Memons in Sri Lanka

The Memon People arrived in Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka) from Sindh region (in modern Pakistan) in the year 1870s. Sunni Hanafi Muslim by origin, the Memon people are entrepreneurs and traders who settled in Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka) for business opportunities during the colonial period. Some of these people came to the country as far back as the Portuguese period. Memons arrived during the British period from the Kathiawar region (in modern state of Gujarat, India) during the Partition of India in 1947. Majority of Memons arrived in Sri Lanka were from the historical village called Kutiyana, in Junagadh District, State of Gujarat, India. Along with the Kathiawar Memons, many Other Memon families from out of the popular Kathiawar Memon villages also arrived, and they are known and identified as the Mir, Pinjara, Allahrakha, khatri and Mulla within the Memon community in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Memons are strictly following the traditional and cultural values of the International Memon community. Memons in Sri Lanka are represented by the Memon Association of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Memon
Total population
7,000 - 10,000
Regions with significant populations
 Sri Lanka
Languages
Memoni, English language,
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Memons, Sri Lankan Bhoras


History
Memon association of Ceylon - Place of gathering (Jamath Khana) for Memons in Colombo in the year 1956

Early 1900s, Kathiawar Memon merchants and traders; mainly from Kutiyana, Porbandar and Upleta traveled to Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka) to trade and exploit business opportunities. Memon people started the trading route between India and Sri lanka in early 1930s. Memon merchants brought variety of Indian products to Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka), it mainly consisted textiles and it was sold in the Colombo Pettah market.

Reason for mass migration and settlement of Memon people around the world was due to the Gujarat's Hindu-Muslim riot in 1947, which was initiated due to the Partition of India. Many Memons in the Kathiawar region were attacked and were looted by the mobs, which resulted in great loss to the Memon community especially in the Junagadh District and surrounding villages in modern state of Gujarat in India. After the riots, extremely affected Memon people from the Kathiawar[1] region were replaced in refugee camps in the bordering cities nearby the State of Gujarat, India.

Lately, Memon people started migrating to other states within India, and large number of them migrated and settled in modern Pakistan. Memon merchants who were involved in the trading route between India and Sri Lanka, decided to migrate and settle in Ceylon (in modern Sri Lanka) along with their families.

Memon people were firstly based in Colombo 12 in the early 1950s and gradually started to expand and move to other parts of the Colombo city. Memon association of Ceylon was formed in the year 1956 in Hullsdorf, Colombo by well known personalities of the Memon community in Sri Lanka.[2] Lately it was changed to Memon association of Sri Lanka.

Notable Memons in Sri Lanka
Prominent Memons of Sri Lanka - Members of World Memon Organization (WMO) - Far East Chapter.
  • Dr. Haroon Admani
  • Dr. Abdul Cader Saleem
  • Dr. Ibrahim Dangra
  • Haji Usman Bhaila (JP)
  • Haji Hussain Bhaila
  • Haji Ameen Bhaila
  • Haji Anver Ahmed
  • Mr. M H Omar[3]
  • Mr. Aslam Omar[4]
  • Mr. Osman Kassim[5]
  • Mr. Farook Kassim
  • Mr. Shiraz Yoonus[6]
  • Mr. Shahid Sangani
  • Mr. Ashraf Sattar Sayani[7]
  • Mr. Anis Sattar Sayani
  • Mr. Eliyas Abdul Kareem[8]
  • Mr. Hameed Karim Bhoja
  • Mr. Sulaiman Ismail Maghoora
  • Mr. Yoonus Ismail Maghoora
  • Mr. Iqbal Sattar Khiyani
  • Ms. Shazia Sangani

See also

References
  1. "LANKALIBRARY FORUM • View topic - The Memons of Sri Lanka". www.lankalibrary.com. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  2. "LANKALIBRARY FORUM • View topic - The Memons of Sri Lanka". www.lankalibrary.com. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  3. "The Memon - September 2015". Issuu. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  4. "Brandix Recognizes former Chairman Ken Balendra" (PDF). January 2017.
  5. Success Story of Expolanka Holdings PLC by Mr. Osman Kassim, retrieved 2019-10-09
  6. "Shiraz Yoonus (@yoonus_shiraz) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  7. "Timex Garments 50 years on still "peddling" fortunes". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  8. "Our Management Team". www.maliban.com. Retrieved 2019-10-09.

Further reading
  • Memons of Sri Lanka - Men Memoirs Milestones. Asiff Hussein and Hameed Karim Bhoja. (2006). Published by The Memon Association of Sri Lanka. ISBN 955-1408-00-4
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