DNA Mumbai Anniversary special: A look at legacy of city’s father Jugonnath Sunkersett

The city is often associated with the luminaries who have built it. Among those holding that legacy is Jugonnath ‘Nana’ Sunkersett, whose legacy has disappeared and is little spoken unless there is a call to rename a place. As the city will be observing his death anniversary on July 31, DNA decided to take a look at his legacy that has continued to survive for nearly 150 years.

All for the city 

Born in a wealthy family of merchants in Mumbai (Bombay then) on February 10, 1803, Jugonnath ‘Nana’ Sunkersett came into the public life early. This happened after his father, Sunkersett Murkute, died when he was barely 19 years old. Being a bright kid, Nana mastered Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English and went on to become a key figure in founding institutions like Elphinstone Educational Institution that generated legends like Dadabhai Naoroji, Mahadev Govind Ranade and Balgangadhar Tilak among others.

Nana’s own schooling happened in his home — a trend seen among most wealthy people. However, as he grew older, the “modernist” ventured into many arenas and was at the forefront of setting up schools and colleges or playing a key-rule in doing the same.

“He encouraged the first girls’ school in the courtyard of his bungalow and even sent girls from his own family. Later, as the number of girls increased, a guesthouse that was meant for his businessmen friends coming from outside the city was converted into a girls’ school. It was started despite much opposition from people of the community. He, however, gave it for free to run the school,” said Vilas Sunkersett, fifth generation direct descendant of Nana.

Jagannath Shankarshet (spelt more commonly — his name is spelt in different ways) was from the Daivadnya Brahmin community. The community, which was considered to be of goldsmiths, frowned on girls going to schools. “He made sure that he went ahead. He was very conscious that education is very important and girls should also get schooling. This was the first girls’ school in western India,” said Padmini, Vilas’s wife who live in the building where the bungalow once used to be.

The grand two-storey bungalow in which Nana was born in Thakurdwar was pulled down in 1964. The place which Nana gave for schooling of girls was in the courtyard of this house. His focus for uplift of woman was not restricted to that. Even for a ban on the practice of Sati, the English were said to have taken his help.

“He was the ‘go-to’ man not just for natives but also for the British. He was in a way “Samaj Purush” and towering figure of Modern India along with other luminaries of that day like Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy. After Raja Ram Mohan Roy, he was the first prominent leader of western India to sign to ban Sati. He was an educationist, a reformist, founder of prominent institutions, businessman and a key figure in bringing the railways and Mumbai University. Over all, he was the implementer of all,” said Amala Newalkar, who has written a book on Nana’s life ‘Samaj Purush — Jagannath Shankarshet’.

Nana is said to have convinced people on why they should look to going to schools. “He worked hard to ensure that a lot of misconceptions are removed when it comes to education. Many felt that if they sent their children to schools, they would lose their religion because of the rumours that the paper and ink were made of animal fat. He convinced them that it is not the case. He wanted natives to get modern education for their betterment,” added Newalkar.

This effort was aided by a willing Mountstuart Elphinstone, the Governor of Bombay in the 1820s. Elphinstone had an idea of textbooks and that British education should be imparted to Indians. “Elphinstone was a unitarian, was very proud of the British education system and wanted modern European education to be taught to Indians. He wanted to print the textbooks in vernacular languages. It was Nana who helped him to convince the people to accept the idea and the concept, and the books came in English, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu and Kannada,” said Newarkar.

Sunkersett’s family said that the reason the luminary felt natives needed to be educated was that they could get a better deal. “That is when he started Bombay Native School and the School Book Society was set up. He donated money for books and gave away land to many. He also felt that the natives needed to know law so that they could prosper in a better way and ensure that they get justice. Jury at that time mostly comprised Englishmen. Judgment often favoured Englishmen. For a person to get justice, he needed to understand law. That is when the law college was formed so that Indians could get educated in law,” said Vilas.

But just the setting was not enough. Nana was keen that the trust in him by people was maintained. Researchers say that when he set up Elphinstone High School and College and Fund to ensure that people have faith in what he has set up, he sent his son to study there. “Nana’s son and family were educated in Elphinstone, a college he helped found. The unshakable faith people had in his work was paramount to him. He was known for his trust and which is why even traders left their valuables with him,” said Newalkar.

Besides education, Nana’s other big notable contributions were in railways, steam engines, library, culture, horticulture, and museums where his legacy can be seen 150 years after his passing away. “He was crucial in bringing the railways to India,” said Vilas. He had set up the Indian Railway Association. He and Jamsetjee were the only two native directors in the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.

“I have seen his signature on the minutes of the meeting of those times,” said Vilas with pride. Nana and JJ also travelled on the first Mumbai to Thane train when it ran for the first time.

“When there was no office for the railway organisational work, he said that it can be done from his house,” said Vilas, adding, “He was known to give land and space to people when needed.”

The luminary is said to have also set up first native dispensary, first law college, first native theatre, and been associated in setting up Grant Medical College, JJ Hospital and JJ School of Arts. “The idea of the dispensary was to get medicines to natives. Earlier, the English doctors treated the rich among Indians,” said Amala Nawrekar. The first theatre was set up after he gave land for it. Though there is no trace of it, the first non-English play, Vishnudas Bhave’s Ramayana, was in Marathi. The theatre was later used for other language plays.

Since Nana was not a rebel, not much is said about his political life, but he was one of the first ones to set up the Bombay Association which was formed to take up issues of the natives. It had the likes of Jamshetjee Jeejeebhoy, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dr Bhau Daji Lad among others.

Dr Bhau Daji Lad City Museum describes his contributions as: “He was one of the key people involved in setting up the Elphinstone College and the first Indian member of the Asiatic Society. He was also one of the founders of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum (erstwhile Victoria & Albert Museum, Bombay). He chaired a public meeting called to raise funds for the new museum building which would house the collection and would be dedicated to Queen Victoria.” His image finds a place in the museum.

His bust can be seen at Sonapur (Chandanwadi) Hindu cemetery. He stalled the moving out from the cemetery when the British wanted to. Nana also finds mention in assisting formation of Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), the University of Mumbai and the gardens and museums. The JJ hospital website states: “It was the famous Sanskrit scholar Jagannath Shankarsheth who proposed the name ‘Grant Medical College’ to honour Sir Robert Grant” after donations from Sir Jamjsetjee Jeejeebhoy made the JJ Group of hospitals possible.

Just like other city fathers, he too contributed a lot for education, reform and culture. Though most of his work was in Thakurdwar side, his contribution in Asiatic Society is well known,” said Kruti Garg, who conducts heritage walks for Kalaghoda Arts Festival.

“He gave huge sums at that time to ensure that books can be purchased. All kinds of books were left to the society that was looking after them. We still have a separate collection of the books that were purchased after he donated the money and it is known by his name,” said Sharad Kale, president of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai and former municipal commissioner. Nana is said to have given Rs5,000 at that time for books.

“It is said that the statue was made in his lifetime and from popular funding. In those years, Town Hall was a major place for all important activities and dignitaries were honoured in this fashion. Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes too were kept there. That should tell about his contribution to society,” said Kale. A befitting reply to a man who took up people’s cause!

Family Tree 

Jugonnath Sunkersett’s ancestors first moved to Ghodbunder from Murbad before coming to Mumbai. The family was into the business of export and import, owned lands, gave credits. They used to export Porbander Ghee, Indian Spices and import pearls and carpets. The family surname of Murkute was changed by his grandson Raoji when he took up Nana’s fahter’s name — Sunkersett as surname.