SUPPLEiMENT 37 DiWAN Charan Das, Rai Sahcb — the leader of the Bar at Sialkot, was born at Gujranwala in 1866 in a well-known Khatri Zamindar family. In his early days he received his education in the Mission School, Calcutta, and later on in the Government College, Lahore. In 1891, Diwan Charan Das commenced practising as a Mukhtar at Sialkot and in this career he has risen to his present high position in society. His services in the interest of the town of Sialkot have been many and of valuable nature. In 1893, he was elected a member of the Local Municipal Committee and in 1898, was elected its Vice-President. He was the foundation member of the Montgomery Library and has, for many years, been the Vice- President of its Committee. In 1901, he was Superintendent of the Census Operations in the town and was presented a first grade sanad by the Government in appreciation of his work. In 1902 he became a member of the Local Board. His activities in connection with the Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition of the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province and Kashmir deserve special mention. InDecember, 191 i,he waspresenteda certificate of honour in the name of His Majesty King-Emperor, in recognition of the public services rendered by him. He was the first President of the Local Hindu Sabha and, for some years, was a member of the Provincial Committee of the Indian National Congress. In April, 1913, he was appointed the first Honorary Secretary of the Central Agricultural Bank and two months later the title of Rai Saheb was conferred on him. He played an important part in bringing about harmony in the relations between the Hindus and the- Mohomedans of his town, having founded the Local Hindu Mohomedan Association for the same object.. Diwan Charan Das owns 2,000 Kanals of ancestral land. His younger brother, Captain D. G. Rai, was the first LM.S. Indian Officer in his part of the Province and his only son, Diwan Narinjan Das is a Barrister-at-Law. Address: Pleader, Sialkot.
