History of Jadwets

THE ORIGIN

Chronicling the saga of the past and the present of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a few names feature prominently, one being that of the Jadwets. The origin of this company traces back to the early 1900s when this Gujrati family Jadwet based in Burma(Now Myanmar), built a Llyod Registered sailing vessel namely Gunpati which started plying between Moulmein, Burm and Car Nicobar and Nancowry in A&N Islands. The vessel, under the company banner of Akoojee Jadwet & Company, regularly frequented the Nicobar Islands to obtain a cargo of coconuts and areca nuts to be sold in Burma. This relationship was further cemented when during the separation of India, Burma and Ceylon (now Srilanka); the three northernmost islands in Andaman and Nicobar Islands viz. Great Coco, Little Coco and Table Island were given to Burma, which were further leased out for 30 years to the Jadwets owing to their prior association with the islands.

The Nicobari tribes had gotten habituated to decades of pilfer, plunder by traders from the South East Asia. However The Jadwets reversed these years of exploitation and they treated Nicobari tribes with due respect and given just returns. The Jadwets also established a good rapport with Edward Kutchat, the-then Chief of Car Nicobar and Bishop John Richardson by providing space to some entrepreneurial Nicobari tribes who wished to export their products directly to Burma During the Second World War when the Japanese occupied Burma and subsequently the Andaman, members of the company had to flee back to Gujarat. The 30 year lease with the Burmese Government, was also put on temporary abeyance.

FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS

With the end of the war, the lease for Great Coco, Little Coco and Table Island resumed only to be discontinued by the Burmese Government a few years later owing to political upheavals in Burma. The Government of British India invited see more information the directors of R. Akoojee Jadwet & Co., Ebrahim and Yusuf Jadwet, to Delhi for negotiations. In September 1945, a contract was signed between the company and the Government of British India by which the former received the sole license to trade in the Nicobar on a certain royalty payable on exports. The company was also made responsible for distributing food and essentials to the Nicobarese. Following the agreement, the Jadwets arrived at Car Nicobar with the reoccupation forces in late 1945 and established their headquarters at Chukchuka village.

The company won the admiration of the Nicobaris when their vessel returned after the war to deliver articles promised in exchange for the produce that had been purchased and shipped to Burma prior to the war. The fact that the Jadwets came back, despite having no obligation to do so, repaying all their dues was evidence of their integrity thereby keeping them in high esteem with the Nicobari tribes.

The spirit of cooperation and regards that developed between the Jadwets and the Nicobaris is truly legendary. Bishop Richardson provided the political leadership and Casim Mohammed Jadwet, Director R. Akoojee Jadwet & Co., the business acumen and together they envisioned the growth of  modern Nicobar. The Nicobarese society fully backed both the Bishop and the Jadwets.

The Jadwets mandate was simple: to run a monopolistic but fair trade with the Nicobaris who even in the forties did not know the use of money and relied entirely on barter. On appointment of Jadwets as sole traders in Nicobars, money transaction and weights and measurement systems were introduced.

Under the guidance of Bishop Richardson, 15 village co-operatives called Punam Hinengos were formed. The procurement of goods by the Jadwets was now carried out through the co-operatives rather than individually which allowed the locals to charge a premium on their produce. In 1956, the Jadwets in consultation with Bishop Richardson and other leaders of the community decided to convert their company Akoojee Jadwet & Co into “Car Nicobar Trading Co.” This was done with effect from 1956 with 50 per cent share held by the 15 Panam Hinengoes. Thus, Nicobaris were given ample scope to learn business methods and management despite their low but rising educational qualifications. The introduction of cooperative movement in Nicobar Islands gave a new shape and meaning to the life of Nicobaris. Another pivotal movement was when in 1972-73, the Jadwets in accordance with changing times, relinquished trade entirely in Nicobar by forming a central co-operative society, wholly tribal owned, named Ellon Hinengo Limited (EHL) which is flourishing till date.

While the Nicobar chapter came to a close, the business had acquired extensive ground in Port Blair where it continues to be of increasing prominence. As Jadwet Trading Company, with the office at ‘Tower House’, the company under the leadership of Cassim Jadwet, secured agencies of ESSO(Now IOC), Nestle and Shalimar among others. A visionary by nature, Cassim also played an important role in developing the commerce of Port Blair; apart from starting the first travel agency in these islands, he also spearheaded the building of the first five star hotel in Port Blair, Bay Island designed by legendary architect Charles Correa, which was subsequently sold to ITC. The Light House cinema hall was established along with a fully-fledged shipping company Raj Lines.