Cutchi Memon Digest
Kerala
ﮐﮁﻲ ﻤﻴﻤﻦ ﮢ ﺍﯿﺠﺴﭧ - ﮐﻴﺮﻻ
Adv. Essa Ahmed Sait
Born in 1923. Essa Ahmed Sait was the first graduate and law degree holder from Cutchi Memons of Kochi. Part of his education was in the Mohammedan College, Madras (now Chennai). He started his legal practice under the leading lawyer in the Ernakulam Bar, and later Chief Justice of Kerala, Justice
M.J. Zakaria
M.J. Zakaria, journalist and trade union leader, was born as the son of Mohammed Jaffer Sait and Fathima Bai at Cochin on 11th April 1941. He completed his intermediate educati-on at Mattancherry, even while involved in students movements.
K.T. Koshy. Initially he had good practice. From his student days he took serious interest in social, cultural and political affairs. This badly affected his practice as a lawyer and because of financial difficulties he had to struggle hard to provide for the education of his children. Never the less, by the grace of Allah they were all properly educated and well placed in life. For a while he also set up practice in Talipar-amba under the instructions of Seethi Sahib.
He was the Secretary of Cutchi Memon Association and the Iqbal Library for many years. In 1972 when the Cutchi Memon Jamath was re-established he was unanimously elected its Secretary and continued in that position until his death in 1974.
Before independence Essa Ahmed Sait was a member of the Muslim League Executive Committee for the Princely States, under the presidency of Nawab Yarjung Bahadur. He served as the editor of Cochin Mail, the mouth piece of Kochi Muslims and as the General Secretary of the Cochin State Muslim League for several years. As part of his political activity he had visited all the villages between Thiruvilwamala and Kumbalam, along with Muttichoor A.A. Mohammed, in order to organize the Muslims in those places under the banner of Muslim League. He served later as the General Secretary of the Travancore-Cochin State Muslim League, under the leadership of P.K. Kunju, following the 1950 States Rorganization. After the formation of Kerala State he served as President of Kollam Muslim League District Committee.
Essa Ahmed Sait contested election to the State Legislative Assembly in 1948, as a Muslim League candidate and in a subsequent election as an independent candidate. He lost both the elections.
Haji Joonus Ommer Sait
Popularly known as O. Joonus Sait, he was born on 20th August 1915 in the family of Kameesa Sait, the traditional heirs to the gaddi of Sait of Kochi Cutchi Memon Jamath. The Jamath became defunct in 1932 when he was only 17, while his uncle Hajee Yusuf Hajee Salay Mohamed Sait was the Sait. He was a founder member of the Iqbal
Library and Reading Room (1936) and the Cutchi Memon Association (1948).He was the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee for the re-establishment of the Jamath (1971-72), thereafter accepted the office of the Treasurer (1972-74). He ran a footwear store in Mattancherry.
H.E. Abdul Kareem Sait
Born on 12th December 1912 at Alappuzha as son of Haji Esmail Hasham Sait. He started business at the age of 20. In 1940 he became the Mutawally of the Cutchi Memon Noorani Masjid of Alappuzha which office he held for about twenty years. In 1959 he migrated to Kochi. He was the Vice President of Cutchi Memon Association during 1973-76 and its Secretary in 1977-78. He was the Vice President of Cutchi Memon Jamath during 1976-80. Died on 3rd August 1985. He was survived by four sons and two daughters.
H.E. Mohamed Babu Sait
Babu Sait was born on 18th April 1950 as the only son of Haji Essa Haji Abdul Sathar Sait and Khadeeja Bai. He had a sister, Zubaida Bai, who was married to Abdul Latheef Yunus Sait of Thiruvanan- thapuram.
He is a raduate in commerce..
His social and religious activities included:
- Chairman, Juvenile Welfare Board, Central Zone
- Vice Chairman, Ernakulam Chamber of Commerce
- Senate Member, Cochin University of Science & Technology
- Chairman, Cochin Orphanage
- Governing Body Member, Seethi Saheb Memorial Polytechnic (SSMP), Tirur
- State Executive Member, Muslim Educational Society
- State Executive Member, Kerala State Muslim Orphana-ges Coordination Committee
- Member, MES Economic Forum
- Member, Jamiya Nadviyya Trust, Edavanna
- Vice President, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen
- Chairman, Darul Uloom Arabic College and Vocational Higher Secondary School
- Treasurer, Kerala Muslim Educational Association
- Manager, Assia Bai English Medium High School
- Managing trustee, Assia Bai Trust, Khadija Bai Trust, Zanana Madrassa Islamia Trust and
- President, Ernakulam Chamber of Commerce
Sayyadina Uthman bin Affan (RA) or Emperor Aurangazeb. He married Ayisha Bai daughter of Mohamed Kassam Sait and after her death Fabia Bai Mohamed Hashim Sait. He had seven children, 5 sons and 2 daughters, in the order of seniority, Mariyam Bai (married to Abdul Kader Sait),Sulaiman Sait, Khadeeja Bai (married to Yacob Sait), Hussain Sait, Abdul Hameed Sait, Abdul Azeez Sait, Abdul Shakoor Sait. He started his business career as a partner of the then leading textile house Hashim Essa Usman & Co.
His religious life was remarkable. He was well versed with Qur'an and at it a Hafiz. Invariably, in all the functions, be it social, political or domestic, where he was present, he used to recite the opening qir’at (prayer). He was a calligraphist and wrote the entire Qur’an Sheriff in Indian ink by hand. The manuscript is well preserved by the families of his sons Sulaim-an Sait (first 15 Juz’s) and Hussain Sait (second 15 Juz’s). Hussain Sait also had with him manuscript of verses for the daily recitation recommended by ulema. The Sura Fatiha can be seen in the opening gallery of this issue of Digest.
His services included, Mutawalli of Masjdul Mujahid-een, President 13th Division Cochin State Muslim League, Working Committee member of Muslim Educational Association, Working Committee memb-er, Mattancherry Fire Station, President Cutchi Memon Jamath and Committee member, Cutchi Memon Association. He died on 26th August 1994, just after completing 90 years.
Mohamed Usman Haji Hussain Sait
Popularly known as Phoppa, Hajee Mohamed Usman Hajee Hussain Sait, was born on 8th August 1904. He was a businessman with a differ-ence –devout and pious, with remar-kable characteristics attributable to
J.M. Usman Sait (Key Bappu)
Bappu was born on 20th December 1936. He was the Managing Partner of M/s Al Mufta Agencies, a clearing and forwarding agency at the Cochin Port. He had been the Vice President of Cutchi Memon Jamath since 1982 and Vice President of Cutchi Memon Trust since
1984. He had also been the Vice Chairman of Cutchi Memon Hanafi Masjid during 1997-99. He was one of the Trustees of Haji Usman Allarakhiya & Ayub Hajee Abdul Rahman Sait Trust and Managing Trustee of Hawa Bai and Zainab Bai Charitable Trusts. He had three daughters and four sons.
Mahmood Ebrahim Sait
Born on 10th September 1934. Did his Intermediate course at St. Alberts College Ernakulam but could not proceed further as he had to join the family business of marine products export.
He joined the Indo-Marine Agencies, which was exporting dried prawns to Myanmar, in 1956. The firm was later incorporated as a limited company and started export of frozen and canned fish products. Mahmood Ebrahim Sait developed the company as its Executive Director and bagged the Outstanding Export Award of the Government of India for the year 1966-68.
He married in 1954 and has two daughters. His social activities included :
- President, Lions Club of Cochin 1980-81
- Chairman, Cochin Orphanage Trust, 1975-80
- Chairman , Madrasathul Mujahideen Oriental High School, 1982-85
- President, Cutchi Memon Association, 1986-87
- Muthavally, Masjidul Mujahideen, Kochi, 1982 onwards
- President, Coronation Club, Kochi
- Life-time President, Irshad Muslim Sangham, Azhikode, Kodungallur since 1998
His sports interests span tennis, billiards and snooker.
Zakaria Sait entered Politics through the Muslim Students Federation. He was the Councillor of the Cochin Corporation since its formation in 1967 and was the Chairman of the Health Committee. In 1976 he became the Deputy Mayor. He was elected as a Representative of the civic body to the Greater Cochin Development Authority. He also successfully completed the orientation course for the Councillors conducted by the Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Zakaria Sait had been elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly (KLA) in 1980, 1987, and in 1992 from Mattancherry constituency. He held the Office of the Deputy Speaker in the VIth K.L.A from 21 February 1980 to 01 January 1982. He was also the Chairman of the Estimates Committee of Kerala Legislature during 1994-1996.
Zakaria Sait was District Vice-President of Muslim League and Secretary of the Muslim League Legislature Party during 1980-82. He was also the State Secretary and State Vice- President of All India Muslim League. He later became State Working President of Indian National League. As President of several trade unions he had served in F.C.I Thozhilali Union, Cochin Port Swathanthra Thozhilali Union, Kerala State Rationshop Employees Union, KSDP Employees Council, and K.M.M.L Employees Union.
A known journalist, Zakaria Sait has authored several short stories and was the Editor of “Aikyam” Weekly.
Hajara Bai is his wife they have three sons and four daughters.
M.J. Zakaria Sait expired on 3 October 1999. KLA paid its homage on 29 December 1999.
He had his education at Mattancherry Gujarathi High School, Sacred Heart College,Ernakulam and Gove- rnment Law Collge, Ernakulam. In 1989 he was selected as Second Class Magistrate through High Court of Kerala Magistrates' Examination. Presetly he is a District Judge in Kerala.
Mohamed Wasim Sait
The first Cutchi Memon to occupy the coveted chair of a District Judge in Kerala, Mohamed Wasim Sait was born on 10th Octobr 1961, to M.O. Hussain Sait and Haleema Bai of Kochi.
Osman Ahmed Sait
A founder member of the Cutchi Memon Association, Osman Ahmed Sait was a businessman with a social inclination. He was the Vice President of CMA in 1957-59. He was a member of the Majlis-e- Ittihad-e-Tarakky (See article).
He was among those imprisoned for picketing the Trust offices.
He served the Cutchi Memon Jamath as Joint Secretary during 1972-73 on the re-establishment of the Jamath. He became the Vice President in 1980 and died in harness on 22nd October 1981.
Haji Salay Mohamed Ebrahim Sait
Born on 17th January 1932. Started business in 1956 and esta-blished the famous Indo-Marine Agencies, Kochi, one of the pione-ers in sea-food export.and winner of Government of India Award for
Best Export Performance in 1966-67. He contested as an independent candidate and won a seat in the Rajyasabha in 1964 and continued as Parliament Member for the full term ending in 1970. At the age of 32, he was the youngest Rajyasabha member at that time. He was elected President of the Sea Food Exporters' Association of India twice. He had been the Vice Chairman of O/E/N India Ltd.,from its incorporation until his death. He was a member of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) Syndicate. He also served as the President of Kerala Muslim Educational Association and Kerala State Nadvathul Mujahideen, Irshadul Muslimeen High School, Kodungalloor and M.M. Oriental High School. His contribution to the Cutchi Memon Community and the Muslims at large inclu-ded Cutchi Memon Shadi Mahal, Kappalandimukku
M.M. Oriental High School, Panayappalli; KMEA Hostel, Pulleppady, Ernakulam, and the Masjidul Mujahideen Kappalandimukku, to name a few.
He passed away at the not too old an age of 66 on January 1, 1998, corresponding to the 2nd day of Holy Ramadhan, 1418.
Yousuf Ismail Sait
A businessman and leading exporter of dried prawns to Myanmar (Burma) Yousuf Sait is remembered for the Broadway Juma Masjid, Ernakulam and the Puttirikkad Juma Masjid near Thoppumpady constructed and waq-afed by him. He was chairman of Mattancherry Municipal Council in 1940-41. Died on 3rd Novembr 1964..