Janmohamed Hansraj

Waras Janmohamed Hansraj

Town of birth

• Mundra

Province of birth

• Kutch

Date of Birth

• 1838

Place of Death

• Bagamoyo

Name of Cemetery and plot no

• Khoja Ismaili Cemetery
• Bagamoyo

Place of longest stay

• Bagamoyo

Profession or occupation carriedout for the longest period in life

• Trader

Family tree

Siblings

Kanji Hansraj

Children

Muhammad Janmohamed Hansraj

Born in 1838 Mundra

Janmohamed Hansraj was born in 1838 in Kutch. Not much is known about his early life.

He however made a trip of Zanzibar in 1852 and ventured in the business field.

He started first a retail store with his brother, Kanji at Bagamoyo, and eventually expanded into wholesale trade.

He is still remembered as industrious and generous, who helped the arriving Khojas in Africa.

Janmohamed Hansraj owned at least five stone houses with plots in Bagamoyo and was also the deputy of Sir Tharia Topan (1823-1891) in the town since 1860.

He helped build the town's Ismaili Jamatkhana and was appointed its Mukhi.

He was a generous and notably he gave 50,000/- shillings for the poor Ismaili Widow's Home at Zanzibar in 1900. The home was indeed a blessing for the destitute Khoja women. His son Mukhi Muhammad completed the project, known as "Janmohamed Hansraj Khoja Dharam Shala." F.H.O. Wilson opened it on August 14, 1904.

Janmohamed Hansraj, Zanzibar 1905