I dedicate this website page to my elder brother, DM Mehta (Dhirendra Mehta), who made sports accessible to everyone. He created hundreds of successful athletes through his sports activities and writing without expecting personal gain. He was a pioneer in introducing football to the Saurashtra region.
Nautamlal’s children and grandchildren have significantly contributed to various sports. Some have even played at the national and international level, refined and dignified. They never played for personal gain or as a career but simply for the love of sports with a gentle spirit.
Nautamlal Mehta, his son Manilal, and their children and grandchildren enjoy exciting moments in sports, journalism, art, and culture, all while being surrounded by nature.
Nautamlal Bhagawanji Mehta of Jetpur and His son Manilal Nautamlal Mehta
Jain and business families are typically not involved in sports. However, the Mehta family, led by Nautamlal Bhagawanji Mehta, is an exception. Their interest in sports is unique and intense, possibly making them the rarest of rare in the history of Jain communities.
We Four Brothers One Gem of Football Ashok Bhai Died at a very young age in a swimming accident. We three brothers from Left, Atul Mehta, Niranjan ( Niku), Our Father Babuji(Manilal Mehta and Our great sacrificer and free Promoters of All Rajkot athletes between 1950–1980, DM Mehta, seen far right. Of Rajkot cricketers
I am Niranjan Mehta, the younger brother of Dhirendra Manilal Mehta, known as DM Mehta. He was a pioneering all-around sportsman-journalist, a super footballer, a referee in hockey and football, and a famous journalist from Rajkot.
Let us move back to the Roots of sport in our family. Our Grandfather, Nautamlal Mehta, was an outstanding Tennis player in His college days at Gujarat College (Bombay University) in 1895–1899. We can see the evidence of his exceptional interest in Tennis. In one postcard dated. On June 15.1898, Nautamlal wrote his father Bhagwanji Bhhai, “He forgot his tennis racket in the closet. If you can send it with someone to me in Ahmedabad, that is fine; if you cannot, then I will buy a new one locally.”
I, Niranjan Mehta, a grandson of Nautamlal bhai, still wonder and amaze the spirit, knowledge, resources, and ability to grasp or play. Tennis cannot be played like cricket; it has to have a proper court. This was 1895 years 1895. Our so-called Raja Maharajas had never heard of playing Tennis 125 years ago.
Another Postcard, D.G Daruwala, is a cricket graphic postcard he received from his Parsi friend D G Daruwal. This postcard proves that he must be involved in sports.
My uncle also told me that around 1900, Nautamlal established Jetpur Gymkhana, and his brother-in-law Tokarshi bhai Mehta of Bhavnagar showed Kathiawar Gymkhana in Rajkot near Rajkumar College. Luckily, Kathiawar Gymkhana is still going well, and Jetpur Gymkhana disappeared long ago.
Here, I added an image of a book written by great cricketer Jam Ranji. That book was in the Library of Nautamlal bhai.
This is the first Edition Of Famous Cricketer Jam Ranji’s Book in Nautamllal Mehtas Library.
Nautamlal’s eldest son, Manilal ( my father), was very keen on sports.
He played Tennis during his college years at Ferguson College, Pune. He was the college tennis champion and had a good tennis court in his Burma rice mill. For most of the evening, he played Tennis with his brother-in-law, Dr. Maganlal Pranjivan Mehta( son of Dr. Pranjiwan J Mehta). Manilal was a cricket fan, too, as we can see from His Fergusson College’s Pune cricket club membership.
Another two Sons of Nautamlal, One Moolshankar, and 2nd Vajubhai, Never Married, gave their lives for Mother India’s freedom and to support less unfortunate people. They helped them the basis of one on one. Their greatness of work was never to create charity institutes through others’ money and take credit, but their work was core, root, and only from their Heart, Mind, and body. It might be small, but it is from Heart to Hear. They never created an air of “help” but sharing. They should have gotten a penny from another source to ask to give them money, so they helped. They burned their oil, fortune, and lives for the finest human work on a noble platform.
3rd son, Vaju bhai, spent his entire life paid to help underpriced and ignored people in Myanmar (Burma). His whole life was also dedicated to his brother Moolshankar for Mother India. After the Independence of India, he spent the rest of his life in Myanmar with local underprivileged people. His and His elder Brother Manilal’s heroic word of saving 5000 Hidus and muslim lives for six days from Local Peoples during the Second World War chaotic, lawless condition in Myanmar. Read Vajubhai and Manila’s unknown Heroic work
Nautamlal grad children were more professional and played sports.
Asho was a brilliant footballer in Burma and Later in Rajkot saurashtra. Ashok bhai died at a very early age in a swimming-related accident.
The eldest son of Manilal Nautamlal Dhirendra was very bright and athletic. He and Ashok introduced the football game to Saurashtra for the first time. In 1950, football was played at a very early level of school, only at Rajkumar College. Dhirendra and Ashok pioneered spreading foot in a big way single-handedly in Saurashtra.
Around 1954, he started the Ashok-Harshad Memorial football tournament due to the accidental death of his brother Ashok and Ashok’s friend Harshard Joshi. All photos will tell without media or marketing. Dhirendra bhai used to bring 4000–5000 people to watch Ashok-Harshad football tournaments; he managed until around 1975, then he gave up because of rising costs and the policy of not allowing sponsors.
Manilal Nautamlal’s two younger sons, Niranjan and Atul, played top-level cricket professionally in Lancashire and the Scottish league. Atul played for the Ranji trophy for Mumbai, Gujarat, and Saurashtra; Atul also played for the Duleep trophy, Mafatlal, Irani trophy, and Medulla trophy.
Atul played for St. Xavier College Mumbai Ranji Trophy, the Irani Trophy, and the west zone in the Duleep trophy: Bombay University, Mafatlal sport, and Scottish League in Great Britain.
Niranjan Manilal Nautamlal Mehta played for Saurashtra, Gujarat (captain), Duleep Trophy, Mafatlal, and SBI. He played for H.L. College Ahmedabad, Gujarat University: Lancashire League, Sussex under 25, and Scottish League.
The very noble thinking of my father ( Manilal )BabuJi never made us a money-earning machine but made us accessible to whatever we wanted to do. With his great understanding,
We all, brothers and sisters, enjoy growing up with tremendous freedom immensely. Growing up, our childhood. We never had any training in cooking, art, Indian classical music, interior design, horticulture, geology, sports, telecommunication, or electronic electronics. Our torture-free upbringing allows us to graph what our inner self ignited quast.
; My elder Brother DM Mehta turned into a sports organizer, Publisher, Journalist
My eldest Siter, Nalini Ben, was very good at the craft; in her case, she married at a very early age, and her new family life might have diverted her energy to a new life.
My one sister has a master’s in philosophy but spent her life in Artwork, Cooking classes, and interior designing. And Famous Nursery in saurashtra
Another sister, Pallavi, is a Master in Music and English but spent teaching sitar, Cooking, and Journalist.
Atul, a Master’s in E#conomy from Bombay University, blossomed into cricket and, In the USA, became a telecom engineer and hospitality. Operator.
Atul’s Elder Son Played in California and also creditably played for the USA cricket team in around 2000
Niranjan Mehta’s B.Com degree from Gujarat University turned him into cricket, and he graduated from the Gemological Institute of America. ( Santa Monica) and become a Qualified Gemologist with his own Lab, a Hospitality Operat or www.coachguru.com
I have lots of photos and keep adding as I get more time.
All the information below on my elder brother Dhirendra Manilal Mehta’s life, known as DM Mehta. He Pioneered work to Bring the Game of Football to Saurashtra, Not only the introduction of the Game of Foot.
with Anandji Bhai and Salim Durani and far right with famous singer Talat Mohamod
DM Mehtas I consider this one of the most remarkable works to Bring Great Cricketer DuleepSihji bhai as the Chief Guest at his football tournament 1955. His age was around age 20
This is one remarkable achievement. In 1955, DM Mehta used to bring local football to the “Ashok- Harshad “football tournament. D.M. himself was around 21, and his mind-boggling organizing ability was managing without any help or finance. Every Match, about 3000–6000 people used to watch. Please note that no media, T.V., paper, or radio exists. On the Left, DM Mehta brought Famous Cricketer Vijay Merchant.
On the Left, Manohar Sihji of Rajkot, Dhirendra Mehta is examining the Football tournament; on the Right, DM Mehta with Jamsaheb, Vijay Manjarekar, Derek Seimmense, and Dhirendra Mehta.
Dhirendra Mehtas Marvel football in Rajkot being played with massive crowd in 1950.,
Some Cricket Performance from Niranjan Manilal Mehta
My Younger Brother Atulwas is Playing for Mumbai, and I, Niranjan Mehta, for Gujarat on the Right side with Chandu Borde.
Vijay Hare on Left on Right Niranjan with Ajit wadeka
Niranjan Mehta at his North Lancashire cricket club. On the right against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy
