Chhaju Ram was born in a
Hindu Jat family in 1861 at Alakhpura in
Bawani Khera tehsil,
Bhiwani district of then
Punjab (presently in
Haryana state). His father was
Chaudhary Salig Ram Lamba who had migrated from the village of
Gothra in
Jhunjhunu district,
Rajasthan. He was married twice. His first wife was from the village Dohaka. She died from cholera, and they had no children from the marriage. He married Lakshmi Devi Rangi of the village Bilawal in Bhiwani district and had children with her. When in his early 20s, Lamba met
Arya Samajist engineer Raisaheb Shivnath Rai, who very much impressed him. Rai took Lamba to
Calcutta, and for a time Lamba coached Rai’s children and also those of a businessman from Rajgarh. During this work he picked up knowledge of their operations and in particular of the
dalali (brokerage business or commission agency). He began to trade in old bags, and later shifted to the new bags trade. He set up secret associations to collectively oppose British rule without ruining his reputation among the Englishmen. ==Philanthropy==