Nasser Virji

From Khoja Wiki
Sheth Nasser Virji
Honorary Titles
  • King of Business in Tanganyika
All Nicknames
  • Virjee
Town of birth
Province of birth
Country of birth
Date of Birth
  • 1865
Date of Death
  • 1943
Place of Death
Country of death
Place of longest stay
Profession or occupation carriedout for the longest period in life
Where-City or Country
Siblings

Born in 1865 Ratadiya

Robert G Gregory-Asians in East Africa (pp 7)

'Under the most favorable conditions, the voyage of 2,400 miles to Zanzibar could be made in twenty-six days, but a storm or a calm could extend it by several weeks or even months. Nasser Vlrjee’s passage from Kutch in 1875 took nine months'.

Zahir Bhaloo-Khoja Shia Ithna-asheries in Lamu and Mombasa, 1870-1930 (2008) (http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk) (pp-5)

'For example, in 1893, Dharamsi Khatau called his brother Jivraj Khatau from British Indiato manage a branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co in Mombasa. Also at this time, two famous Bagamoyo merchant princes, Allidina Visram and his Ithna-asheri nephew, Nasser Virji decided to shift their businesses to Mombasa and opened branches in 1895 and 1900 respectively'.


Federation Samachar-Vol 36 No 5. pg 64

'Nasser Virjee, son of Muraji Haji was born in 1865 in Kutch, India. He was 12 when he arrived in Zanzibar in 1877 to join his father and his brother, Kassamali in business. Over time, the Nasser Virji group operated 70-72 different companies in German East Africa, their main business being the Mwanza Cotton Trading Company Limited. The family established themselves in Bagamoyo and Mwanza. Nasser Virjee had ten children; his son, Hassanali was the Mayor of Mwanza from 1957-^58. Another son, Abdulrasul received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Nasser Virjee died in 1943.'

  • The German Colonial Handbook mentions the firm of "Nassor Wirji & Sons" as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo & Tabora in 1903.
  • The German Colonial Handbook Supplement 1904 mentions the firm of "Nassor Virji" as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo in 1904.
  • The firm is also listed in the the German Colonial Handbook of 1908 as being ivory merchants in Bagamoyo.
  • The firm is mentioned in the same handbook as a import/export firm in Songea.
  • The firm is mentioned as a Ivory & Rubber traders in Ujiji in 1908.