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2021-01-12T14:27:33Z

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{{Infobox person
|honorific_prefix = [[Rao Bahadur]]<br/>[[Dewan Bahadur]]
|name = Manibhai Jashbhai
|image = Manibhai Jashbhai.jpg
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{Birth year|1844}}
|birth_place = [[Nadiad]], [[Kaira district]], [[British India]]
|death_date = {{death year and age|1900|1844}}
|death_place = [[Petlad]], Kaira district, British India
|occupation = [[Dewan]], government officer and writer
|spouse =
|children =
|awards =
|relatives = [[Sitanshu Yashaschandra]] (great-grandson)
|alma_mater =
|father = Jashbhai Haribhai Mehta
|mother = Gangaba
}}

'''Manibhai Jashbhai Mehta''' (1844–1900) was a [[dewan]] (minister) of [[Kutch State|Kutch]] and [[Baroda State]] during [[British India]]. He was the first person in [[Gujarat]] to receive the title of [[Dewan Bahadur]]. He played a key-role in the establishment of [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda#Oriental Institute|Oriental Institute]], [[Baroda]].

==Biography==
Manilal Jashbhai was born in 1844 at [[Nadiad]] to his father, Jashbhai Haribhai Mehta, a ''faujdar'' (police officer), and his mother, Gangaba. He was Vadanagara [[Nagar Brahmin]] by caste. He received his schooling at different schools in [[Mahudha]], Nadiad and [[Petlad]]. He completed his English education in Nadiad and [[Ahmedabad]]. After [[matriculation]], he, at the age of 18, was appointed as an assistant teacher at the same school where he studied.<ref name="Mehta2001">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=[[Gujarati Vishwakosh]]|title=મહેતા, મણિભાઈ જશભાઈ|last=Mehta|first=Parimal Yashaschandra|publisher=Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust|editor-last=Thaker|editor-first=Dhirubhai|editor-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|edition=1st|volume=XV|location=[[Ahmedabad]]|publication-date=January 2002|pages=521|language=gu|oclc=248968453}}</ref><ref name="Artist">{{cite book|last=Artist|first=Purushottam Vrajlal|title=ગુજરાતના સાક્ષરો|script-title=gu:Gujaratna Saksharo|trans-title=Writers of Gujarat|url=https://www.gandhiheritageportal.org/gu/ghp_booksection_detail/Mzk3LTE3NTUtMTE=#page/146/mode/2up|language=gu|pages=124–125}}</ref>

At 1870, Gokulji Zala, a dewan of [[Junagadh state|Junagadh State]], appointed as him as a chief justice of Junagadh state. Impressed by his ability, the political agent of [[Palanpur State]] appointed him as a native assistant in 1872. From 1872, he worked for some time as a native assistant of [[British Regency|British regency]] of [[Baroda State]]. In 1875, he received the title of [[Rao Bahadur]].<ref name="Mehta2001"/><ref name="Artist"/>

In 1876, he was appointed as a dewan of [[Cutch State|Kutch State]]. He saw the opportunity to develop the state in his appointment. He ended the disputes with [[Khengarji I#Administration|Bhayyats]] and made [[Rao of Cutch|Rao]]'s position stronger. He focused on agriculture, business, naval security, water and forestry to strengthen the state economy. He carried out various public works including the establishment of girls schools, [[Sanskrit]] schools and museums. When he opposed the move to handover salt production of the State to [[British Raj]], he was transferred to Baroda State.<ref name="Mehta2001"/><ref name="Artist"/>

In 1883, when [[Khengarji III]] became Rao of Kutch, he brought Manilal back from Baroda. During this time, he received the title of Dewan Bahadur, and became the first person in Gujarat to receive the title. Two years later, he returned to Baroda in 1885 and was appointed as a deputy dewan by Maharaja [[Sayajirao Gaekwad III]]. In 1890, he was promoted to the position of dewan. Under him, Baroda became the most progressive state in Gujarat. He played a key-role in the establishment of [[Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda#Oriental Institute|Oriental Institute]], [[Baroda]]. He retired from the state affairs in 1895 following a dispute with Maharaja.<ref name="Mehta2001"/><ref name="Artist"/>

He died in 1900 at [[Petlad]]. [[Mahatma Gandhi]] had praised his approach to educate students in their mother tongue.<ref name="Mehta2001"/>

==Works==
Manibhai also contributed in literature. He adapted many scientific terms into [[Gujarati language]]. He appointed [[Manilal Dwivedi]], a Gujarati writer, to prepare a list of manuscripts preserved in the libraries of [[Patan, Gujarat|Patan]] and established a department for translation, which later came to known as the Oriental Institute, Baroda.<ref name="Mehta2001"/>

He was associated with Gujarati writers [[Ranchhodbhai Dave|Ranchhodbhai Udayram Dave]] and [[Mansukhram Tripathi]]. In collaboration with other fellow writers, he published several books including ''Shakespeare Kathasamaj'', ''Musalmani Kayada'' and ''Rajyaniti''. He published a [[memorandum]] on woman welfare entitled ''A Memorandum on Hindu Female Education in the Bombay Presidency''.<ref name="Artist"/>

==See also==
* [[List of Gujarati-language writers]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.gandhiheritageportal.org/ghp_booksection_detail/MTA3Ny0xNTk4LTEx#page/1/mode/2up Shantisudha athva Raghuveer-Sukanya], a book by Manibhai Jashbhai, on [[Gandhi Heritage Portal]]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jashbhai, Manibhai}}

[[Category:1844 births]]
[[Category:1900 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Nadiad]]
[[Category:Dewan Bahadurs]]
[[Category:Rai Bahadurs]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language writers]]

Manibhai Jashbhai - Revision history

>Gazal world at 14:27, 12 January 2021