Golani Family

The Golani family were a royal family in Sindh, a province of Pakistan, dating from the 19th century.

History

After the invasion of Sindh by Charles Napier in 1843, the region was divided into many provinces and each of these provinces were assigned to Zamindars to collect taxes for the British East India Company. These Zamindars were also known as 'Wadaras'. Wadara of Shikarpur was Lord Wadra Bhagwandas Golani (1861–1931), a merchant born in the royal family of Golani. In 1918 his eldest son Shobraj Bhagwandas Golani (1885–1978) took over as the Landlord of Shikarpur, Digri, Jamrao, Kachhelo, Tando Jan Mohammed, Ratnabad, Roshanabad and Khayrpur. Shobraj Bhagwandas Golani was also invited to Great Britain by the King along with all the Nawabs and Maharajahs of India to discuss the participation of their respective provinces in expansion of the British Empire in the Middle East. Sindh was later made part of Bombay Presidency, and became a separate province in 1935. Shobraj along with his eldest son Shri Hashmatrai S Golani (1918–1979) moved to Bombay in 1947 after the Partition of India.

The family left all its wealth and abandoned its palaces to move to Bombay (Mumbai) after the Partition of India and Pakistan. In 1950 the Monarchy system was abolished in India.

Members of this family are spread throughout the world. It has famous names like Lekhraj Golani,khel radio fame Dinesh Golani, Anish Golani, Sid Golani and Kushaldas Golani. Turban of Kushaldas Golani is still famous among sindhis.

References

• The Sindh Story - by K.R. Malkani
• Sindh And The Races That Inhabit The Valley Of The Indus - by Richard Burton

External links

• Sindh Development Institute
• Government of Sindh website: Early history of Sindh