Parsee Rustomjee

Rustomjee Jivanji Ghorkhodu (1861 – 14 November 1924), commonly known as Parsee Rustomjee, and by various orthographic variations including Parsi Rustomji and affectionately referred to as Kakaji,[1] was an Indian-South African philanthropist and businessman, well known for his close mentorship, guidance and financial sponsorship of Mahatma Gandhi during his time in South Africa from 1893 to 1914.

His surname Ghorkhodu translates from Gujarati[4] as 'grave-digger' indicating it was potentially the profession of an ancestor which is surprising due to Zoroastrian funerary customs which explicitly forbid burial practices.

Meetings of the NIC were often held at his shop on Field Street, sometimes amongst sacks of grain and bottles of pickle.

[2] Alongside Shapurji Randeria, Dawad Mahomed, N. C. Anglia and others he tested his domiciliary rights in Transvaal in August 1908.

He was arrested on the 27th of August and ordered to leave the colony,[2] but recorded the border and was sentenced to three months of hard labour.

Rustomjee described himself in the Court at Volksrust as a general merchant in Natal, where he was a considerable property owner with large business interests throughout South Africa.

At his premises on Field Street, he gave a rousing speech arguing the honour of India was threatened.

Despite his stay in Transvaal prisons, Rustomjee insisted on joining a group of resisters from the Phoenix Settlement (to which he had been a major financial benefactor).