Cutchi Memons

Cutchi Memons

We belong to Cutchi Memon Community in Kerala. Cutch is a place near Gujarat and we were business community. History tells that about 200 years back British Government invited Cutchees to spread to different parts of India for doing business. Some families came to Kerala. Our forefathers who came to Kayamkulum are Sahib Denna and Soan Bai. One of the son of Sahib Denna was Hajee Essa and his son Ahamed Hajee Essa and his son was my father Essa Ahamed. Cutchi Memons who came to Kerala never returned to Cutch and they lived peacefully with absolute harmony with other community doing business.

We speak Cutch language which has no script and our food habits are different. We all studied in local schools and can handle Malayalum fluently. Many of the Cutchees have married from locals. There is an All India Cutchi Memon Federation based in Bombay and each city like Cochin, Alleppey, Trivandrum etc has Cutchi Memon Association which take care of Cutchees for their education, marriage, medical and other issues.  
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They were very pious people helping all financially and manually. They did good business without taking big profit or hoarding or adulteration. So people of Kerala accepted them and gave whatever help required. They did importing of Burma rice, cloth and other things and exported Masala, prawns, betel etc.

They employed many including locals and paid reasonably. My father was the first law graduate from our community who took his BA, BL from the Law college Madras before 1936. He decided to educate all of his sons. But still two of my brothers went for business, one exporting prawns and other fish items to Japan and other countries having base in Madras, whereas the other brother is having offset printing presses and shops. My elder brother after graduation entered into Bank of India as clerk and retired as manager. Another brother opted for Insurance Co and later took voluntary retirement and now doing free lanser for Insurance consultation.

Cutchees help each other. Though mainly we are business community now many are also educated and employed. So far none of my family members have visited Cutch


Dr.Mohamed Ali esa

My Major stay during 1942-2021

My Major stay during 1942-2021

Places I stayed mostly during 1942 to 2015

1942-1954 Cochin   childhood and schooling

1954-1955 Malabar wandering

1955-1958 Kayamkulum Schooling

1958-1964 Trivandrum Colleges

1964- 1965 Palghat job in NSS

1965-1991 Quilon job TKM

1991-1996 Muscat job MTIC

1996-1997 Quilon job TKM

1997-1999 Trivandrum job NC

1999-2006 Cochin Services & Consultancy

2006-2009 Quilon job YCET

2009- 2012 Cochin Services

2012-2019 Kuwait Translation & Religious Study

2019-2021 Cochin relaxed and retired life

1969-1970 Study M.Tech IIT, Madras direct admission to second year M.Tech on leave from TKM

1974-1978 Study PhD  IIT, Bombay on deputation from TKM

Hajj with wife 1993 from Muscat

                          1998 from Trivandrum

                          2006 from Quilon

Umra with wife 2001 from Kuwait

Umra alone 2014 from Kuwait 

Umra with son Farook 2019 from Kuwait 

Dr. Mohamed Ali Essa 

My Children

My Children

My first child was born in Jun 1966 at Kayamkulum. It was a girl called Yasmin. There were some problem in delivery. Also no good hospital there. She was born mentally retarded. Though there were many other problems for her, it was all rectified by Dr. Gopinatha Pillai of Quilon. But still she cannot talk or do anything by herself. She is with us aged 54 now. We take her wherever we go. She does small small things and has a pleasant look.

My first son Mansoor was born at Cochin in Sep 1967, since my wife was with my parents there. I brought my family to Quilon  after about 6 months. I was keen on his studies. I couched him with no other tuition. He obtained good percentage in SSLC and Pre Degree and got admission for Civil Engg in the merit seat without even going for entrance couching. He passed Engg with distinction in 1989. Mr. Eugeon Nasareth who was HOD of Architectural Engg took him to help him in the Bishop Jerome Complex Project. He got married in 1990. By 1991 I came to Muscat Technical College in Oman and within 6 months I was able to get a job for him there with the help of my old student at TKM, Mr. Rajendra Prasad. When I left Muscat in 1996 he got a better job in Kuwait and went there.

He then took his M.Tech from Kuwait University as a part time student. He is still in the same Company in a better position. He is now an Executive member of an international organisation FIDIC.

His elder daughter passed  B.Tech from the Australian University Kuwait. She got married in 2014 to my daughter's son and now they have 2 sons also. My gr son after B.Tech from  NIT, Trichy took M.Tech from Hong Kong. Mansoor's youngest daughter is studying in Kuwait. 

My second daughter Mehtab was born in 1969 at Cochin. She was average in studies and was studying in B.Com second year when she got married to an Engg in Cochin in 1989.My son in law is working in HDFC, Ernakulum. She then completed her B.Com in private study with first class. She has 2 sons and 2 daughters. Her first son did his M.Tech in NIT, Nagpur. He then got a job in Bombardier Baroda and married to my son's daughter and they now have 2 sons.  Her first daughter married and have 2 daughter and a son and was settled in Quilon. They were running a showroom ForHome there. As it did not click he is now in Kuwait with my second son in business. My daughters other two children studying . They are all settled in Chullikkal, Cochin.

My second son Farook who was born in 1972 at Quilon was more smart but he was not interested in Engg but inclined to Business. He worked with my brother in law after his B.Com, got married from Cochin. He started his own business in Trivandrum but could not come up. We lost good amount of money in that. He then went to Madras with my brothers son. He returned due to some family problems. Started another business in Cochin but still could not come up. My elder son then brought him to Kuwait. After working initially with a Company he started his own and Alhamdulillah doing well now. He learned good lessons from failures and now more cautious. Unfortunately he has so far no children. As I wanted to take my wife to India he has taken a bold step of accompanying us sacrificing his developed company  and now in Cochin  doing something here. But later we decided to return to Kuwait. He is trying to catch business back. May Allah give him barkat and fulfil all his good ambitions Aameen 

My last son Jakharia was born at Quilon in 1979. He was average in studies. His 5 years schooling in  Muscat. He took B.Com and then MBA from Indira Gandhi Open University. He was married in 2006 from Madras and started a Consultancy. He was just pulling on and my eldest son took him to Kuwait. After working in a Company for some time he joined with my second son in his Business and doing well. He has one daughter and 4 sons so far all studying in Kuwait.

I am thankful to Allah for all His blessings. As all my 3 sons are in Kuwait with family myself, wife and elder daughter are mostly with them. Myself, my wife , second son and his wife came to Cochin for the treatment of my wife and returned after her operation. My wife passed away in Cochin on 16th April 2019. She was so relieved from the torture for about 9 years. My sincere prayer now is to  make my ending good Aameen 

Dr. Mohamed Ali Essa

My life in Malabar

My life in Malabar

After loosing in the Assembly election from Cochin, my father left Cochin in 1954 and came to Talipparamb where my uncle was there. In the beginning there was good welcome and good practice. The Muslims and Hindus there were orthodox. We were very broad minded. A hindu lady came to work in our house and we kept her. Hindus came as a procession to leave her. My father was afraid of leaving her as they may kill her. He wanted them to get a letter from the magistrate about her safety. They brought it and she went with them. Muslims there thought that there is something wrong with us and they also absconded us. In effect my father lost all practice and had to leave for Kuttipurum and then to Tirur. Nowhere he was able to establish. We were actually starving and finally my mother wrote a letter to our grand father explaining the condition.

My Grand father came to Tirur and brought us to Kayamkulum by 1955. We were not even having proper dress or money. My Gr father arranged a house and provided food material and arranged for schooling in the Govt High School. My father's sister also helped us a lot. We stayed there till 1958 until I passed SSLC with first class. Then we shifted to Trivandrum for my college studies.. I married my father's sister's daughter in 1965 after getting job.

I am extremely indebted to my Gr. father for the change in my life and to my father for making me steadfast in life and to my mother for making my religious side sound without being communal. May Allah bless all of them and others who helped in our difficult times Aameen

Dr.Mohamed ali essa

My life in Cochin

My life in Cochin

I was born in Cochin on 20th Feb 1942. My father Essa Ahamed Sait was an advocate. He took  BA BL from Law College, Madras. He was having good practice and we were leading a decent life. Unfortunately for us he entered into Politics. He became the founder member of Muslim League in the Travancore Cochin area and founder member of Iqbal Library in Cochin. He stood for the assemly election in Cochin. Muslim League was in the infant stage and he spent whatever he had for the election, but lost. He became depressed and left Cochin in 1953 when I was studying in 7th  std in Hajee Essa Hajee Moosa Memorial High School in Mattancherry.

We went to different places in Malabar where my uncle was there but he could not succeed anywhere in his dejected mood. My grand father then took all to Kayamkulum were he was staying. My grand father actually supported us as my father still could not do much. I passed my SSLC from Govt High School, Kayamkulum. I continued my studies in Trivandrum, took up job in Palghat and then Quilon. From TKM I went for M.Tech in IIT, Madras and then PhD from IIT, Bombay, went on leave to Muscat for 5 years. After retirement from TKM and 2 years in Trivandrum, I came back to my home town Cochin for stay

I actually wanted to have a retired peaceful life in prayers and reading. But many persons near my residence compelled me to help in a school, orphanage, KMEA Engg College etc. I sincerely helped all. But when success started coming in the school and orphanage they avoided me. I did all the preliminary work of setting up labs, library, selected staff as I was designated as the Principal. But when they got AICTE approval showing my name as Principal, they wanted to put a Director over me which I didn't like and they coolly avoided me. I have not taken a pie from them for all the services.

For the first time in my life I also became depressed as my father in Cochin. I tried to keep away from all. Fortunately for me Management of Younus College approached me to join as Principal there. I joined them in 2006 and continued till 2009. Back to Cochin but I was not happy with the thankless people there. As my sons were now in Kuwait I started visiting Kuwait frequently and for the last 5 years I am mostly in Kuwait.

The people at Cochin have not given any recognition but utilised me for their purposes and discarded me after that. I left the matter to God to do justice

Dr. Mohamed Ali Essa 

Gopakumar Nediyath

Gopakumar Nediyath

I came across Mr. Gopakumar Nediyath through Face Book about 6 months back. I was attracted to his activities especially Annadanum. I was happy to be associated with this. He included me in that and I volunteered to help. He was happy for that. He liked my postings in the face book and requested me to write my biography. I thought of first starting my blog due to the support of Dr. Asha Menon in Kuwait. I started my blog drmohamedaliessa.blogspot.com by Oct 2013 and made 30 postings putting my experiences and thoughts. I went to Quilon by Dec 2013 and decided to meet Mr. Gopakumar there. He was happy. I informed my whereabouts and he agreed to meet me in an Auditorium in Quilon.

Accordingly I went to Quilon. When the function was over he called me and said he is outside. I went near his car and surprised to see that himself is handicapped and unable to come out without help of somebody. His wife was also with him. He is a wonderful person trying to help and feed those who are bedridden  forgetting his problems and weakness. I went with him to see few persons who are bedridden due to some accidents who receives his help. I was really wonder stuck seeing the people and the courageous effort of Mr. Gopakumar in spite of his weakness. Since People are waiting for me in the Auditorium I had to leave.

It was a wonderful experience of dedication of a handicapped person to help more downtrodden persons. People like him are required in India to raise the image. He even spends money which he is  earning through publishing his books. I wish him and his family who supports him and his Annadanum program all success. I request all in Quilon and else where to support him for this noble cause to help the fully handicapped and bedridden people.

I have great sorrow in informing that he has expired. May his soul rest in peace 

Dr.mohamed Ali Esa