By Varun Singh

Mahatma Gandhi had an office in Mumbai from where he practiced law in the year 1902. The building even stands today and SquareFeatIndia visited that building.

Actually great grandson of Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi took to twitter to inform that he has found the building from where Gandhi practiced law when he returned from South Africa in 1902.

Tushar in a two series of tweets, said, “In 1902, during a brief return from South Africa, M. K. Gandhi established his law practice in Bombay. I had always wanted to find his office. Recently I came across a letter in which postal address of his office was mentioned, Aga Khan Buildings, Opposite High Court.”

He then tweeted, “Was keen to locate the building. Delighted that with help of knowledgeable friends have located the building in which Advocate M. K. Gandhi had his Lawyer’s Office. Building is today called ‘Bhupen Chambers’ situated on Dalal Street. Now to get it officially tagged.”

This reporter visited the building, the building named Bhupen Chambers is located exactly opposite the main entrance of the Stock Exchange building.

The building has new landlords, and they are also Gandhi’s. The new landlords who acquired the building in 1982, sounded excited when they read Tushar’s tweet, but claimed ignorance about the details.

They called the previous landlord Bhupen Dalal for details but couldn’t get any. The current landlord stated that for them also it was a big news and they will dwell deeper in this and get details. They also said they will get in touch with the Aga Khan offices and try getting details.

The four storey building is very old more than 100 years old and had a lock from inside, which a watchman would open when someone known would appear.

The building earlier was known as Aga Khan building, but changed landlords, and the current landlords acquired it in the year 1982 from a cousin of Bhupen. Bhupen had acquired it from the original landlords.

The building even had a notice at the main gate, the notice read, “BirhanMumbai Mahanagar Palika have declared that certain structure/portion of this building i.e. Bhupen Chambers is in a ruinous condition and likely to fall and dangerous to any person occupying, resoring to or passing by the same. Any person using and/or occupying and/or passing by this building and/or portion and/or part thereof are doing so at their own peril and that landlords will not be responsible for any harm, loss, damages or injury caused to any person and/or property die to their use and/or occupation and/or passing by of the building and/or any portion and/or part thereof.”

The notice was signed by SGM Properties and investments private limited (The landlords). The building apparently has seen many top advocates and judges occupying it during different phases of the last and the present century.

If we get any more details on the same from the landlords or Tushar about Gandhi’s office and which floor he occupied and how big the office was, we shall update our readers.

Also Read: NaMo Gave JNU More Money Than MMS: RTI.

The post Gandhi had an office in 1902 in this Mumbai Building appeared first on Square Feat India.

By Varun Singh

Recently an RTI activist from Pune wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office, asking to print images of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Patel on the banknotes.

Praful Sarda who wrote to the PMO mentioned in the letter that both Patel and Ambedkar have played a vital role in the freedom struggle and post independence, the shaping of the country and by printing their images on banknotes, it would be a tribute for their constrictions.

There has been a constant demand from various sections of the society, that legal tender of the country should also have images of other stalwarts of the nation.

While some have even demanded that the picture of Bhagat Singh be also be there on the currency note.

Some time ago even BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has said he was in favour of having an image of Goddess Lakshmi on the banknotes.

But it isn’t possible for any personality apart from Mahatama Gandhi to be featured on the banknotes.

This demand hasn’t cropped up for the first time. Believe it or not, but even the government had deliberated on this issue earlier.

The same question was raised by Kirti Azad in the Parliament in 2014. He had asked for inclusion of pictures of glorious personalities in currency notes.

The answer to this question was given by then Finance Minister Late Arun Jaitely. The answer of Jaitely in 2014 in the Parliament and the response by PMO recently to the question is same.

The letter from PMO to Sarda clarified that, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had constituted a High Level Screening Committee in October, 2010. The Committee, deliberated on the issue of changing the existing image of Mahatma Gandhi and inclusion of certain other personalities in the new design of banknotes. The images discussed were that of Bharat Ratna, Noble Laureates, Freedom Fighters, Sports Persons and others.

This High level screening committee was constituted on the advice of overnment of India.

However, after due consideration, the Committee decided that no other personality could better represent the ethos of India than Mahatma Gandhi. 

Thus it was decided to retain the portrait of Mahatam Gandhi on the observe of banknotes and on the watermark.

The Government even went ahead with he observation.

So this is the reason why you don’t see any other personality apart from Mahatama Gandhi on the banknotes.

Also Read: NaMo Gave JNU More Money Than MMS: RTI.

The post Here’s Why You Don’t See Sardar Patel On Banknotes. appeared first on Square Feat India.