Welcome to the internet home of the Halari Visa Oshwals of America. This frequently updated website serves as an important communications medium among Oshwals living in America. If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Please find an announcement for a newly published volume under the title “Gujaratis in the West”. The following link includes publishing details as well as a further link to sample pages: http://www.c-s-p.org/Flyers/Gujarati-s-in-the-West.htm

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Dr. Rati Dodhia of Rhode Island has recently written history of Oshwals in English. The book, titled “Rise and Glory - History of Halari Visa Oshwals”, was distributed to all Oshwals living in the USA and Canada. A limited number of copies were provided to our community associations in India, Kenya and U.K. for distribution to Oshwal members. The book is now available online, here: http://oshwal-usa.org/history/

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Link: http://www.movinghere.org.uk/stories/story88/story88.htm

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I am in the process of writing history of Halari Visa Oshwals in the USA in association with Dr. Rati Dodhia of Rhode Island who is writing history of Halari Visa Oshwals world-wide.

I have collected some information, e.g. Jethalal Khimchand Kachara Gudka of Navagam/ Kenya/ Mumbai was the first Oshwal to have studied in the USA. He came to New York in 1946 and stayed for three years. In 1948/1949, four more Oshwals came to the USA for studies. They were (i) Jayantilal Nemchand Fulchand Shah of Kansumara/ Kenya, (ii) Keshav Premchand Popat Chandari of Champa Beraja/ Kenya and his brother (iii) Manu Chandaria, and (iv) Dhiru Premchand Vrajpal Shah of Padana/Kenya. Read the rest of this entry »

Map of Halar, with all names in English, according to 2001 Census. Villages in capital letters have Oshwal inhabitants. Villages in small letters do not currently have Oshwal inhabitants, but did at one time.

Link: http://www.wikipedia.org/w/wiki.phtml?title=Gujarati_language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Link: Oshwal and Gotra History on Oswals.net by Smart Solutions

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Link: History of Kutch

From the Asanjo Kutch website. Information on Kutch, a region near Halar, that is part of the Oshwal community’s history. The Asanjo Kutch website is a commercial portal created to give Kutchi businesses a presence on the internet.

The following information about the settlement of Oshwals at Navagam, Gujarat, India has been translated into English from an article written by the late Somchand Ladha Deva Gudhka. The article was included in Part 18 of the Oshwal Community History published in a monthly magazine titled: The Oshwal/Halari Bandhu. This magazine was printed in Mumbai and edited by the late Tarachand P. Shah until his death in 1995. Publication of the magazine has been discontinued. Please note that I have tried to literary translate Somchandbhai’s article without making any additions or changes. Read the rest of this entry »

Link: Oshwal History - Oshwal Association of the UK

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The information contained in this brief history was compiled by Rati Dodhia and Kanti Gosrani, and edited by Manu Shah.

Halari Visa Oshwal community is a very small community. At the beginning of this century, the population was between 10 to 12 thousands. By 1972, it had increased to 45 thousands and at present it is probably between 50 to 55 thousands, almost equally divided between India, Kenya, England with approximately 2,000 members in North America (USA and Canada). The latest migration has been to Australia. Most Oshwals are well informed and aware of their origin and are very proud of their heritage. Read the rest of this entry »

Link: A Brief History of the UK Oshwal Jain Community

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