Jabalpur]]. After learning basic [[Hindi]], he left school to learn business methods and the [[Marwari language|Marwari alphabet]]. He started from the post of cashier and gradually advanced through the ranks in the family business.<ref name="gokuldas"/>

==Career==
Gokuldas's grandfather Sewa Ram and father Khushalchand had already built up a prospering family business and earnt a fortune.<ref name="com"/><ref name="silent"/><ref name="marwar"/><ref name="bio"/> Hence he carried on the same after his father's death in 1865. His father had supported the British financially during the [[Revolt of 1857]] and had gained their goodwill. As a result of this, he was closely associated with the European elite of the period including Henry Ashbrooke Crump, the Chief Commissioner of the [[Central Provinces]].<ref name="malpani">{{cite book |last1=Timberg |first1=Thomas A. |title=The Marwaris: From Jagat Seth to the Birlas |date=22 May 2015 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-93-5118-713-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5cWUAwAAQBAJ&dq=Sevaram+Khushalchand&pg=PT47 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="com"/><ref name="gokuldas"/>

He founded cotton mills called "Raja Gokuldas Mills"<ref>{{cite book |last1=India |first1=Royal Commission on Labour in |title=Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India |date=1931 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NnEMGY_qxhcC&q=raja+gokuldas+mills |language=en}}</ref> and the "Perfect Pottery Works"<ref>{{cite book |title=Civic Affairs |date=1993 |publisher=P.C. Kapoor at the Citizen Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVO2AAAAIAAJ&dq=perfect+pottery+works+jabalpur&pg=RA3-PR1 |language=en}}</ref> at such time when these industries were not popular in the country. In 1897, Gokuldas set up a chain of ginning and pressing factories at [[Gadarwara]], [[Pipariya, Hoshangabad|Piparia]], [[Harda]], [[Khandwa]], [[Wardha]] and more places in the [[Central Provinces and Berar]], and at [[Banda, Uttar Pradesh|Banda]] and [[Etawah]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[Multan]] in Punjab.

He expanded his business to the large cities of [[Bombay]], [[Calcutta]] and even [[Rangoon]] in [[Burma]].<ref name="silent"/> The shops at Bombay, Calcutta and Rangoon were considered to be one of the biggest of their respective markets. He used spend 9 months each year on a tour of his shops spread across the country, for the purpose of surveillance and maintaining discipline.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chernovskai︠a︡ |first1=Valentina Veniaminovna |title=Indian Entrepreneurship, Its Past and Present |date=2005 |publisher=Shipra |isbn=978-81-7541-201-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQfsAAAAMAAJ&q=gokuldas+malpani |language=en}}</ref>

In the 1880s, he focused on consolidating his family's commercial and position of prestige in the [[Central Provinces]]. He initially became a member and then president of the Municipal council of [[Jabalpur]] in the 1880s. He was repeatedly elected unopposed and subsequently his nephew Vallabh Das succeeded him to the post uninterrupted for the next 18 years.<ref name="silent"/><ref name="bio"/> In 1883, [[Lord Ripon]], the [[Viceroy]] of [[British India]] conferred the title of "[[Rai Bahadur]]" upon him. In 1889, he was given the title of [[Raja]] or "ruler" by the British government in recognition of his great wealth and power. This was also because he was a large ''malguzar'' (landlord), owning more than 200 villages and estates across the country, especially in the [[Central Provinces]].<ref name="lib2">{{cite book |last1=Virginia |first1=McEldowney, Philip F., Department of History, University of |title=Colonial Administration and Social Developments in Middle India: The Central Provinces, 1861-1921 |page=403-404 |url=https://libraetd.lib.virginia.edu/public_view/n583xv002}}</ref><ref name="com"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rajan |first1=Vithal |title=Holmes of the Raj |date=12 December 2011 |publisher=Random House India |isbn=978-81-8400-250-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkl_W_aNu4YC&dq=gokuldas+malpani&pg=PT53 |language=en}}</ref> He was elected as president of the first caste association, the [[Maheshwari]] Sabha.<ref name="bio"/>

In 1889, he also constructed the building of [[Madhya Pradesh High Court]] at [[Jabalpur]] at the cost of about [[Rupees]] Three Lacs.<ref name="high">{{cite web |title=Museum {{!}} उच्च न्यायालय मध्य प्रदेश (High court Madhya Pradesh) |url=https://mphc.gov.in/hi/node/274 |website=mphc.gov.in |publisher=Madhya Pradesh High court}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Gokuldas had a half-brother named Gopaldas, who was two years younger than him and with whom Gokuldas was very close. Gopaldas died young in 1869, leaving his son Vallabh Das in the former's care.<ref name="gokuldas"/>

Gokuldas was married to Chunni Bai, the daughter of Pratapchand, a well known banker from [[Jaipur]]. In 1862, he had a son named Vitthal Das from Chunni Bai. However, Vitthal Das died in 1869, four years after his father Khushalchand's death. A second son named Jeevan Das was born to him in 1871, whose birth was believed to be the result of a saint's benediction.<ref name="gokuldas"/>

He had close relations with several rulers of "[[Princely State|princely states]]", especially those in [[Rajputana Agency|Rajasthan]]. According to Philip F. McEldowney- "He made ceremonial visits to these rulers and in return, in Rajasthan in particular, he received honorary recognition of his position and privileged concessions for any business established there".<ref name= "lib"/> Some of these rulers included Maharawal Bairi Sal and his successor Maharawal Shalivahan Singh III of [[Jaisalmer State]], [[Madho Singh II]] of [[Jaipur State]], [[Jaswant Singh II]] of [[Jodhpur State]]

[[Jiwajirao Scindia]] of [[Gwalior State]], [[Chamarajendra Wadiyar X]] of [[Mysore State]], and the rulers of [[Rewa State]], [[Bhopal State]], [[Ratlam State]], [[Burdwan Raj]], [[Travancore]], [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin kingdom]] were entertained as guests in his palace.<ref name= "gokuldas"/>

==Successors==
After Gokuldas's death in 1909, the vast inheritance was equally divided among Jeevan Das, Gokuldas's son and Vallabh Das, his nephew. Jeevan Das, being born with a golden spoon in his mouth, gained a reputation as an extravagant spender. Vallabh Das spent a considerable portion of his wealth on market speculation.
The active participation of Gokuldas's grandson,[[Seth Govind Das|Govind Das]], in the [[Indian independence movement]] under [[Mahatma Gandhi]] antagonized the British against them and also exhausted a large portion of the family wealth.<ref name= "guide"/> Hence, the Malpani family was almost completely ruined financially.

However, the family's decline was stopped after [[Partition of India|Indian independence]], [[Seth Govind Das]], the grandson of Gokuldas revived the family's fortunes after energetic efforts.<ref name= "com"/><ref>{{cite book |title=Moral, Immoral, Amoral: What Is Right and What Is Wrong? |date=12 March 2013 |publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-250-03594-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qpYP9IqE47wC&dq=Raja+Gokuldas&pg=PA35 |language=en}}</ref>

==Public works==
Raja Gokuldas is chiefly remembered in [[Jabalpur]] for his contribution to the city's infrastructure. In 1868-1869, the [[Hanumantal Bada Jain Mandir|Hanumantal lake]] and temple were in a poor condition hence a donation was made by Raja Gokuldas for its restoration. The Khandari Water Works, built by Gokuldas were an essential part of [[Jabalpur]] infrastructure in colonial times.<ref name="guide">{{cite book |title=Jabalpur, City Guide |date=2008 |publisher=Goodearth Publications |isbn=978-81-87780-73-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HiOyJuxqZv4C&dq=raja+gokuldas+palace&pg=PA35 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1885, upon a request by [[Hariot Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava|Hariot Hamilton-Temple]], the wife of the British [[Viceroy]] [[Lord Dufferin]], Raja Gokuldas built the "Lady Elgin hospital" which was one of the first women's hospitals in the region.<ref name= "tata"/><ref name= "gokuldas"/> Today, Lady Elgin hospital is known as "[[Rani Durgavati]] hospital".<ref>{{cite web |title=Rani durgawati Hospital |url=https://elginhospital.com/about.php |website=elginhospital.com}}</ref>

==Criticism==
According to Mircea Raianu, British colonial leaders viewed Gokuldas with suspicion as a mere social climber angling for a title and seeking legitimacy through philanthropic largesse.<ref name= "tata"/> Local officials in the [[Central Provinces]] did praise Gokuldas in public, but they were skeptical of his pretensions to princely status.<ref name= "com"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Indian industrialists]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from British India]]
[[Category: 19th-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category: 20th-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:1839 births]]
[[Category:1909 deaths]]

Gokuldas Malpani - Revision history

MalissaHoskins at 00:05, 5 April 2026