Book Talk on Bankrolling Empire: Family Fortunes & Political Transformation

PANEL

Dr. Sudev Sheth, a Senior Lecturer of International Studies at The Lauder Institute, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Swapna Liddle, Historian, Author, Art curator and Heritage Conservator

Prof. Farhat Hasan from the Department of History, Delhi University.

ABSTRACT

The book demonstrates how a family of diamond dealers deployed wealth and information to maneuver around political leaders and survive the collapse of the Mughal Empire and the rise of native princes and the British East India Company. The story highlights the unique role played by Gujarati bankers in the practice of government by Indian and colonial rulers. Sheth employs new and unconventional sources-Persian diaries, Gujarati poems, French trading manuals, Marathi letters, Sanskrit hymns, and Dutch shipping records-to tap into the fascinating lives of these entrepreneurs. Spanning several political dynasties and still thriving today as a billion-dollar family firm in its fourteenth generation, the history and legacy of the Jhaveri family helps us see state power and social change through fresh eyes. How did they negotiate with politicians and others, and what insights can we gain for our own times?

Host or Publisher UPIASI