SETH LAL CHAND JAIN

(1900—5-12-1970)

Philanthrophist and greatly religious minded Seth Lai Chand was born at Delhi. A leading man in Bidi manufacture, he had taken up to this business around 1930 and over years achieved foremost position in this trade. He established his Bidi making factories at Gondia, Sagar and Damoh. Some of the leading Bidi manufacturers of today have been his contractors.

He had also started cloth business which he had later on closed. A generous donor, Seth Lai Chand was keenly interested in educational activities besides his active involvement in religious and social affairs. He was one of the founders of Digamber Jain College, Baraut, Jain College at Sagar and Jain Shiksha Pracharak Society, Delhi.

He built several rooms in Dharam- shalas at Delhi, Simla, Shri Sammed Shikharji and Mahavirji and established charitable dispensaries at Delhi, Sagar and Damoh. Digamber Jain Chandraprabhu Chaityalaya in Deputyganj, Delhi was built by him.

He was associated with various religious and social institutions of belhi and outside either as patron, senior office bearer or Committee member. He was Committee member of Shri Mahavirji Tirthakshetra Committee. His only surviving son Seth Sunder Lai Jain is an industrialist and leading Bidi manufacturer. He was adopted by his uncle Shri Chunna Mai Jain.

Shri Ravi Kumar Jain, grandson on maternal side, is adopted son of Seth Lai Chand Jain. After his graduation from Delhi University in 1965 he joined the big business of Seth Lai Chand. He looks after the motor parts manufacturing business run in the name of Highway Metal Industries, which was set up by Seth Lai Chand some time before his death.

Married to Smt. Vimla Jain, Shri Ravi Kumar has one son and one daughter. He has been on a world tour in 1974 in connection with promotion of his export business of automobile parts. Address : 29, Deputyganj, Delhi-6 Phone 515571.