# Chhaganlal Karamshi Parekh

Chhaganlal Karamshi Parekh popularly known as Chhagan Bapa (27 June 1894 – 14 December 1968) was an Indian philanthropist and social worker who worked for education, the end of poverty, and social reform of women.

## Birth

He was born in 1894 at Rajkot in Rajkot State in a Gujarati Vaishnava family of Lohana caste.

## Career
### At Jharia

In year 1912 at age of 18, he came to Jharia with help of Damodar Kunwarji Trivedi, who worked in Jharia colliery. Seth Gangji Dosa Jethwa, a coal mine owner in Jharia with his young son Purushottam had come Rajkot at that time at house of Trivedi. Seth Gangjibhai Jethwa was from KGK community from Nagalpar, Kutch and was one of the pioneers in coal mining in Jharia coalfields. Karamshi bhai Parekh, father of Chhaganbhai, who knew Trivedi came to meet Seth Gangji Bhai Jethwa, who assured he would take care of his son and train him. After meeting him, he decided to send young Chhagan to Jharia under his mentorship. He started his career as a clerk at R. A. Mucadam & Sons' Chanda colliery in Jharia owned by Parsi gentleman, Rustomji Ardesar Mukadam in same year. After a year he switched to Khas Kusunda colliery owned by Kutchi Pancha Devji at salary of Rs.30/- per month, which was later raised to Rs.40/- per month. This colliery was managed by Kanji Khengar, who trained him well into job. Later in 1914 his mentors, Seth Gangji Dossa Jethwa & his brother Seth Khimji Dossa Jethwa, seeing that he is well trained, offered him job of supervisor in their owned, Lower & Upper Jharia Collieries located at Tisra, fulfilling the promise they gave his father, Karamshibhai. Chhagan Bhai after joining, soon impressed his mentors with his dedication and efficiency in managing of colliery and he was soon promoted. From here he progressed to start his own coal supply firm with support from his employers Seth Gangji bhai Jethwa, Seth Khimji Bhai Jethwa, Seth Khataubhai Sethia and Seth Harishanker bhai Worah, who offered them to become their coal supply agent.
He was among the committee members of historic All India Trade Union Congress meeting hosted at Jharia in year 1921 and shared dais ( representing Gangji Dossa & Sons) with other notable colliery owners like, Ramjush Agarwalla, the host and others like, Karamshi Khora, D. D. Thacker and other dignitaries.

### At Calcutta

But in the year 1949, there was change in his life. He took retirement from his work and dedicated his life towards social service. He got inspiration for social work from Thakkar Bapa and became a member of Servants of India Society and served in earthquake relief works in Assam and earthquake relief works in Kutch and tribal upliftment in Himachal Pradesh
After, leaving Jharia in 1949, he spent almost a decade in Calcutta where he already had a house and offices for coal supply business. Here, he helped founding Laxminarayan Temple & Dharamshala and Laxminarayan Trust Maternity Home & Hospital at Bhowanipore, both the establishments were funded by Gujarati diaspora of Calcutta, which included a handsome donation by him and Kutchi miners from Jharia, with whom he had started his career. He also helped start a Gujarati school in Calcutta under same Trust.

### At Bombay

However, he later dedicated his whole life in social works and later shifted to Bombay.
At Bombay, he was inspiration behind starting of Lijjat Papad in 1959, which is a noted women's cooperative based at Mumbai.

### At Haridwar

He was also one of the founding member of Gujarati Dharamshala at Haridwar. He, Jamnadas Khimji Kothari along with Nanji Kalidas Mehta and others were among were first trustees of Dharamshala Manaji Jeram Rathod of Madhapar (partner of Jagmal Raja in Rajapore Ciolliery) was a close friend-cum-guide, since Jharia days, worked with Chhagan bhai in raising funds for the project from Kutch & Dhanbad.

### At Kutch

During the earthquake of 1956 in Kutch, he worked relentlessly for the relief work, collecting funds and doing other humanitarian services. In course of his works at Anjar he was also responsible for laying foundation of Anjar General Hospital and the first only girls' high school of Anjar known as K.K.M.S. Girls High School for which he was able to generate a munificent donation from Seth Khatau Mavji Sethia's family and Smt. Kankuben Khatau Sethia, Maniben Sethia of Calcutta.

## Death

He died on 14 December 1968, at Bombay, survived by his 2 sons -Ratilal and Mulchand, and their families.

## Honors and memorials

The Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honor in 1999. Shri Laxminarayan Temple at Kolkata, have named the guest house as Chhagan Bapa Athithi Gruh in memorial to him in 1976. From 1980, Lijjat started giving Chhaganbapa Smruti Scholarships to the daughters of the member-sisters in his memory. The Gujarati Dharamshala at Haridwar, which he helped founding has named a building after him as Chhagan Bapa Smarak Bhawan Punyashlok Chhaganbapa: Godfather of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad is biograbhy of him published by Lijjat Papad family in 1980.