Gulamhusein Saboor Chatoor

Gulamhusein Saboor Chatoor

Town of birth

• Colombo

Country of birth

• Sri Lanka

Place of longest stay

• Colombo

Profession or occupation carriedout for the longest period in life

• Exporters- Spices

Where-City or Country

• Sri Lanka

Family tree

Parents

Fatmabai S Chatoor

Saboor Chatoor

Siblings

Alimohamed Saboor Chatoor

Partners

Nabath Chatoor

Born in Colombo

Fatmabai S Chatoor(Born in).

Saboor Chatoor(Born in Bombay).

The only Khoja Ismaili to be elected to the position of the Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (established in 1839) was Mr. Gulamhusein Saboor Chatoor. He was the first minority community (Muslim or Tamil) member and held that prestigious office from 1987 to 1989.

Gulamhusseinbhai operates “Saboor Chatoor and Company”, a family company that has continued for over a 100 years. Initially it was importing commodities from India. With gradual growth over the 1920’s and 30’s, exports to India and European markets commenced. Due to the Second World War, business operations were disrupted. With the war ending in 1945, the company concentrated on the export of spices. By late 1940’s, Saboor Chatoor & Co. became large exporters of all types of agricultural products, especially spices. Today, it is known as Saboor Chatoor (Private) Ltd and operates from its own building and warehouses, appropriately called “Spice House”.