BHOJWANI, Rupchand
Communities of Singapore (Part 2),
Accession Number 000452
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 8
Total Reels
- Daniel Chew (Dr)
Interviewer
- 03:48:02
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 8
Metadata
- 27 Jul 1984
Recording Date
- 00:27:57
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal background. Siblings in family. His education. Discontinued studies; joined uncle's business in Bombay. Reason family moved from Karachi to Hyderabad. Ancestors' background. Ancestral properties in Karachi. Neighbourhood where he grew up. Description of dwelling house. Games he played. Home discipline. Relationship with siblings. Living conditions in Hyderabad. Type of food they ate. Religious practices observed. Festivals celebrated then. Deepavali celebration.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 8
Metadata
- 27 Jul 1984
Recording Date
- 00:27:48
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Continuation of Deepavali celebration. Significance of Deepavali. Pictures of certain deities kept in house for worshipping. Why parents and grandparents believed in Sikh scripture. Janmashi festival; description of celebration. Difference between Sindhis and Sikhs. Eating habits similar but language different. Originally Hinduism and Sikhism no difference. Wedding and funeral ceremony. Father's job. Brother's occupations. Primary education system then. Schools he attended.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 8
Metadata
- 3 Aug 1984
Recording Date
- 00:29:25
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
His secondary education. Subjects he studied. School life. Studied two years in Bombay University. Reason for not completing study. His friends' reaction. Joined uncle's textile business in Karachi in 1940s. Size of business. His job at the beginning; starting salary. Stayed with uncle. Uncle's character. Number of staff employed. Uncle's business. Compared life in Karachi and Hyderabad. Progress in career.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 8
Metadata
- 3 Aug 1984
Recording Date
- 00:27:44
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Given charge of business when uncle was away. How he spent his evenings. Married in 1946. How he knew his wife in Bombay. Wife had studied in Singapore. Married in private house; short ceremony. After uncle's death, he left and started own business in Bombay. Came to Singapore to attend wife's cousin wedding. Why he decided to stay instead. His boat journey.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 8
Metadata
- 12 Oct 1984
Recording Date
- 00:29:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Wife's relatives brought them to Wilkie Road. Family's reaction to his decision to settle here and start business. Textile business in those days. Relationship between himself and other textile merchants. Arab Street - main area for wholesale textile business; High Street also but less. Help received from wife's relatives. How Korean war, 1954/55 Depression, 1960s labour strikes affected his business. Number of employees in firm.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 8
Metadata
- 12 Oct 1984
Recording Date
- 00:28:41
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
How he coped when business was bad. How Indonesian Confrontation affected Singapore's economy. Competition between Sindhi, Gujerati, Punjabi textile merchants. Names of big importers. Reason he diversified into exporting in 1976, electronics in 1979. First few Indians to export to Middle East. Turning point in career. His views on Punjabi merchants dominating electronic business in High Street and Sindhi merchants overseas export business.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 8
Metadata
- 18 Oct 1984
Recording Date
- 00:29:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Upbringing of children. Children's education. Places where he had stayed. History of Sindhis migration to Singapore. Size of community. Occupations of Sindhis. His views on why majority of Sindhis decided to settle here permanently and bought houses in 1968. Sindhi language dying out among younger Sindhis. His involvement in community service. Was President of Sindhi Merchants' Association Singapore. Activities of Association. Religious festivals celebration.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 8
Metadata
- 18 Oct 1984
Recording Date
- 00:28:12
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Holi and Dussreha festivals celebration. Finances for maintenance of Sindhi House. Relationship with other Indian groups and communities. His involvement in Indian Chamber of Commerce. Activities he involved in as representative of the Chamber. Chamber's membership. His feelings on obtaining citizenship in 1958. His views on changes in Singapore. Frequency of his visits to India.
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