Mitha Ram Hostel

Last updated
Mitharam Hostel
Mitha Ram Hostel
General information
Architectural style
AddressDr. Ziauddin Ahmed (Kutchary) Road in Serai Quarter
Town or city Karachi
Country Pakistan
Coordinates 24°51′9″N67°0′48″E / 24.85250°N 67.01333°E / 24.85250; 67.01333
Current tenants Paramilitary Pakistan Rangers (since 1992)
Construction startedBetween 1894 and 1901 (Between 1894 and 1901) [2]
Owner Government of Sindh
Technical details
Floor area3,639.66 m2 (39,177.0 sq ft) [1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)James Strachan

Mitha Ram Hostel, also spelled as Mitharam Hostel, is a historical building and former hostel in Karachi. It now serves as a sub-jail under the administration of Sindh Rangers since April 2015. [3] [4]

Contents

History

Mitha Ram Hostel shares a historical connection with D. J. Sindh Government Science College, which was established through the efforts of Indian lawyer, Dayaram Gidumal, in the late 1880s. [5] Gidumal campaigned for the college's construction, as many Karachi students could not afford to travel to Bombay for education. [5] Funded by both the Bombay and Karachi governments and private contributions, the college was completed in 1887 and named after Diaram Jethmal, whose family made a significant donation. [5]

The subsequent influx of students to Karachi necessitated the construction of a hostel. [5] Gidumal's brother, Mitha Ram, contributed financially to the project, leading to the hostel's completion in 1901. [5] [3] Notably, the Mitha Ram Hostel played a role in the 1940s independence movement, hosting meetings for activists such as Sobho Gianchandani and Hashu Kevalramani. [5]

In the 1990s, Syed Abdullah Shah, a former chief minister, intended to transform the building into a museum, but this plan never materialized. [5]

In 1992, the hostel was occupied by the Pakistan Rangers and later received the approval by the Chief Minister of Sindh, legitimizing a practice that had occurred without formal agreement for decades. [5] Initially, the Rangers were stationed at the hostel to maintain order and address escalating incidents of targeted killings and kidnappings in Karachi. [5]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Soomro, Tania Ali; Soomro, Mohsin Ali; Kanwal, Hummaira (1 July 2019). "Heritage at Stake: Discourse Concerning the Causes of Damages Occurred to the Historic Hostel Structures Built in British Era in Karachi". Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology. 38 (3): 819–834. Bibcode:2019MURJE..38..819S. doi:10.22581/muet1982.1903.23. ISSN   2413-7219 . Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ↑ Tania Ali Soomro; R. Kumar (15–16 October 2013). Documentation & Recording of the Forgotten Heritage – Case Study of the Historic Core of Karachi, Asian forgotten heritage: perception, preservation, and presentation: Proceedings ICOMOS Thailand International Conference 2013 "Asian Forgotten Heritage", the Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University (Phim khrang thī 1 ed.). Krung Thēp: ʻIkhōmōt Thai. pp. 364–375. ISBN   978-616-90599-5-0.
  3. 1 2 "They came, they saw, they never left: Mitha Ram's gift to students will now house the country's worst". The Express Tribune . April 17, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mitha Ram Hostel declared a sub-jail". The News International .
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Baloch, Saher (July 9, 2016). "Laying waste to a heritage site — Mitha Ram Hostel". DAWN.COM.
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