Bharuchi Vahora Patel – In Leicester
Yusuf Sidat
Early settlers
In 1955, Isa Adam Patel of Hinglot first came to Coventry and later on settled in Leicester. In 1956, Ismail Patel Khandali of Vagra and Ismail Muhammad Vali of Zaghadia had also come to Coventry. In 1957, Abdullah Buma of Karmad first arrived in Dewsbury and then moved to Leicester. Isa Debar of Karmad and Hafiz Abdus-Salam of Ikher also arrived in 1957. Valli Taylor, Musa Karmada and Adam Mallu came in 1960. In 1961, Dawood Master Kapadia of Tankaria came to Preston and later moved to Leicester. Ibrahim Nathalia of Tankaria came from the Congo via Belgium in 1968. Adam Karmada came to Leicester from Tanzania in the same year. At present, approximately 400 Bharuchi Vahora Patel families reside in Leicester.
Occupations
Bharuchi Vahora Patels in Leicester are mainly engaged in fabrics, garments and textile manufacturing. Some are in the import and export business and others own retail shops. There are Bharuchi Vahora Patels who run restaurants, takeaways and wholesale cash and carry stores.
Among the big manufacturers are Ismail Dakri and family of Valan, Ahmed Adam and Co. of Kahan, Abdurrehman Adam, Ibrahim Mallu and the Nathalia family.
There are eight doctors, six dentists, four opticians, 12 pharmacists, eight accountants, nine teachers, 35 Aalims and 15 other Bharuchi Vahora Patels are in other professions such as solicitors, computer technicians etc.
Organizations
There are 35 masjids, 70 madrasas, five Darul Ulooms and five Muslim schools in Leicester. These are not exclusively managed by Bharuchi Vahora Patels, but they are associated with most of these institutions.
Aysha Desai, daughter of Ibrahim Thakor of Kantharia, was head teacher of the Muslim Girls School of Leicester.
Sheikh Ashraf Mukadam of Sitpon obtained degrees from Darul Uloom, Bury and the Al-Azhar University of Cairo. He is a university lecturer and trustee of Madni High School and Islamic Academy in Leicester.
Public Life
Iqbal Desai of Kavi and Hussein Ismail of Rahadpor are councillors. Late Ibrahim Nathalia was the first secretary of the Bharuch Muslim Medical and Welfare Trust, UK. He was also a founder member of the well-known purpose built Masjid-e-Umar on Evington Road which was completed in 2000 and took 18 months to build. It is a wonderful piece of architecture. Yakub Dassu held various positions in the Leicester Asian Business Association. Maulana Ibrahim Mogra is actively involved in the activities of the Muslim Council of Britain and Leicester Interfaith. He is an advisor to the Government on matters related to the Muslim community in Britain.