At the 75th anniversary of India, when the general opinion regarding corporate, start-ups and people running them is preconceived to be that of narcissistic profit minting structures, we try to take down such stereotypes and take a glimpse at life of a person who is responsible for not only for one of the strongest business empires of India but actively contributed socio-nationalist forums and movements as well.
Fondly considered by Gandhi as his fifth child, the story of Jamnalal Bajaj is no short of unbelievable exploits. Bajaj who founded the Bajaj group of companies was a rare mix of ethical entrepreneurship. He owned properties but did not let this dilute him from the truth of life and continued to prioritise values even when his business was seeing a surge. Bajaj really took into his own the Gandhian way of life and principles. He was very close to Gandhi and played a very important role in persuading Gandhi to come to Wardha, which emerged as the capital centre of our freedom struggle. Giving up his claim on the inherited property at an age of 17 were already signs enough to show he was not an ordinary business blood. Jamnalal started early from his home, by opening their house’s temple to everyone including Harijans. He was actively involved in freedom struggle in smaller pockets and princely states like Sikar, Bijolia and Jaipur (1939). Jamnalal had important involvements in the Non-co-operation movement of 1921, the boycott of Simon Commission in ’29 and Salt March in 1930. Apart from the works like these on a pan nation level. Jamnalal also worked in capacities of a social reformer, promoting Go seva, women empowerment, promotion of use of Hindi, empowering Dalits and promoting use of Khadi across Rajasthan. He established a Mahila Ashram at Wardha to promote and spread the message of importance of education of girls.
Managing and growing his empire, heading voluntary roles like those of head of All India Khaddar Board and Gandhi Seva Sangh, partaking in nation’s freedom struggles too, not obeying and succumbing to British orders, all this while maintaining and keeping his spirituality alive and inviting saints like Vinoba Bhave to live near him, the story of Jamnalal is a story of a human embodiment of what MBA curriculum have for years wanted to imbibed within students. Jamnalal was not a businessman, not a humanitarian, not a nationalist, not a rebel, Jamnalal was all of those things in one as Gandhi’s fifth child.
By
Ranjul Malik
1st Year B.A. L.L.B
Army Institute of Law, Mohali