Doing Well but Also Doing Good? East African Indian Merchants and Their Charitable Work, c. 1850–1920

Philanthropy has received, by and large, limited scholarly attention. In the 2000s, a large boost in publications can be observed, using the buzzword “diaspora philanthropy.” The aim of this article is to look at philanthropy from a different angle. I argue that the philanthropic activities of East African Indian merchants were part and parcel of the connections criss-crossing the Indian Ocean. In the case of East African Indian merchants originating from Gujarat, it is remarkable to note that individuals donated large sums of money to social, educational, public and religious causes. With this wide notion of doing good, not just doing well, East African Indian businessmen arguably went beyond ideas of possibly polishing their image and consolidating a good reputation in their own community.