Seth Edulji Dinshaw

Seth Edulji Dinshaw was one of the foremost businessmen and philanthropists from pre-partition Karachi, Pakistan.

He made his initial fortune during the Second Afghan War (1878–1881) by being a contractor for the British Army. He then took his wealth and invested it in land and factories which reaped him huge rewards. By the late nineteenth century, he owned around half of the city of Karachi, and the local government is believed to have placed an informal ban on his acquiring any more. His enterprises included a factory for pressing cotton and wool for export and an ice factory. He also had substantial landholdings in Mumbai. He was a director of Land and Shipping Co and a delegate of the Parsi Matrimonial Court. He was also a Trustee of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), located on Eduljee Dinshaw Road, and a member of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC).

Seth Edulji Dinshaw used his substantial money for noble ends. He contributed a large portion of money to build Lady Dufferin Hospital, Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary and Nadarshaw Edulji Dinshaw Dispensary. He also donated money for maintaining two trusts, named, The Soonabai Edulji Dinshaw Charitable Fund and The Bachubai Edulji Dinshaw Nirashrit Fund for the improvement of Parsi Community. In 1885 and 1887 he gave Rs.3000 to the college fund of Sind Art College in Karachi. For his services to the public, in 1899 he became the first recipient of the C.I.E. award (The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire) in the city.

On 8 May 1914, while on his way to England, he died at sea, near Port Said, Egypt. In recognition of his contribution, and that of his first son Nadirshaw, to the city of Karachi, statues of them were placed at the intersection of Karachi's main roads in the 1930s. After partition, the statues were removed, and can now be seen in the grounds of the Karachi Parsi Institute.