By Dr. Ashraf Kashmiri
C.M.Hadow was a Austrian merchant and philanthropist. He came to Kashmir during era of Ranbir Singh ,propably around 1888 to do carpet trade. He started his own carpet weaving company C.H.Hadow And Co. ( Proprietor C M Hadow )and by his dedication ,this company turned out to number one company of that era rather bigger than ” East India carpet factory .
Unlike Dag shawl industry of Pandit Raj kak dhar ,who used to pay pea-nut salary of kashmiri peasent ,he was much,peasents friendly , passionate and God fearing philanthropist
A new market was created world over by C.H.Hadow And Co and by 1931 , there were six big carpet units in Srinagar employing locals as weavers , Taleem writers( kaalbaap taleem writing ) , Dyers and designers.Started in the year 1888, C.H.Hadow Factory changed the entire design , colour schemes and appearance of kashmiri carpets so as to make them competitive in International markets.
Along with other philanthropist work ,he apparently seems to have established dispensary for public ( Hedwun dispensary ) – this seems to be place where SMHS hospital was established later on – so kashmiris call it Hedwun ( Hadow ) till today.
When dogra took over Patthar masjid ( mosque built by Noor Jehan) and turned the mosque into horse stable and later on as a state granery .C.M Hadow and British resident LT.Col.J.Manners Smith took a strong exception to it .
In 1911, Dogra ruler pratab Singh decided to turn Patthar masjid into ” Hanuman Anathaliya” an orphanage dedicated after Hindu diety Hanuman ( order of Maharaja ,30 Aug,1911,file no.55\E-3 ).
Another source : Pandit chitralakha Zutshi,( Kashmir ,history ,politics and representation ) pp.39.
Hadowun (SMHS Haspataal), Hadowun Kadal and Hadowun Kaleen Karkana are still known after his name. Even biscoe school was known as Hadow school .
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry was constituted in the year 1924 by the prominent businessmen of Kashmir with its first president Mr C. M. Hadow.
Other members were Amar Nath Purbi, G.N. Din Kawosa, Gulam Mohammed Pandit, Gulam Mohammed Joo, B.N Pestongee, Sarwanand Raina and G Ahmad. 10) He was expelled from India in 1948 . Major Hadow and his wiferetired to Victoria, British Columbia, where he died in 1978.
Dr. Ashraf Kashmir can be reached at drashrafshafikashmiri@gmail.com
