Seth Hukumchand

Hukumchand became a leading business magnate of the country doing speculative and ready trade in commodities on a large scale. He was known as the "Cotton Prince of India" and had much credit even in some overseas countries. The New York Cotton exchange was closed for two day on his death. His offices were located in important cities of India. He established cotton mills (Hukam Chand Mill and Raj Kumar Mill at Indore), and a large jute mill and iron mill at Calcutta. He was a pioneer in Swadeshi industry. He was the first Indian businessman to set up a jute mill. ==Social contributions==

Hukumchand was a champion of the nationwide Khadi Movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 and a leader of the Swadeshi Movement of 1931 in Bombay. He financially supported Hindi Sahitya Sammelan and was President of Madhya Bharat Hindi Sahitya Samiti. He had an unparalleled record of religious and social service. He protected Jain Tirthas, and constructed and repaired several Jain temples. He built the famous Kach Ka Mandir in Indore. He served as: • President of Digambar Jain Mahasabha • Dig. Jain Trithakshetra Committee • Bombay Prantic Dig, Jain Sabha • Presided over numerous religious, social and political organizations With his influence he resolved major religious and social issues. He was a great devotee of Jain munis and went on several pilgrimages. He was made Rai Bahadur in 1915 and honoured with the title of 'Sir' (knighthood) in 1919. Maharaja of Gwalior presented him Khilat and rulers of Indore honoured him with the titles of Rajya Bhushan, Rao Raja and Rajya Ratna. He established: • Sir Hukam Chand Eye Hospital • Kalyanmal Nursing Home • Raj Kumar Singh Ayurvedic • Kanchan Bai Maternity Home • Kanchan Bai Shravikashram • Tukoji Rao Cloth Market • Gaushala, Jain temple and boarding house in Banaras University On Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Indra Bhawan, Hukumchand agreed to give him his of farmland for building the Kasturbagram village. He donated Rs. 400,000 for the construction of Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital at New Delhi. He donated Rs. 200,000 for the welfare of agriculturists. He provided enormous financial assistance during the famine of 1899 and the plague epidemics of 1903 and 1908. ==Transformation==

In his later life, Hukamchand gave up wearing expensive clothes and jewellery studded with precious gems, and switched to simple clothes. ==See also==