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{{short description|Indian-Emirati businessman, trader}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maghanmal Pancholia
| image = Maghanmal Pancholia.jpg
| alt = 
| caption =
| birth_name = Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|10|24|df=y}}<ref name="gulfnews"/>
| birth_place = [[British Raj|British India]] (in modern-day India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|09|02|1924|10|24|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bur Dubai]], UAE<ref name="thenational"/>
| nationality = Indian
| citizenship = Emirati
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|Businessman|Trader|Philanthropist}}
|alma_mater =
| education =
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
'''Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia''' (24 October 1924 {{endash}} 2 September 2019), also known as '''Maghaba''', was an [[Indians in the United Arab Emirates|Indian-Emirati]] businessman, trader, philanthropist and the founder of the [[The Indian High School, Dubai|Indian High School, Dubai]], first Indian educational institution established in the UAE.<ref name="gulfnews.com"/> He was one of the four businessmen to introduce electricity to [[Dubai]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/portrait-of-a-nation-one-of-uae-s-oldest-indian-residents-shares-memories-of-change-1.676210|title=Portrait of a Nation: one of UAE's oldest Indian residents shares memories of change|website=The National}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.constructionweekonline.com/business/168986-list-of-the-most-influential-nris-indians-in-uae-saudi-oman-construction-2019|title=The 20 most influential Indian leaders of Gulf construction|website=Construction Week Online Middle East}}</ref> and the first Indian citizen to be appointed as board member of [[Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry]] by [[Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum]].<ref name="gulfnews.com">{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/maghanmal-pancholia-from-dubais-customs-collector-to-multi-millionaire-and-philanthropist-1.1554279287724|title=Maghanmal Pancholia: From Dubai's customs collector to multi-millionaire and philanthropist|website=gulfnews.com}}</ref>

He served director of Dubai Electric Company (now merged to [[Dubai Electricity and Water Authority]]) from 1961 to 1980<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabianbusiness.com/culture-society/427110-dubai-mourns-death-of-father-figure-businessman-maghanmal-pancholia|title=Dubai mourns death of 'father figure' businessman Maghanmal Pancholia|website=ArabianBusiness.com}}</ref> and the board member of Al Maktoum Hospital, originally appointed by the [[Political Resident|British Political Agent]].<ref name="thenational">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/dubai-s-oldest-businessman-maghanmal-pancholia-dies-at-95-1.905708|title=Dubai's 'oldest' businessman Maghanmal Pancholia dies at 95|website=The National}}</ref>

== Biography ==
He was born on 24 October 1924 in India and belonged to [[Sindi people|Sindi community]].<ref name="gulfnews"/> He married to Kalabai Maghanmal Pancholia (1927{{endash}}2018) in 1943, with whom he had four children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/going-out/society/one-of-uaes-oldest-indian-women-dies-in-dubai-1.2228244|title=One of UAE's oldest Indian women dies in Dubai|website=gulfnews.com}}</ref> He reached to [[Sharjah]] in 1942 via [[Karachi]] route<ref name="khaleejtimes.com"/> and started trading [[pearl]]s and gold. He was also involved in grocery stores and [[Bureau de change|currency exchange]] businesses until he started textiles, electronics and wholesale food alongside financing pearl industry.<ref name="gulfnews">{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/indian-businessman-maghanmal-jethanand-pancholia-remembered-on-first-death-anniversary-in-dubai-1.73582554|title=Indian businessman Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia remembered on first death anniversary in Dubai|website=gulfnews.com}}</ref>

In 1957, he established an [[Electric power industry|electricity corporation]] in Dubai which continued [[electric power distribution|power distribution]] to the general public till 1960.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.constructionweekonline.com/business/258316-indian-businessman-maghanmal-pancholia-passes-away-in-dubai|title=Indian businessman Maghanmal Pancholia passes away in Dubai|website=Construction Week Online Middle East}}</ref> He wrote an autobiography titled ''Footprints: Memoirs of an Indian Patriarch'' that covers his life and the development history of Dubai.<ref name="khaleejtimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/we-travelled-on-camels-and-donkeys-paid-rs100-rent|title=We travelled on camels and donkeys... paid Rs100 rent|first=Issac|last=John|website=Khaleej Times}}</ref>

The ''[[National Herald]]'', an Indian newspaper published a report in 2017, claimed that one of Pancholia's workers left his boots in 1996 after being employed at Pancholia's house in India. The worker alleged that Pancholia left him without retirement pensions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/cafe/menar-udaipur-a-village-of-family-chefs-of-indias-billionaires|title=Menar, Udaipur: A village of family chefs of India's billionaires|first=Narendra|last=Kaushik|website=National Herald}}</ref>

== Death ==
He was 20th century's one of the oldest Indian-Emirati citizens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/uae-rulers-showed-us-love-even-in-difficult-days-says-one-of-the-oldest-indians-in-the-emirates-1.33955|title='UAE Rulers showed us love even in difficult days', says one of the oldest Indians in the Emirates|website=The National}}</ref> He died on 2 September 2019 in Dubai, and was cremated on 3 September in [[Jebel Ali]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/dubai/veteran-indian-businessman-maghanmal-pancholia-laid-to-rest-in-dubai-|title=Veteran Indian businessman Maghanmal Pancholia laid to rest in Dubai|first=Dhanusha|last=Gokulan|website=Khaleej Times}}</ref>

== Books ==
* {{cite book | title= Footprints: Memoirs of an Indian Patriarch| publisher= | year= 2009| isbn= 9781860632655| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWXeZwEACAAJ | access-date= | page=| last1= Pancholia| first1= Maghanmal J.}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pancholia, Maghanmal}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Dubai]]
[[Category:Emirati philanthropists]]
[[Category:20th-century philanthropists]]

Maghanmal Pancholia - Revision history

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