Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy - Death Anniversary 15.4.1959

Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, 1st Baronet (15 July 1783 – 14 April 1859), also spelt Jeejeebhoy or Jeejebhoy, was a Parsi-Indian merchant and philanthropist.
Side by side with his business activities, Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy undertook several charitable projects, all of a cosmopolitan nature. He spent Rs. 1,45,403 to set up the Sir J. J. Dharamshala at Bellasis Road , and till today immumerable old and destitute people receive free food, clothing, shelter and medicines. All their needs for the past 150 years, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, have been looked after by the Dharamshala, the first free home for the elderly in Asia .
Jamsetjee later founded the J. J. Hospital and the Grant Medical College (named after his friend Sir Robert Grant, then Governor of Bombay). He also insituted, for a sum of Rs. 18,000, the Sir J.J. Books, Prizes and Medals Fund in order to encourage medical students, and in 1851, for the benefit of poor women, he opened the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Obstretics Institution.
Before 1845, there was no land communication between Bandra and Mahim and people had to be ferried over the Mahim Creek. It was dangerous, and during the monsoons,  countless people would lose their lives on dubious and unrealiable ferry services. Jamsetjee spent Rs. 1,55,800 in order to build the Mahim Causeway, that was justly named after his wife, Lady Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy. Not only did it save countless lives, but even today, it is a boon to all who live in the suburbs.
Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy had to his credit 126 notable public charities, including the Sir J. J. School of Arts, the Sir J. J. School of Architecture, the Sir J. J. School of Commercial Art. As his fame spread, the residents of Poona approached him to build a bund in order to contain the raging waters of the Mulla and Mutha rivers, and the kind man obliged.
He built wells and tanks all over Bombay , hospitals and schools in Surat and Navsari, Agiaries in Bombay and Poona . His charity was not just confined to human beings. He contributed Rs. 80,000 to a Panjrapole for animals, distributed money for the feeding of stray dogs, built water places for cattle and horses.
For all his good work, he became the first Indian upon whom Knighthood was conferred.  Queen Victoria conferred  baronetcy on the first Indian knight, Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy who was 74-years-old at that time.
He died two years later, and never before and never after Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy has Bombay had a son with such a large heart. His charities alone are estimated at over Rs. 1,000,000,000 in today’s money.