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{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Harchandrai Vishandas
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1862|05|01}}
| birth_place = [[Manjhu]] (Sindh), [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British India]] (Present day: Manjhu, [[Jamshoro District]], [[Sindh]], [[Pakistan]])
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1928|02|16|1862|05|01}}
| death_place = [[Delhi]], British India (Present day: Delhi, [[Republic of India]])
| nationality = British Indian
| other_names =
| known_for = Father of Modern Karachi
| occupation = {{Plainlist|
*Lawyer
*Politician
*Independence fighter
*Mayor of [[Karachi]]<ref name="nadeemf.paracha">{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1134284|title=Visual Karachi: From Paris of Asia, to City of Lights, to Hell on Earth|author=Nadeem F. Paracha|work=dawn.com|accessdate=10 March 2016}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''Harchandrai Vishandas''' [[C.I.E.]] (1 May 1862 – 16 February 1928), was a British Indian attorney, politician, and mayor of [[Karachi]] in modern-day [[Pakistan]].<ref name="nadeemf.paracha"/> He is considered a great [[Sindhis|Sindhi]] and “the father of modern Karachi.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/Calling-Karachi/articleshow/432447229.cms|title=Calling Karachi|work=The Times of India|date=26 July 2001|accessdate=18 July 2011}}</ref> His social, educational, and political services rendered to the people of [[Sindh]] are so great that he is now recognised as one of the makers of modern Karachi.

He was one of the first six young Sindhi men who graduated from [[Elphinstone College]] in [[Bombay]] prior to 1887. After completing [[Law degree|law]] in 1885, Harchandrai accepted a junior position in the [[Shikarpur, Pakistan|Shikarpur]] court, but soon resigned to begin a [[Practice of law|law practice]] in Karachi. He was the elected Honorary Secretary of Karachi [[Bar Association]] just after its establishment in 1890, and served for a full 38 years.

Harchandrai was the elected as a member of Karachi Municipality in 1888, and then served a term of ten years as its president between 1911–1921. As [[mayor of Karachi]], he oversaw a major beautification project, which involved development of new roads, parks, residential and recreational areas.<ref name="nadeemf.paracha"/> He was subsequently appointed to the [[Viceroy's Executive Council]] and was an [[Ex officio member]] of the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom]] until his death in 1928.

== Early life ==
Seth Harchandrai Vishandas was born in 1862 in the village of [[Manjhand]] in [[tehsil]] [[Kotri]], Sindh.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lQNuAAAAMAAJ&q=manjho|title=Seth Harchandrai Vishandas
|author=Khadim Hussain Soomro|year=2001
|publisher=Sain Publishers, 2001 Original from the University of Michigan|pages=19–99–126}}</ref> He was born into a Bharvani family<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4OArAQAAIAAJ&q=seth+harchandrai+vishindas|title=The Quarterly review of historical studies, Volumes 19–20|author=Institute of Historical Studies (Calcutta, India)|year=1980|publisher=Institute of Historical Studies 1980|pages=91}}</ref> known for its public-spirited members.

His received his primary education at a school in Manjhand founded by his father, [[Seth Vishandas Nihalchand]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLEZAAAAYAAJ&q=seth+harchandrai+vishindas
|title=Eminent Indians who was who, 1900–1980, also annual diary of events|author=Durga Das Pvt. Ltd|year=1985|publisher=Durga Das Pvt. Ltd., 1985 original from University of Virginia|pages=43}}</ref> After completing his primary, Harchandrai was sent to Kotri for [[Middle school|middle education]] at a [[Christianity in India|missionary school]], and boarded there in a spacious [[bungalow]]. He was subsequently admitted to [[NJV Government Higher Secondary School|NJV High School]] in Karachi. He [[Matriculation|matriculated]] in 1878 and went to live with his maternal grandfather.

Thereafter, Harchandrai went to [[Bombay]] for [[higher education]] and read law at [[Elphinstone College]], which he later patronised as his [[Alma mater]]. He received his law degree in 1882.

== Professional background ==

=== Legal field ===
Harchandrai was a lawyer and a [[Queen's Counsel]] under [[Queen Victoria]], and later King’s Counsel under [[Edward VII|King Edward VII]] and [[George V|King George V]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9bESAAAAIAAJ&q=harchandrai|title=The Times of India directory and year book including who's who, Volume 14|author=Sir Stanley Reed|year=1927|publisher=Bennett, Coleman., 1927|pages=81&362}}</ref>

Harchandrai initially took on a subordinate role in [[Shikarpur District|Shikarpur court]]. Persuaded by his father, he soon resigned and began his own law practice in Karachi in 1886. He was elected honorary secretary of the [[Karachi Goan Association|Karachi Bar Association]].

===Mayorship of Karachi===
Harchandrai was elected mayor of the [[Karachi Municipal Committee]] in 1911 until 1921.<ref name="nadeemf.paracha">{{cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1134284|title=Visual Karachi: From Paris of Asia, to City of Lights, to Hell on Earth|author=Nadeem F. Paracha|work=dawn.com|accessdate=10 March 2016}}</ref> Under his mayorship, civic improvements led to the installation of [[Gas lighting|gas lamps]] along the city's streets and the introduction of [[footpath]]s.<ref name="Dawn">{{cite news|last1=Balouch|first1=Akhtar|title=Harchand Rai Vishan Das: Karachi's beheaded benefactor|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1095266|accessdate=31 October 2016|publisher=Dawn|date=16 September 2015}}</ref> Electricity was introduced in Karachi in 1913 by Mayor Harichand Rai. That’s why Karachi was called (and still is) ‘city of lights.’ Interestingly, it didn’t become common in US till 1920, even though the electric bulb was invented there. He was also responsible for [[Public works|development works]] which led to shifting the course of the [[Lyari River]], which opened up land for development.<ref name="Dawn"/>

=== Social services and politics ===
Seth Harchandrai played a role as a [[List of Indian independence activists|freedom fighter of India]].
[[File:Harchandrai with Mahatma Gandhi.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Seth Harchandrai in left with [[Mahatma Gandhi]]]]
Harchandrai was the first [[Sindhi people|Sindhi]] to join the [[Indian National Congress]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-wNbAAAAIAAJ&q=harchandrai|title=The Encyclopaedia of Indian National Congress: 1906–1910, The Surat imbroglio|author=A. Moin Zaidi, Shaheda Gufran Zaidi, Indian Institute of Applied Political Research|year=1978|publisher=S.Chand, 1978 Original from the University of California|pages=171–555}}</ref> and served the cause of [[Indian independence movement|national independence]] with dedication. He was influential in Congress; the 28th session of Congress in 1913 was held in [[Karachi]] largely due to the efforts of Harchandrai, his father Seth Vishandas and [[Ghulam Mohamed Bhurgari]]. He and his father served as chairman and Secretary of reception committee for that session.<ref>{{cite book|title=They Too Fought for India's Freedom: The Role of Minorities edited by Asgharali Engineer|year=2006|page=218|isbn=9788178710914|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-XQCYl6T1vIC&q=Seth+Harchandrai&pg=PA218|last1=Engineer|first1=Asghar Ali}}</ref> and he later presided over many Congress conferences in Sindh.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jb21AAAAIAAJ&q=harchandrai|title=Source material for a history of the freedom movement in India, Volume 3, Issue 1|author=N. R Phatak, Bha. Ga Kuṇṭe, Bombay (India : State). Committee for a History of the Freedom Movement in India, Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept|year=1965|publisher=Government of Maharashtra 1965 Original from the University of California|pages=42–43–48}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UvptAAAAMAAJ&q=harchandrai|title=The path not taken: G.M. Sayed|author=Khadim Hussain Soomro|year=2004|publisher=Sain Publishers, 2004 original from the University of Michigan|pages=30}}</ref> Harchandrai was a believer of [[Hindu-Muslim unity]] and was a [[Sufism in Sindh|Sufistic]]. The [[Theosophical Society]] made him a member.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3BghAAAAMAAJ&q=harchandrai|title=The Role of minorities in freedom struggle|author=Asgharali Engineer, Institute of Islamic Studies (Bombay, India)|year=1986|publisher=Ajanta Publications, 1986 original from the University of Michigan|isbn= 978-81-202-0164-4|pages=179}}</ref>

== Death ==
Harchandrai Vishandas died on 16 February 1928 in [[Delhi]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lQNuAAAAMAAJ&q=died+delhi|title=Seth Harchandrai Vishandas
|author=Khadim Hussain Soomro|year=2001
|publisher=Sain Publishers, 2001 original from the University of Michigan|pages=90–112}}</ref> When the British [[Simon Commission]] was sent to India to dispute and review the working of [[Government of India Act 1919|1919 reforms]], the Congress party pressed for its [[boycott]].

Harchandrai's vote was required for that purpose. Thus, he chose to leave [[Karachi]] against the advice of his doctor and friends, so determined he was to record his vote against the [[Simon Commission]]. However, on his way from the railway station to the Assembly Hall, Harchandrai suddenly died.

On 16 February 1934, on his sixth death anniversary, a statue of Harchandrai was unveiled in front of [[Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Building|Karachi Municipal Corporation Building]]. It was removed shortly after the partition of [[India]] in 1947.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lQNuAAAAMAAJ&q=statue|title=Seth Harchandrai Vishandas|publisher=Sain Publishers, 2001|author=Khadim Hussain Soomro|year=2001|pages=97}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vishandas, Seth Harchandrai}}
[[Category:1862 births]]
[[Category:1928 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:Sindhi people]]
[[Category:People from Jamshoro District]]
[[Category:People of British India]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Pakistan]]
[[Category:Elphinstone College alumni]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Karachi]]
[[Category:Politicians from Karachi]]
[[Category:Dewan Bahadurs]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Queen's Counsel 1801–1900]]
[[Category:Queen's Counsel 1901–2000]]
[[Category:Members of Central Legislative Assembly of India]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]

Harchandrai Vishandas - Revision history

CleanupBot at 06:45, 11 December 2022