Gujarati’s have been known to be traders from the pre-Mohenjo Daro era. Gujarat is known to have the longest coastline compared to any other state in India . Thus, it was not surprising that Gujarati’s left their shores to seek trading opportunities elsewhere. The East India Company had bases on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula and Gujarati’s probably arrived first into Malacca, then Penang and finally, Singapore. Written records around 1903 indicate that the early settlers used to gather for spiritual discourses in their homes and collected funds for the welfare of their community and newly arriving guests and merchants from India . The Kutchchi’s featured prominently in this original effort. The Parsis and Voras were also among the early settlers then. One of the oldest known companies that were present then was Ranchoddas Purushottamdas & Co. Another was Waghji Laxmidas which started here in 1906. The Hindu Paropkari Fund was established sometime around 1908. In 1912, it was formalized and a property at 79 Waterloo Street was purchased for the common use of the vegetarian Gujarati community.
