Gujarat's Own 'Merchant Prince', Who Is Regarded As The Richest Person In History, Is Not Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Or Azim Premji

Indian Businessman: Virji Vora was a Surat-born businessman in the Mughal Empire. He was reportedly the richest trader in the world at the time, according to the East India Company Factory Records. His personal worth is listed at 8 million rupees (Rs. 80 lakh), which at the time was a sizable sum of money. He has been referred to as a 'merchant prince' and a 'plutocrat' in different contexts. 

Despite the fact that we only gained independence in 1947, Indians have continued to be at the center of many events throughout history. Indians have historically been quite engaged in business, and the globe has benefited from having a large number of successful businesses. One such businessman, Virji Vora, was well-known during the Mughal era and was dubbed the richest man in history by the British East India Company. Virji Vora, between 1617 and 1670, was a significant financier for the East India Company, according to scholars.

Virji Vora engaged in wholesale trading as well as banking and loaning money. He created a monopoly on some imports into Surat and dealt with a variety of goods, including gold, opium, bullion, coral, ivory, cardamom, pepper, and lead. He was a significant source of credit and a client of both the British and Dutch East India Companies.

Virji Vora: Background

Virji Vora's business dealings are regularly noted in East India Company documents, but little is known about his ancestry or family. He has been referred to as a Muslim and a Hindu or Jain, respectively. On the basis of information from the Bombay Archives and Jain papers in Surat and Baroda, Professor K. H. Kamdar produced a study about him in 1968. This study suggests that Virji was a Lonkagacchiya Sthanakvasi Jain. He might have belonged to the caste of Srimali Oswal Porwal. He possessed the title of Samghapati or Sanghavi, which is awarded to a lay leader who makes a significant contribution, such as constructing a temple or planning a large-scale pilgrimage, and was actively involved in religious issues.

Financial Help To Aurangzeb

Virji Vora was known as a "sole monopolist" who frequently used to purchase the entire stock of a product before selling it for a significant profit. As a moneylender, Virji Vora frequently provided money to Englishmen who were eager to start their own small companies. According to legend, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb dispatched an agent to Virji Vohra in search of funding when he was experiencing financial difficulties during his campaign to conquer the Deccan area of India.

When Shivaji Maharaj, the head of the Maratha tribe, stormed Surat in 1664, Virji Vora suffered a severe blow. Maratha forces destroyed his home and warehouses on January 7, 1664.