Sumati Morarjee Biography 
Sumati Morarjee associated with civil services & industries, is also known as the first woman of Indian shipping. She is the first woman in the world to head an organisation of ship owners. She earned this credit when she headed Indian National Steamship Owners Association. Her husband Shanti Kumar Morarjee was a noted industrialist, businessman and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. After his death in 1982, the affairs of which were largely looked after his wife Sumati, who was associated with the company since 1923. In 1971, government of India honoured him with Padmabhushan for his overall contributions towards the field of civil services.
Her birth name is Jamuna. She was named after one of the great rivers of India. She was born on 13 March 1909 into a wealthy family in Bombay, British India. Mathuradas Goculdas and Premabai were her parents. She got married in her teens to a wealthy industrialist family of Narottam Morarjee, the founder of Scindia Steam Navigation Company. She was married to Narottam’s son Shanti Kumar Narottam Morarjee. She later joined the management team at the age of 20, and since then she played a major role in building the firm to a big company.
When she assumed full charge of the company by 1946, already there was over 6000 workers including office staff. She got elected the president of Indian National Steamship Owners' Association in 1956, the first woman across the world to head an organisation of ship owners. It was later renamed Indian National Ship owner’s Association. She held the position in the years 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1965. The company rose to fleet of 43 shipping vessels and sore to new heights. She served as the chairperson of the company from 1979 to 1987. By that time, the glorious era came to an end and the debt-ridden Scindia Steam Navigation was taken over by government.
Published: September 09, 2018
Updated: September 09, 2018
