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{{short description|Indian industrialist}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2011}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Jamnalal Bajaj
| image = Jamnalal Bajaj 1970 stamp of India.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Bajaj on a 1970 Stamp of India
| birth_name = Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1889|11|04}}
| birth_place = Kashi Ka Bas, near [[Sikar]], [[Rajasthan]] ([[Rajputana]]), [[British India]]
| death_date = 11 February 1942 <br/>(aged 52)
| death_place = [[Wardha]], [[Central Provinces and Berar]], [[British India]]
| occupation = {{hlist|Political Leader|Industrialist|Founder}}
| networth =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Janaki Devi Bajaj]]|1902}}
| children = 5
}}

'''Jamnalal Kaniram Bajaj''' (4 November 1889 – 11 February 1942) was an Indian industrialist.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Gandhian spirit |url=http://www.financialexpress.com/old/fe/daily/20000102/fex02044.html |publisher=[[The Financial Express (India)|Financial Express]] |date=2 January 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219212810/http://www.financialexpress.com/old/fe/daily/20000102/fex02044.html |archive-date=19 December 2013 }}</ref> He founded the [[Bajaj Group]] of companies in the 1920s, and the group now has 24 companies, including six that are listed on the bourses.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Bajaj family, business sense over-rules ties|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/in-bajaj-family-business-sense-overrules-ties/933331/ |publisher=[[The Financial Express (India)|Financial Express]] |date=6 April 2012 }}</ref> He was also a close and beloved associate of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], who is known to have often declared that Jamnalal was his fifth son.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bajaj|first1=Rahul|title=Jamnalal Bajaj embodied Gandhi's ethics to such an extent that Mahatma 'adopted' him as 5th son|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/news-makers/story/20170925-jamnalal-bajaj-mahatma-gandhi-nationalism-simon-commission-salt-satyagraha-1044644-2017-09-16|work=[[India Today]]|date=16 September 2017}}</ref>

==Background and early life==
Jamnalal Bajaj was born in 1889 into a well to do Maheshwari family, as the third son of Kaniram and Birdibai, in a village named Kashi Ka Bas, near [[Sikar, Rajasthan]]. He was later adopted as a grandson by Seth Bachhraj(bajaj) and his wife Sadibai Bachhraj(bajaj), a rich Rajasthani merchant couple hailing originally from Rajasthan but settled in [[Wardha]], [[Maharashtra]]. Seth Bachhraj(bajaj) was a distant relative on his father's side, and was a well-known and respected trader in the British Raj.<ref>{{cite news|last1=D|first1=Avantika|title=Life before success of these Indian industrialists of humble beginnings will inspire every ambitious mind|url=https://in.finance.yahoo.com/photos/7-indian-industrialists-humble-beginnings-slideshow-wp-113911868/p-born-poor-marwari-family-photo-113911298.html|work=[[Yahoo!]]|date=31 December 2018}}</ref>

Upon coming of age, under the tutelage of Seth Bachhraj, Jamnalal got involved in the family business of his adoptive family. During this period, he acquired the skills of being a tradesman, rigorous book keeping and buying and selling commodities. He excelled in his work by the time Seth Bachhraj died. In 1926, Jamnalal founded what would become the [[Bajaj Group|Bajaj group of industries]].

==Honorary Magistrate==
During the [[First World War]], the British government appeased and honoured native tradesmen, soliciting funds. They appointed Jamnalal an honorary magistrate. When he provided money for the war fund, they conferred on him the title of [[Rai Bahadur]], a title he later surrendered during the non-co-operation movement of 1921.

==Follower of Gandhi==
Upon [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s return from South Africa, Jamnalal took in interest in [[Gandhism|Gandhi's way of life]], his principles, such as [[Ahimsa]] (non-violence), and his dedication to the poor. He could understand Gandhi's vision that home-made goods were the answer to India's poverty. He considered that some British companies were importing cheap, raw cotton from India and sending back finished cloth. He was humbled by the simple life that Gandhi was leading at the [[Sabarmati Ashram]]. He was impressed by the Ashram's routine of prayer and physical work. He brought his wife Jankidevi and his children to live in the Ashram. However, this close relationship and his deep involvement in the independence movement did not leave Jamnalal Bajaj with much time to spend on his newly launched business venture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bajajauto.com/about-us/the-company |title=History of Bajaj Auto}}</ref>

==Freedom struggle==
In 1920, Jamanalal was elected chairman of the reception committee for the [[Nagpur]] session of the [[Indian National Congress]]. He gave up the title of [[Rai Bahadur]] conferred on him by the British government and joined the non-co-operation movement in 1921. Later, in 1923, he participated in the flag [[satyagraha]], defying a ban on flying the national flag in [[Nagpur]], and was detained by British forces. This earned him national admiration.

[[File: Adi Nivas, Sewagram Ashram.JPG|thumbnail|Sewagram at Wardha, Jamnalal Bajaj managed land for this ashram]]
He wanted Gandhi to move to [[Wardha]] and make it the center of his activities. After the [[Dandi March]] in April 1930, Gandhi moved to [[Sevagram]], a small village near [[Wardha]], since he wanted to live close to the rural populace. Gandhi vowed not to return to [[Sabarmati Ashram]] until freedom was achieved.

Jamanalal was named the president of [[Gandhi Seva Sangha]], a group of workers who dedicated their time to constructive work. He was later elected a member of the [[Congress Working Committee]] and as the treasurer of Congress in 1933.

==Social initiatives==
Jamanalal Bajaj was interested in initiatives such as the removal of [[untouchability]], promotion of [[Hindi]], and [[Khādī|Khadi]] and village Industries. He had toured across the country promoting Khadi. In 1925, he was chosen as the treasurer of the All India Spinners Association. He was also the president of the ''All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan'' (literary convention) that promoted Hindi as the single language to unite all Indians. He was instrumental in publishing Hindi magazines and books. He initiated the Gandhi Hindi Pustak Bhandar (bookshop) in Bombay and started the ''Sasta Sahitya Mandal'' (publishing house).

He founded the [[Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha]] along with [[C. Rajagopalachari]] in hopes of spreading the learning of Hindi across the country.

From 1927, he served as the first Treasurer of the Managing Committee of [[Jamia Millia Islamia]], [[New Delhi]]. Later in 1928, he became a life member of the university, while still serving as the treasurer.

With the intent of eradicating untouchability, he fought the non-admission of [[Harijans]] into [[Hinduism|Hindu]] temples in his home town of Wardha. As orthodox Hindu priests and [[Brahmin]]s objected, he opened his own family temple, the Laxmi Narayan Mandir, in Wardha, for the Harijans in 1928. He began a campaign by eating a meal with Harijans and opening public wells to them. He opened several wells in his fields and gardens.

Due to his devotion, he was elected the chief of the Jaipur Rajya [[Praja Mandal]] in 1938. While chief, he negotiated a truce between the Maharajas of [[Sikar]] and [[Jaipur]].

In honour of his social initiatives the Jamnalal Bajaj Award has been instituted by the Bajaj Foundation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://innovationsofindia.com/index.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506004521/http://www.innovationsofindia.com/index.htm |archive-date=6 May 2009 }}</ref> Past awardees include [[Nelson Mandela]] and [[Desmund Tutu]].

==Differences with Gandhi==
Bajaj differed with Gandhi when he disagreed with Congress contesting the 1938 elections to the legislature. When the Congress Working Committee informally decided to make him the President of the Haripura Session of the Congress which Gandhi personally approved, he chose to pass the honour to [[Subhas Chandra Bose]].

==Business interests==
Besides [[Bajaj Auto|Bajaj Auto Ltd]], the other major companies in the group include [[Mukand Ltd]], [[Bajaj Electricals|Bajaj Electricals Ltd]] and Bajaj Hindusthan Ltd. One of his grandsons, [[Rahul Bajaj]], runs the family flagship company, Bajaj Auto.

==Legacy and memorials==
Several institutions in India bear his name, including the [[Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies]]. A locality, [[JB Nagar]], in the sub-urban [[Andheri]] in [[Mumbai]] has been named after him. [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] was established in 1978 by the [[Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation]] and are given away each year on his birth anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jamnalal Bajaj Award |url=http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/the_foundation/about_jbf |publisher=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329004951/http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/the_foundation/about_jbf |archive-date=29 March 2012 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''In Gandhi's Footsteps : The Life and Times of Jamnalal Bajaj'' by B. R. Nanda, Oxford University Press, USA. {{ISBN|978-0-19-566343-3}}
* {{cite book |title=Jamnalal Bajaj: Gandhiji's 'fifth son'|author=Shriman Narayan|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India |year=1974}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Jamnalal Bajaj}}
* [http://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/ Bajaj Foundation official website]

{{Mohandas K. Gandhi}}
{{Bajaj Group}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bajaj, Jamnalal}}
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1942 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian industrialists]]
[[Category:Rajasthani people]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Indian humanitarians]]
[[Category:People from Sikar district]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:Indian philanthropists]]
[[Category:Bajaj Group]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:Rai Bahadurs]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Bajaj family|Jamnalal]]

Jamnalal Bajaj - Revision history

->EmausBot at 03:08, 3 January 2022