Shri Harakh Chand Nahata (July 18, 1936 - February 21, 1999) was a prominent India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n businessman and social leader.

He was born on 18 July 1936 in Bikaner (Rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

), in an illustrious family. His uncle Late Agar Chand Nahata and elder brother 'Sahitya Vachaspati' Shri Bhanwar Lal Nahata were acknowledged authority on Prakrit literature, Jain canonical literature and scriptures. His family's priceless private collection of more than 85,000 books, manuscripts, works of arts etc. at Abhay Jain Granthagar, Bikaner (Rajasthan) is unique. His family has more than 125 years of business presence in the field of trading and distribution in Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Calcutta, Tripura and erstwhile East Bengal (now Bangladesh) Sh. Nahata after completing his schooling at Bikaner and during college years in Calcutta, started his career.

Living a full and contented life, he breathed his last on 21 February, 1999 in New Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...

 after a brief illness.

Tripura Town Out-Agency

An entrepreneur, who wanted to tread uncharted path, he was the first person who started road transportation in the difficult and inhabitable terrain of
Tripura

Tripura

Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...

. Handling the largest Railway Out agency in Tripura (Tripura Town out Agency) and establishing a large network of road transport at heavy costs and risks, he was instrumental in starting economic development and two way traffic to bring economic gains for the tribal people and the state of Tripura.

Technicians' studio

He contributed a lot for the development of cinema in Eastern India through his Technicians Studio. Calcutta, with which many internationally acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, Hritwik Ghatak & Basu Bhattacharya etc. were associated. Later, he turned a film financier and Realtor and was known as an honest and upright person in trade circles. Shri Harakh Chand Nahata encouraged many upcoming artists of films and performing arts with his sanguine advice, help and patronage. He was a great connoisseur of art and literature and secretly helped many budding artists, poets and writers. He spotted talents of writers and published many books at his own cost to encourage them including a Hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

 monthly magazine. He was a prolific reader with a razor sharp analytical mind and compassioned heart.

For his multi faceted contributions to the trade and industry, he was honored with awards by the Vice President of India and Lt. Governor of Delhi.

Social contributions

He was a leading social leader and philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

, who steadfastly stood and fought for human dignity, equality and respect. Associated with more than 60 socio-religious organizations and Trusts like Heart Care Foundation of India, Shanti Mandir-Bithari, Prakrit Bharati, Rishabhdev Foundation, Veerayatan, Rajasthan Bharati, Shri Ambika Niketan Trust, Ahimsa International, Shri Jain Mahasabha. Bharat Jain Mahamandal, Vishwa Jain Parishad and many others in different capacities, he relentlessly endeavored to attain their cherished goals. From (1990 onwards) he was the President of Akhil Bhartiya Shree Jain Shwetamber Khartargachha Mahasangh, the apex national representative body of thousands of Jains of this sect. As President, he fought to safeguard against many injustices and attacks on the rights, dignity and conventions of the Samaj.

He wrote on many different subjects and was an orator par excellence, who kept the audience spell bounded with his thought provoking dissertations and mastery over the subjects. Though a Jain by birth, he was an embodiment of Sarv Dharma Sambhav. Regardless of caste, creed or religion, he respected each and every faith and contributed to various temples and places of worship without any distinction. He was a firm believer that religion is and should be a binding force and not a divisive force. Compassion, tolerance, equality, dignity and love should be the guiding and contributing spirit in religious affairs and to this end he steadfastly worked at various levels and at different forums.

Harakh Chand Nahata Marg

On March 1st 2007, famous Indian wrestler, actor and Member of Parliament (India) (Rajya Sabha) Shri Dara Singh

Dara Singh

Dara Singh Randhawa is a wrestler and Indian film actor. He was born in a Jat Sikh family of Punjabi background.He was a wrestler before he started acting in Hindi films in 1962....

 inaugurated "Harakh Chand Nahata Marg (Road) " which interconnects three villages of South-West Delhi, namely Nanakheri, Badusarai and Raghopur. Shri Nahata's family is in the process of developing a Farmhouse Scheme in that area by the name of Westyn Park.

Bust Unveiling

In a ceremony held on the auspicious occasion of 'Mahavir Jayanti

Mahavir Jayanti

In Jainism, Mahavir Janma Kalyanak is the most important religious holiday. It celebrates the birth of Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. On the Gregorian calendar, the holiday occurs either in March or April....

' on March 31, 2007, accomplished actor, dancer and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Smt. Hema Malini

Hema Malini

Hema Malini is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar , she went on to appear in numerous Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra. She was initially promoted as...

 unveiled a bust of Shri Harakh Chand Nahata at Mahabalipuram Teerth, Village Bhatti, New Delhi.

Indian Postage Stamp

Department of Posts, Govt. of India, released a
commemorative Postage Stamp of Rs. 5 denomination on Shri Harakh Chand Nahata on Saturday, the 28th. February, 2009. The stamp was ceremonially released at a function held at Darbar Hall, Raj Bhawan, Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

 by His Excellency Shri S. C. Jamir, Governor of Maharashtra.

The function was attended by a galaxy of eminent social leaders, Industrialists, Businessmen, Artists, Litterateurs, family members and persons from many walks of life including senior and leading members of Khartargachha Mahasangh and Jain International Trade Organisation, whose presence gave the function a rare grace and dignity. Shri Nahata handled the largest Railway Out agency – Tripura Town Out Agency and built roadways in the difficult terrain and inhospitable area of Tripura. This resulted in economic development of the area and two-way trafficking of goods, which significantly contributed in the economic empowerment of the local tribals.

He also managed ‘Technicians Studio’ (formerly known as Kali Studios) at Kolkata and in a path-breaking step, gave shares of the studio to the technicians. Many internationally renowned directors produced their highly acclaimed films at this Studio.

He made significant contributions to many social and religious organisations, some of them being Heart Care Foundation of India, Mimjhar,. Rajasthan Bharti, Prakrit Bharti Academy, Ahimsa International, Rishabhdev Foundation, Bharat Jain Mahamandal, Jain
Mahasabha, Delhi, Vishwa Jain Parishad. His tenure as the National President of Khartargachha Mahasangh was it’s golden period, when he gave a distinct identity to it. He strived to further enrich family institutions like the Abhay Jain Granthalaya, Bikaner
(Rajasthan) and Jain Bhawan, Palitana (Gujrat). A Jain by birth, he was an embodiment of ‘Sarva Dharma Samabhava’ and firmly believed that religion should be a binding force.

The release of this stamp is a recognition of selfless service to the society and country
equally.