OMAN-INDIA TIES, ACROSS SEA AND SPACE

Page 78

The Toprani Family The Toprani family traces back its continuous trade connection and residence in Oman to 1650 and presently has its 14th generation resident here63. According to Muneer Manubhai Toprai, most of the Topranis are Kutchi Bhatias from Mandvi, but originally about 21 generations ago, they hailed from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, at that time there were not known as Bhatias but they were known as Kshatriya – Warriors or Rulers, with links to kingdoms in Rajasthan, particularly Jaisalmer. The family narratives trace it back 21 generations, with the 17th migrating to Mandvi, Kutch. They became traders, landlords and seafaring traders, working with the British who gave them the title of ‘Toprani’. The family history is traced as follows: Naraindas Pragji Toprani was born around 1887 and first visited Sur, Oman in 1897. He came to Sur with his late Father Shree Paragji Vallabhdas Toprani on one of his business trips. Soon, he began to work in the brokerage of commodities. Commodities then used to come through wooden boats from Bombay, Kutch, Mandvi, and Karachi. He travelled through the markets and villages around Sur and Muscat and began trading across Bahrain, Zanzibar Hormuz, Iran and Dubai. Owing to some successful business transactions, Naraindas Saith shifted to Muscat to take up new business ventures. Once Shree Naraindas Saith shifted from Sur and settled in Muscat he started setting up new business ties with traders and companies in places like Guatemala, Mauritius, Australia, Beirut, and Africa. He also qualified as a lawyer. He could communicate in Arabic, English, Hindi, Gujarati, Kutchi, and Sindhi was known for his negotiation skills. Due to his good communications skills he had very good personal relations with the ruling class and all the merchants in his community. Naraindas was involved in insurance, real estate brokerage, and law. Peterson notes that “Before 1970, the family business was concentrated on importing foodstuffs, petrol, kerosene, and exporting dried dates to India”64. Naraindas Saith provided free English coaching at his house ‘Ramesh Bhavan’ which benefited many prominent families at that time. Until 1955, he was the only non-western expatriate who could communicate fluently in English and was seen as a figure of authority by the local community until the time when the first Indian consulate was officially established. He used to legally represent and fight cases on behalf of Indian traders (from India) and local traders (Omani as well as Indian) to get the insurance claims for damage of goods or recovery of higher custom duty charged or debt collection65. He 63 Information on the Toprani family is from personal communication with Mr. Muneer Manubhai Toprani. 64 J.E. Peterson. (2004) ‘Oman’s diverse society: Northern Oman’. 65 According to Muneer Toprani, Naraindas was nicknamed in Sur/Muscat, Muttrah and 78


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Articles inside

f. Science and technology

2hr
pages 234-332

c. Energy (Oil & Gas and Renewable Energy

11min
pages 218-223

d. Health

19min
pages 224-233

India as investment destination

14min
pages 198-205

Oman-India Bilateral Trade

3min
pages 179-180

Foreign Policy: ‘Mutual Trust and Shared Values’

3min
pages 164-165

Maritime Security

6min
pages 168-178

Oman as an investment destination

22min
pages 186-197

Joint meetings and visits

5min
pages 183-185

Joint investments

2min
page 182

Defence and Maritime Security

3min
pages 166-167

The visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Oman - 2018

2min
pages 160-161

Interview with Munu Mahawar, Indian Ambassador in Oman

6min
pages 150-154

Bilateral relations

3min
pages 155-158

Omani media’s reactions to the new administration

2min
pages 148-149

Commitment to Vision 2040

1min
page 147

The new government of Oman

2min
pages 144-146

Faith and culture

9min
pages 128-143

The Indian Social Club

4min
pages 125-126

Art and painting

2min
page 124

Literature and cinema

2min
page 123

Linguistic and literary affinities

8min
pages 116-119

Fostering Oman-India artistic ties

2min
page 122

Sartorial and culinary connections

3min
pages 120-121

Scientific influences

2min
page 115

Women in the Indian diaspora in Oman

5min
pages 86-88

Demographics of Indians in Oman

5min
pages 109-111

The Toprani Family

5min
pages 78-83

The Ratansi Purshottam Family

3min
pages 75-77

The Ratanshi Gordhandas Family

3min
pages 72-74

The Khimji Ramdas Group

4min
pages 68-71

The Jerajani Family

4min
pages 65-67

India and Oman: 16th – 20th century

4min
pages 59-60

The Dhanji Morarji Family

1min
pages 63-64

The Indian communities in Oman

4min
pages 61-62

PART Trade and Commerce 178

15min
pages 4-34

Arab explorers in the Indian Ocean

2min
page 39

Dhows in the Indian Ocean

7min
pages 43-45

Maritime tradition

2min
page 42

Cheraman Perumal in Salalah

8min
pages 46-58

Ancient trade

4min
pages 37-38

Omani traders in the Indian Ocean

4min
pages 40-41

Prehistoric connections

4min
pages 35-36
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