Khojah Israel Sarhad

Khojah Israel Sarhad was the eminent Armenian merchant who was the most instrumental person in helping English East India Company (EIC) to establish themselves in Calcutta.

He first helped the EIC in July 1698 to acquire letters-patent from the Prince Azem-ush-Shan for the modest sum of Rs 16,000, allowing them to purchase the right of renting three villages – Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata. The villages were later merged to form the city of Kolkata. He further negotiated on behalf of the EIC with the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1713 and 1715. Owning to the efficiency of Sarhad as the pleader and interpreter with the Emperor on behalf of the EIC, the English succeeded in obtaining the historical Grand Imperial Farman of 1717, that enabled them duty-free trading rights in all of Bengal for a mere three thousand rupees a year. It also put the EIC at a decisive advantage vis-à-vis their French and Dutch rivals.