Sri Lanka Memon Family Genealogy

HINGORA- Family #281

Haji Osman ValiMohammed Hingora, a native of Kutiyana, settled in Gampola in 1905 before starting a textile business in this quiet little town in the hills. The peace was shattered, however, one fateful day when, in 1915, his shop was torched by an unruly mob during the height of the Sinhala-Muslim communal riots whoich erupted in the Central Province and spread to all parts of the country in that year. He never lost hope and eventually established N M Abdul Karim & Company in Haputale, naming it after his two sons, Noor Mohammed and Abdul Karim. The establishment, however, had to close down in 1942 fearing a Japanese bomb attack which threatened Ceylon on account of the British Base being moved to Colombo after the collapse of Singapore.

Not long before WWII ended, in 1946, Noor Mohammed and his brother, established a textile firm known as Iqbal Stores in Welimada. He married a Memon lady named Fathima Somar who bore him two sons, Osman in 1935, and Ismail, in 1941, all of whom arrived, to settle down in Ceylon, in 1948.

In 1972, the two Hingora brothers established a company called Silkot Traders. Subsequently hey split up with Haji Osman continuing with Silkot Traders and his brother Haji Ismail starting Silkot Trading Company in 1989.

Osman runs a textile business on 2nd Cross Street known as Silkot Traders. he also serves as Trustee of the Memon Hanafi Mosque, which office he has held for the past ten years (in 2006). He is also involved in a Sunni Missionary Movement known as "Dawat-e-Islami". Besides textiles, Osman turned his attention to the booming construction industry of the country and four years ago formed Silkot Homes. He is helped in his business by his three sons, Abdul Razzak, Shahid & Jahid, who all serve as Directors of the Group.

The three Osman brothers are avid sportsmen. Abdul Razzak was once a leading Table Tennis player who played for various clubs. Shahid was the opening batsman for his school, Wycherly International. Jahid was a bowling champion who has won many trophies.

Haji Osmans younger brother, Haji Ismail, is also a businessman and runs Silkot Trading Company in Third Cross Street Pettah. He has also involved himself in many activities since joining the YMMA Hultsdorf in 1963. He served as President of YMMA Hultsdorf from 1977-80. Among the services rendered by him to the Muslim Community were he sponsoring of marriages for Muslim couples, free milk distribution for needy kids, and other activities concerned with the uplifting of underprivileged persons in the Peer Saibo Street area. He involved himself in the activities of the Memon Association of Sri Lanka, of which he was elected a Committee Member, in 1974, and eventually went on to become President from 1985-86. He was also elected a Trustee of the Memon Hanafi Mosque from 1984-1992 and functioned as the Mutawalli from 1992-2002.

Haji Ismail's sons, Ashroff and Altaf, helped their father in his business. Ashroff received his MBA from St Louis University in Missouri in USA before joining the family business in 1991. His younger brother Althaf is the Director of Supertex Lanka (pvt) Ltd. He served as the editor of the Memon Newsletter "Samachar" for a short period and has been instrumental in organizing the sporting events of the Memon Association, viz; 6 a side cricket carnival. He is also involved in the Rotary Club of Colombo Regency as Community Service Director and is an active member of a Tsunami Housing Project in the Eastern Province.

1 Hingora

    2  Haji Osman ValiMohammed Hingora

        3 Noor Mohammed Hingora + Fathima Somar (285)

4  Haji Osman Hingora, b:1935

5 Abdul Razzak Osman Hingora

5 Shahid Osman Hingora

5 Jahid Osman Hingora

            4 Haji Ismail Hingora, b:1941

                5 Ashroff Ismail Hingora

5 Altaf Ismail Hingora

3 Abdul Karim Hingora

Compiled by the Webmaster of the Sri Lanka Genealogy Website from available data in Sri Lankan archives together with data extracted from "Memons of Sri Lanka" - Men Memoirs Milestones, by Asiff Hussein & Hameed Karim Bhoja, May 2006, iSBN 955-1408-00-4, Published by The Memon Association of Sri Lanka