KHIANIS

The Khiani Mansion in Hyderabad Sind

  SHAKUN NARAIN KIMATRAI'S PATERNAL FAMILY

SHAKUN NARAIN'S MATERNAL FAMILY

A note from Shakun Narain Kimatrai/ Khiani: 

I am a descendant of the Khiani family.

They were/are also known as Pohukhianis.

The Khiani surname belongs the paternal side of my family.

Though I have tried my best to update the family tree, to the best of my capacity, there may be some omissions or errors which are not intentional. Please let me know who I have missed out, from which family branch and I shall be happy to add their name or/and correct any mistakes…

BHAI POHUMAL OF POHUMAL BROTHERS-Mr KHIAMAL

The following appears in: ‘Sind jay Hindun jee Tareek’ written by Diwan Bherumal Mahirchand Advani in 1946 and translated by Narain Sobhraj Kimatrai.

…Wanting to expand their wings and boundaries, Bhai Jairamdas Pohumal Dhansinghani, Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal and Bhai Dingomal Baloomal left Hyderabad for Bombay. Later Bhai Tarachand Parsram Jeweler and hundreds more followed them.

From Bombay, the Hyderabadi Bhaibunds ventured out to Colombo and Rangoon. Amongst the first settlers in Colombo were Mukhi Sukhramdas Hiranand, Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal, M/s Hardaramani and others. 

Bhai Dharamdas Panjumal landed first in Rangoon, followed by Bhai Gunomal Parsram Jeweler, Bhai Lekhraj, Bhai Jhamatmal Kimatrai and others

With the opening of Suez Canal in 1869, Steamers (ships) started touching Bombay. Bhai Pohumal Khiamal of M/s. Pohumal Brothers sailed to Cairo (Egypt) and Europe, whilst Bhai Wassiomal of M/s. Wassiamal Assumal left for Singapore. Both left their homeland with intend to try their luck overseas. They carried with them Sindhi and Indian commercial goods for sale abroad. There, they lived a simple life. After a few years of  staying  abroad and accumulating great wealth, they returned to Hyderabad. The wealth they brought back became the envy of their friends and relatives. Soon others followed their tracks.  

Three Sindhi firms were considered as pioneers: M/s. Pohumal Bros., M/s. Dhanamal Chelaram and M/s. Wassiamal Assumal. Later, the number grew”.

Diwan Bherumal wrote in his second volume published in 1947: “Sindhis have been in Malta for over seventy years”. 

He adds, “One also finds Sindhis at Gibraltar, Falkland Islands and Pohumal Bros. in South America”.

In Egypt: Pohumal Bros., Syria: Mukhi Hiranand Tarachand, North Africa: Pessumal Mulchand, Gibraltar and West Africa: J. T. Chanrai, Kishinchand Chellaram, Metharam Jassumal, M. Dialdas and others.

 Sindwork Merchants Association: -

The Sindwork Merchants Association was founded in the year 1918. Its first president, Mukhi Harkishindas presided for twelve years.

Foreign Remittances to Sind: - 

According to information gathered by Diwan Bherumal in the year 1947, Sindworkees Bhaibunds remitted over Rupees Two and Half Crores from Overseas to Hyderabad every year. Remittances by Shikarpuris were in addition to this...

The following is an update that I (Shakun Narain Kimatrai, born Khiani, daughter of Mr Jamnadas Pesumal Khiani and Mrs Lajwanti, daughter of Dayaram and Radhibai Uttamchandani) have gathered. I have been told that though the Khiani beginnings were humble, at their peak, they owned 96 firms spread around the globe.

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Mr. Khiamal had 5 sons:

1)      Pohumal

2)      Sahijram

3)      Moolchand

4)      Valiram

5)      Lekhraj

According to Mr Vashi Pohoomal Mr. Sahijram was the youngest son of Mr. Khiamal

Mr Pohumal initially sold scarves, on the street.

He obviously had charisma and potential as the ‘English’ noticed him and took him, by sea to Egypt, where he sold carpets.

I am told that Thomas Cook offered Mr Pohoomal  a partnership which the latter refused. He went on his own to Cairo and started a business named ‘Pohumal Brothers’

Mr. Pohumal  had a son called Naraindas whose wife was named ‘Phuliwari’ which means ‘The One who wears a nose ring.’ I (Shakun) remember meeting her. She was a beautiful fair lady, and I am told that she was the first woman to accompany her husband overseas.

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Mr Sahijram’s   children were:

1)      Lokumal

2) Jamnabai

3)      Ishwardas

4)      Jasotibai

5)      Lachmandas

For descendants click on:

Mr Lokumal Sahijram's children

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Mr Moolchand’s children were:

1)    Chandanmal

2)    Pessumal

3)    Ramchand

For Mr Chandanmal's descendants click here

For Mr Pessumal's descendants click here

For Mr Ramchand's descendants click here

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Mr Valiram’s children:

1)      Bulchand

2)      Gunomal

3)      Rijhumal

4)      Hiranand

Mr. Gunomal Valiram's children:

1 son, Mohan and 2 sisters, Hari and Kiki

1)Mohandas had 5 daughters and 3 sons.

One of his daughters is Vydia (Seema) married in the Mulchandani family

2) Hari Gunomal married into the Kirpalani family

3) Kiki Gunomal married Atmaram Mulchandani

    Mr Rijhumal Valiram Khiamal’s children:

1)     Mithoo married Jyotu Aasoomal  

Mithoo and Jyotu’s children:

Their children: 

1)Sanjay married Reshma Mahtani and have a son Rahul

2)     Priya is engaged to be married

3) Devansh (not yet married)  

2)     Nari married Papu (Jyoti Moolchand Melwani)

3)     Sunder married to Laju Lekhraj Melwani 

Their children:
1) Manoj married Darshana Sharad Shah (July 2003)
2) Manesha (not yet married)

4)     Janki married to Mukhis

5)     Gopi married to Melwanis

6)     Laxmi

7)     Sushila

8)     Manjri

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Mr Hiranand 

Mr Hiranand sired a son: Motiram

Motiram  and Rajni 

3 sons and 2 daughters:

Arjan married Malti  

Their children: Rishi married Sherina, 

Pooja 

Karan

Raj married Sonia 

Sired one son: Nikhil

Ashok married Shyla  

(Their children: 

Pia 

Tanya

Asha (Shalini) married Vinod  

Their children: 

Arun wed Hansa ( daughter of Jagdish and Bharati Chanrai) and has a son named Raam.

Anand wed Nisha, they have a daughter: Naya

Pooja

Meena married Nirmal  

Their children: 

Parineeta wed Nishu, 

Maya wed Jay 

 Amrita

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Mr Lekhraj’s children:

1)      Kishinchand

had a daughter called Yashoda

2)      A daughter

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Mr Sahijram's children:

1) Mr. Lokumal

2) Ms Jamnabai

3) Mr. Ishwardas

4) Ms Jasoti

5) Mr Lachmandas

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Mr Lokumal’s Sahijram's children

1)Gobindram married Devibai Daswani

2)    Satibai married Kishinchand Vaswani

3)      Babu (Harkishin) married Padu Uttamchandani

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Ajit married Geetu Notani and sired Pooja and Karan

Narendra married Alka and sired Sunaina, Supreeya and Kiran

Janki married Arjan Daryanani and sired: 

Mahesh, Mukesh, Anita and Deepu

Deepu married Shandy Nawalrai(Hathiramani).. who is also the sister of Deena who is married 

to Sanjay Vaswani (son of Gobind & Kavita Vaswani---(Kavita is sister of Janki Khiani)

Chandru married Margo Ramchandani and sired: Manoj and Gautam