Shri Surati Modh Vanik Jagruti Mandal – Mumbai is an association of people from the Modh Vanik Community residing in and around Mumbai. Their origins are from the Ghachi community hailing from Surat and its surrounding areas.

Ghachi’s are also known as Delvadia/Modh/Modi/Sahu/Sahoo/Teli/Ganiga/Gandhi and belong to the Vaishya caste found in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and various parts of India. Ghachi caste has many Gotras (Clan) which includes Kashyap, Gahlot, Borana, Sahu, Solanki, Bhati, Panwar, Parihar, Chauhan, Dayya, Devra, Dhandia, Nikub Parmar, Parihariya, Parmar, Sankhla & Surecha .

The Modh Ghachi sub-caste is given the status of (OBC) in the State of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The community name is of an Indian origin, and means a businessman dealing in production and selling of oils- (Teli). This community is commonly found in Ahmedabad, Navsari, Surat, Valsad, Bilimora as well as in Mumbai.

Modh Ghachi are originally from Modhera in Gujarat who later migrated to – Saurashtra, Amreli, Bagasra, Bilkha, Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Kalol, Kadi, parts of Rajastha, Jodhpur, Pali, Sojat, Sumerpur and Mumbai.

Narendra Modi, the 15th Prime Minister of India belongs to the Modh Ghachi community from Visnagar near Modhera in Gujarat.

The members of the community started migrating to Mumbai from their ancestral homes in South Gujarat (mostly Surat) in the early 1900’s in search of livelihood and occupation. Some of them got employed at the Western Railways and started staying in places like Parel, Lalbaug and Bandra Bazar. Another group who took to service or business started staying in Bhuleshwar, Kalbadevi, Hanuman Galli and surrounding areas.

In early 1950’s Shri Sakarlal Gandhi with the help of his community friends and relatives residing at Girgaum (Shri Kantibhai’s Gandhi’s Father) started the first Mandal named SHRI SURATI MODH VANIK GNYATI PANCH. Later on Late Shri Kantibhai continued running this Mandal until his death in May 2015.

The activity carried out annually by the panch was religious – a Chaitra-Maas havan serving snacks and distributing “Laani” at the interval of two years to community members.

In the middle of the year 1999, the representatives of Shri Surati Modh Vanik Samasta Panch from surat Shri Jamnadas Halaatwala, Shri Arvindbhai Mehta, Shri Bipinbhai Lapsiwala and others approached Late Dr. Ishwarbhai Dhabuwala to arrange for a get-together for community members residing in Mumbai & surrounded areas. As Samasta Panch surat wanted to appeal to the community members residing in Mumbai to raise funds for the proposed P.A. Khatiwala School at Surat.

This get-together of community members from Mumbai was arranged at Plaza Asiad (Venue owned by Patel & Biscuitwala Group) in Santacruz (W) on Sunday 24th October, 1999. While arranging for this event, Late Dr Ishwarbhai Dhabuwala and Shri Jagdishbhai Chapatwala personally contacted almost all families residing in Mumbai to join this get together. At this juncture, they thought of starting Shri Surati Modh Vanik Jagruti Mandal – Mumbai, so that the community members in Mumbai and surrounding areas had a social platform for knowing, meeting and sharing information on issues of common interest with each other.

They contacted all the prominent members of the community and convened some meetings at their residence in their effort to form the Mumbai Mandal.

Shri Surati Modh Vanik Jagruti Mandal – Mumbai was formed in December 1999 and registered on 3^rd June, 2002 and started its activities immediately. An executive committee comprising of 25 members was appointed/elected with Shri Navnitbhai Wankawala as its President, Shri Rameshbhai Bhagat and Shri Nayanbhai Khambati as Vice Presidents, Shri Jagdishbhai Chapatwala as General Secretary and Late Shri Chandrakantbhai Lapsiwala as Treasurer.

Shri Kantibhai Gandhi was running a panch on a personal basis for some decades from his residence Kalbadevi. Thus, Late Dr. Ishwarbhai Dhabuwala, Shri Dineshbhai Dadarwala, Shri Rohitbhai Chapatwala, Shri Bharatbhai Randeria, Shri Vineshchandra Vakil and others contacted Late Shri Kantibhai Gandhi to merge these two entities to increase the strength & health of community members staying in Mumbai.

Shri Kantibhai Gandhi continued to run his Mandal from his residence in Kalbadevi until his death in May 2015. However, before his death he decided to close his Mandal, sold the assets (like shares etc) and distributed the funds amongst his members. He also donated Rs 1,11,111/- to Shri Surati Modh Vanik Jagruti Mandal – Mumbai, with a request to absorb the members who are not the members of  SHRI SURATI MODH VANIK JAGRUTI MANDAL MUMBAI & Jagruti Mandal absorbed the members accordingly. Jagruti Mandal also took over the cultural activity of Chaitra-Maas havan.

The current registration fees are as follows:

Rs 2000 for lifetime membership
Rs 5000 for patron membership.

Shri Surati Modh Vanik Jagruti Mandal – Mumbai, is registered trust under Charity Commissioner Greater Mumbai Region, Maharashtra State with registration no. F- 24097 dated 03.06.2002 and registered with Director of Income Tax (Exemption), Mumbai under the registration no. TR/38807 dated 19.10.2004. So, donors can claim deductions under Clause 80G of the Indian Income Tax. Act.
This 80G certificate and registration number of the Income Tax department was procured with great diligence, perseverance and great efforts by Shri Rameshbhai Bhagat and Shri Jagdishbhai Chapatwala.

The immediate initiative of the Jagruti Mandal, Mumbai under the leadership of Shri Rameshbhai Bhagat (Vice – President) was to publish a detailed community directory of people residing in and around Mumbai city irrespective of whether they were our registered members or not as long as they were Surti Modh Vanik. The directory (Vasti Patrak) had details which included the name, address, contact numbers, names of family members, profession of every member, ages, marital status, blood group and also hobbies of every member. In short, every page had complete details of each family residing in Mumbai. This work was done with utmost sincerity and hardwork of Shri Dineshbhai Dadarwala, Shri Raghunathbhai Randeria, Shri Bharatbhai Thakordas Randeria & Late Shri Dhansukhbhai Bhanewala. The work was done in Shri Rameshbhai Bhagat’s office. This Vasti Patrak publication was highly appreciated by all community members in Mumbai. Every family in Mumbai still refers to it whenever they need information regarding other members. This directory is still given to any member who asks for it, free of charge.

Under the visionary leadership of our erstwhile Managing Committee, our organisation has grown gradually and steadily through the years. Various Charities have also been done financially and also in kind .During the financial year  2014-15 Educational Relief amounting to Rs 71,730 /-  was given to deserving students ,thus helping them to make a successful academic future for  themselves. Medical Relief amounting to Rs 20,420/- was given to deserving applicants, thus doing our little bit in helping the community members in their hour of need. Jagruti Mandal, Mumbai also contributed Rs 12000/- towards “HUMAN MILK DONATION CAMP“conducted in Surat in September -2015. We provide OBC and Linguistic certificates to deserving students, whenever we are approached, thus helping our community children get into colleges and universities of their choice at the right time and make successful careers for themselves. Our Matrimonial section has been working successfully through the years with no charges for our members. Thus helping our community parents find correct matches for their children. These works have been possible due to selfless commitment to our organisation at the cost of their personal time & professional commitments of our committee members.

A new resolution was passed on 22/1/2017 unanimously by the managing committee to reimburse medical expenses as following:-

1. Medical relief up to a total of Rs 25,000/-per annum to any member (and his direct family) of Jagruti Mandal.

2. Education relief will be provided to the children of members of Jagruti Mandal:
Upto ₹25000/- boy students &
Upto ₹ 30,000/- girl students.

3. All the above reliefs will be through an approval of management committee of the Mandal.

4. For claiming the above mentioned relief application you can contact
Jagdishbhai Chapatwala – +91 93222 39338
Dineshbhai Dadarwala – +91 93222 13237

5. This resolution would be effective from 22/1/2017 onwards.

For the better working and improvement of the organisation, various working committees with specific responsibilities were formed. The members of these committees have sincerely promised to fulfil their duties and take our organisation to another level of working for the betterment of our community.

THE WORKING COMMITTEES:

1. Smt. Neha Asmani – Website Developer and Tech Support
2. Smt. Jagruti Asmani – Website Admin & Content Manager

By launching our very own two new independent websites: https://www.suratimodhvanikmumbai.org – for Jagruti Mandal and  http://www.suratimodhvanikmahilamumbai.co.in/ – for Jagruti Mahila Mandal, we have tried to step into the progressive and digital era of communication with Mandal Members. This is just the beginning; we hope to take our organisation as far as we can with the help and support of our members.

We hope to surpass our past achievements and grow into a huge vibrant community organisation under the wise & successful leadership and team work of the new Managing Committee.

Two independent websites have been created for Jagruti Mandal & Jagruti Mahila Mandal respectively each. Both the website creations have been a joint effort between Jagruti Mandal members and Jagruti Mahila Mandal members with the blessings of their respective Presidents. The statistical data and content inputs have been contributed by the Mandal Members. Both the websites have been created and developed by a new young Mahila Mandal member Mrs. Neha Hershel Asmani. The Jagruti Mandal and Jagruti Mahila Mandal website content is managed by Mrs. Jagruti Asmani.