Khojah Phanoos Kalandar

Khojah Phanoos Kalandar was a native of New Julfa who had settled in Surat. The English described him as “a merchant of eminency and the head of the Armenians in India.” In 1688 he concluded a treaty in London with English East India Company on behalf of Armenian merchants in India. The treaty stated that Armenians will transport their goods on the Company’s ships, and were allowed to reside freely in Company settlements and towns where they could hold all civil offices and employments, equally with the English. They were also allowed the free exercise of their religion and the Company promised to grant the Armenians grounds for the erection of churches wherever forty or more Armenians settled in Company towns. The company also granted to Khojah Phanoos Kalandar a monopoly on the garnet trade in India.