Dhanjishah Cooper

Sir Dhanjishah Bomanji Cooper (2 January 1878 – 29 July 1947) was an Indian Parsi industrialist, politician and the first Prime Minister of Bombay Presidency. Cooper was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1937 New Year Honours.

Early life Dhanjishah Cooper was born in a poor Parsi Zoroastrian family to parents Bomanji and Firozabai Cooper. He finished his schooling in a government school in Satara. While working in a paper mill he started a contract business. He started manufacturing iron ploughs in 1922 at Satara and later became a pioneer of diesel engine manufacturing in India.

Career Cooper entered public life in 1912 and followed the policy of seeking British support for social reform, agricultural development and industrialisation. In 1920, he joined the Non-Brahmin Party under the leadership of Shahu of Kolhapur and led the party in Satara. Later due to differences among party leaders, he formed his own political group which came to be called as the 'Cooper Party' which mostly consisted of local elites.

In 1937 Bombay Presidency elections, he was elected to the Assembly from Satara North constituency. The Indian National Congress had secured the highest number of seats in the Assembly, but refused to form government. The Lord Brabourne invited Cooper to form a government. The Cooper ministry was short lived, and was soon replaced by B. G. Kher's first government.

Personal life Cooper was married to Gulabai and they had 5 daughters and one son. His only son Nariman died in 1944 and he never recovered from this loss. He died of heart attack at the age of 69 on 29 July 1947, at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai.