Kanji Dwarkadas papers, 1914-1965, undated.

Format:

Other

Author/Creator:

Dwarkadas, Kanji, 1892-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Besant, Annie, 1847-1933.

Besant, Annie.

Pole, D. Graham (David Graham).

Pole, D. Graham.

Shiva Rao, B.

Home Rule for India League.

Housing--India.

Housing.

India.

Labor--India.

Labor.

Political science.

Social reformers.

India--History--20th century.

History.

India--Politics and government--1919-1947.

Politics and government.

Mumbai (India).

Genre:

Manuscripts, Indian.

Correspondence.

Diaries.

Interviews.

Minutes (Records)

Transcripts.

Writings (document genre)

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Kanji Dwarkadas, 1966.

Physical Description:

17 boxes (6.8 linear feet)

Arrangement:

Organized into 6 series: I. Correspondence, II. Writings by Dwarkadas, III. "Personal observations and news accounts" by Dwarkadas, IV. Interviews by Dwarkadas, V. Labor organization and other business material, VI. Writings by others and organizations.

Place of Publication:

1914-1965, undated.

Biography/History:

Kanji Dwarkadas was born into a wealthy family in Mumbai (then Bombay) on May 1, 1892. Dwarkadas attended the University of Bombay where he earned a master's degree in English and French. At age twenty-two, Dwarkadas spent a year as a weaving apprentice in a cotton textile mill, an experience which seems to have had a great influence on him (Dwarkadas spent much of his career working for labor reform in the textile mills of his home city). It was during this early period in Dwarkadas' career that India was shifting from an agricultural to an industrial economy, and in 1917, as Indian nationalist sentiment increased, Dwarkadas became involved in the Indian Home Rule movement alongside Jawaharlal Nehru, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Annie Besant and other influential political figures of the period. Dwarkadas became very close to Annie Besant and Maryam "Ruttie" Jinnah (the wife of M. A. Jinnah), both theosophists, and soon converted to the religion himself. Dwarkadas' professional and social milieu also overlapped with that of David Graham Pole, a British Labour Party politician, Member of Parliament for three years and theosophist. Dwarkadas served as treasurer and then secretary of the All India Home Rule League, was a contributor and assistant editor of Besant's newspaper, New India, and acted as general secretary at a special convention of the Indian National Congress in 1918. For three terms from 1921 to 1923, Dwarkadas served as a member for Labour in the Bombay Legislative Council. In this period, he successfully moved resolutions through the Council which resulted in the establishment of a Prostitution Inquiry Committee and an Industrial Disputes Committee (1922). These organizations became a focus for Dwarkadas in subsequent years, along with the Bombay Vigilance Association (he was a founding member in 1924 and secretary for the next seven years), the Infant Welfare Society (he served as secretary from 1926 to 1927), and the Children's Aid Society (he was a founding member and first treasurer in 1927, and secretary later). Dwarkadas also was a member of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the entity that manages the city's civic infrastructure and administration, from 1922 to 1935. After Besant's death in 1933, Dwarkadas withdrew from politics and focused his energies on labor organization and worker's rights. From 1937 to 1950, he was employed as the Chief Labour and Welfare Officer at the E.D. Sassoon and India United Mills Companies, two major textile factories. Dwarkadas made two extended trips to the United States in 1946 and 1951 as the guest of the government to learn about labor and housing issues in the U. S. After 1950, Dwarkadas worked as a labor consultant for a number of companies in India, and, by the 1960s, was considered "the seniormost personnel officer and labour consultant in India." Dwarkadas was a prolific writer and published a number of books including Forty-five years with labour, Ruttie Jinnah: the story of a great friendship, Gandhiji: through my diary leaves (1915-1948), and Women and children in industry.

Summary:

The Kanji Dwarkadas papers contains correspondence and writings by Dwarkadas and some of his contemporaries dating from 1914 to 1965. Researchers will find extensive written communication from Dwarkadas and others; Dwarkadas' writings including letters to the editor, book manuscripts, autobiographical passages, and travel notes (1924-1962, undated); diary entries about current events for his own future reference (circa 1921-1962); transcripts or summaries of interviews that Dwarkadas conducted with other people; meeting minutes, notes and reports relating to the activities and agenda of the Labor Organization (1921-1963); and written works by other individuals, organizations and institutions. Detailed descriptions of the contents of the collection are located at the series level. This collection offers insight into not only the political career of Dwarkadas, but also the personal lives of some of the most important public figures in India's twentieth century history. As a member of the Indian Home Rule movement and as general secretary of the 1918 Indian National Congress, Dwarkadas was closely acquainted with Annie Besant, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru and other important politicians and activists of his time.

OCLC:

971494464