Hon Jagannath Shankar Sheth

Hon Jagannath S. Shet Murkute was a philanthropist and educationalist and a businessman. He was born on 10th February 1803 at Murbad. His father Shankar Murkute had a business of jewellery and diamonds and mother Bhavanibai. He was born in the wealthy Daivajna Brahman community in Bombay. His father Shanker Sheth appointed Marathi and Sanskrit Scholar Robert Murphy and menvaring to teach Jagannath. He was engaged in commerce and soon developed a reputation as a very reliable businessman. So high was his credit that Arabs, Afghans and other foriegn merchants chose to place thier treasures in his custody rather than with banks.

Social and Educational Works
Forseeing the need of improvement in education, he became one of the founders of the School Society and the Native School of Bombay. Latter became the Bombay Native Institution and now it is famous Elphinestone Educational Institution. It is the same institution where the well known Tilak, Gokhale, Dadabhai Nauroji were the students. Literary and Scientific Society first opened their girls school to which Jagannath Shet contributed much of essential funds. Other educational projects he began include the English School, the Sanskrit Seminary and the Sanskrit Library, all of which located in Girgaon, South Mumbai. He also established Grant Medical college, Peri professorship of jurisprudence Law College,(first in India) Sir Jeejeebhoy jamshetji school of Arts in Mumbai. In 1845, along with Sir Jeejeebhoy, he formed the Indian Railway Association to bring railways in India. Jagannath Shet, Sir George Birdwood and Dr Bhau Daji were instrumental in some of the major reconstruction efforts of the city. The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum at Byculla in Mumbai was built with the patronage and philanthropists like Jagannath Sheth. The Bombay Association was the first political organization in Mumbai founded by Jagannath Shet.

Honours
Jagannath Shet became the first Indian to be nominated to the Legislative council of Mumbai. He was the first Indian member of the Asiatic Society Of Mumbai. His marble statue was erected at the Asiatic Society of India. Erstwhile Girgaon Road and chowk (Nana Chowk) at Grant Road are named after him.