A well-known Sindhi in Africa
Narain Shahdadpuri
In 1969, Narain
S h a h d a d p u r i ' s
depressions turned into
a blessing in disguise. He
realised that his twin
missions—spiritualism
and establishing business—were
more than possible. He developed
rich contacts with saints. He, along
with brother Ghanshyam,
succeeded in building a Gita
Ashram in Lagos. Saints visited it
regularly. They delivered their
sermons. Many Sindhi members
from the US, Britain and other
centres attended these.
Similarly, he bought a house in
Mathura where they have their
congregations.
From small jobs as refrigeration
technician, Narain worked in the
National Science Foundation (USA)
in Delhi in early 1970s, Narain
(Nari), 73, rose as a mighty
successful business man in all
Nigeria and Kenya. His
phenomenal success was
dependent on a good hard kennel
of common-sense and his shrewd
business mind. He wore happy
disposition in all conditions, no
matter how exacting.
The life was intensely rough and
tough in Lagos and other parts of
Nigeria, but he translated it to
comfort with relaxed attitude and
coolness. He was firm to the extent
of being stubborn. He did not
accept his defeat. He succeeded in
changing his detractors carefully
and subtly to his point of view. He
seldom lost a friend.
Despite open heart surgery in
Max some years ago, he was hale
and heart when he suddenly fell ill.
The doctors gave him about six
months as he had brain
haemorrhage in Nairobi. Then he
suffered from a Dengue fever. He
was rushed to Delhi Max hospital.
He was born in Hyderabad (Sind)
on April 14, 1944 and died on
October 31, 2017. He leaves behind his wife, Jayanti (of Jaipur),
two sons, Mahesh and Prem
settled in Dubai and a
daughter,Deepdhikha lives in
England with her husband.
Robbers gained an entrance
once in Narain's bunglow,
surrounded from three sides by
sea. His mind worked. He made
them comfortable. He served them
drinks and food. He presented
them his purse. They became
friends. They left without harming
any one. From a lonely
surroundings, he shifted to a multistoried
colony which, he and wife,
felt was much safer than a single house.
Narain was driven to Sindhi
culture and Sindhi language after
all Sind fell in the territory of
Pakistan. Sindhi is a very rich
language. The Shah Abdul Latif
book is equivalent to any religious
or literary book.
Narain's father, Choithram, was
a leader of the first group of
Sindhis to have migrated to Delhi
where the group was given a
shelter in Kicha hostel. He was
allotted a small house in Lajpat
Nagar-II against his property in
Hyderabad (Sind).
K.R.Wadhwaney