On Friday 14th February, at 7 am, Khodidasbhai Dhamecha, one of the pioneering figures of the British Asian business community and a leading icon in the UK’s cash and carry grocery industry, passed away after suffering a brief illness.
His son Pradipbhai Dhamecha informed Asian Voice that Khodidasbhai had been staying at the Tulsi Apartment in Jamnagar. He was surrounded by all his family members and his funeral rites were carried out from the city. Khodidasbhai came to the UK in the 1960’s from Kisumu in Kenya where he worked for Barclay’s Bank. He lost his father at a young age in India and migrated to Kenya.
One of Co-Founders of Dhamecha Cash & Carry chain alongside his brothers, Khodidasbhai was only 90 years when he passed away. Today Dhamecha Cash & Carry has expaned as one of the largest grocery chains in the country right after Bestway Cash and Carry with a turnover in excess of £700m.
Operating primarily in London, followed by a in Leicester and another in Birmigham. The first of its nine depots had started in Wembley in 1976 under the supervision of Khodisdasbhai to serve the growing number of Asian retailers entering the convenience sector.
Khodidasbhai was a prominent and generous philanthropist who donated to many charitable causes, particularly those focussed on education, religion and welfare. He helped to build community halls and temples in London, Leicester, Crawley and other cities across the UK, as well as donating to Lohana Mahajanwadi and various other bodies in the city of Jamnagar and the surrounding district.
His funeral ceremony will be held on 1st March, Sunday from 4 pm in the evening at Dhamecha Lohana Centre in South Harrow.
