Dr. Jivraj N. Mehta

Dr. Jivraj N. Mehta

Dr. Jivraj N. Mehta

Dr. Jivraj N Mehta (1887-1978) was a renowned physician, freedom fighter, administrator and the first Chief Minister of Gujarat.

He was born on 29 August, 1887, in Amreli, studied at the Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital in Bombay and lived in London from 1909 to 1915, where he completed his FRCS and MD. After suffering a personal setback in health, and practicing for the Tata’s and the Baroda State, he assumed the position of the first Dean of KEM Hospital in Bombay in 1925.

Dr. Jivraj Mehta was an avid participant in the freedom struggle, taking part in the Non-cooperation Movement and the Quit India Movement, for which he was jailed twice. He was the Dewan of Baroda (1948-49) and was the first Chief Minister of Gujarat (1960-63). As the first Chairperson of the IIMA Board of Governors, he played an important role in supporting IIMA in the initial years, facilitating the transfer of land to build IIMA's campus. He also deputed Mr. G. C. Baveja (IAS), Deputy Secretary to the Government of Gujarat, to IIMA as Officer on Special Duty until 1963 when a full-time administrative officer was recruited by IIMA.

Dr. Jivraj Mehta resigned from IIMA to take up the position of the High Commissioner for India in the UK (1963-66). His wife, Hansa Mehta (1897-1995) was a freedom fighter and Vice-Chancellor of SNDT University (1946-48) and Maharaja Sayajirao University (1949-58). Dr. Jivraj Mehta passed away on 7 November, 1978.

IIMA