This Indian Industrialist Was Famous For His 6 Marriages, Suspected Fling With Jinnah’s Sister
According to various reports, Ram Krishna Dalmia married six times, some secretly, and was linked to numerous romantic affairs
Higher education or a prestigious degree is not a prerequisite for success in life. This is evident from the life of prominent Indian industrialist, Ram Krishna Dalmia. When he ventured into the business realm at the age of 18, Dalmia inherited nothing from his father. Nevertheless, he built a vast industrial empire within a few years. Notably, there is no documented evidence of Dalmia pursuing education beyond primary school. Yet, he established the renowned Dalmia Group.
A Favourite Of Gandhi And Jinnah
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Born in Rajasthan’s Chirawa, Ram Krishna Dalmia rose to extraordinary heights. He left his mark on various industries, including sugar, cement, paper, banking, insurance, biscuits, aviation, and publication. Despite his limited formal education, success seemed to follow him in every endeavour.
Dalmia amassed immense wealth and influence, cultivating strong connections with prominent figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammad Ali Jinnah. According to some reports, he was also known for his charm and reputation as a ladies’ man.
A Man Of Romantic Dispositions
After Jamshedji Tata and Ghanshyam Das Birla, Ramkrishna Dalmia held the position of the third wealthiest individual and industrialist in India. The proprietor of a leading newspaper group, Dalmia entered matrimony six times throughout his life and was linked to numerous romantic affairs.
There were even reports about his involvement with Fatima, the sister of Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. At a time when such actions were deemed unthinkable, Dalmia married six times consecutively, unfazed by societal norms. It has been reported that following his first two marriages, he pursued relationships with his subsequent four wives before officially marrying them.
Chronicles Of Romance
Numerous accounts of Dalmia’s romantic escapades, both within and outside marriage, abound. His daughter, Neelima Dalmia Adhar, provides insights into his marriages and relationships in her book, Father Dearest: The Life and Times of RK Dalmia. In an interview, she shared, “My father saw himself no less than a king, and he believed in living life on his own terms, whether it was about power or women."
A Series Of Marriages
Dalmia’s first marriage occurred at a young age. His bride, Narmada, was only 12-years-old. Sadly, she passed away within two to three years of their union. Subsequently, his mother arranged his second marriage to Durga.
A few years into his second marriage, Dalmia fell for a captivating Punjabi woman named Pritam. They married secretly. When he revealed this to his second wife, Durga, and his family, it was met with strong disapproval. Undeterred, Dalmia provided Pritam with a separate, spacious residence in Delhi. However, their love eventually faded.
Dalmia then proceeded to marry two more times in quick succession. His new wives were Saraswati and Asha. Both these marriages were also conducted in secrecy.
Infatuation With A Young Writer
Dalmia’s romantic pursuits did not end there. He developed a fondness for an emerging poet from Rajasthan named Dinesh Nandini. Interestingly, Dinesh Nandini had received the Sexaria Award from the Dalmia Institute itself for her literary work. Their paths first crossed at the award ceremony, where Dalmia became smitten with her.
For two years, Dalmia and Dinesh Nandini exchanged letters. Throughout this period, Dalmia persistently tried to persuade her to marry him. Finally, she agreed but on the condition that he would not seek any further marriages. Neelima Dalmia recounts that the wedding took place discreetly at Dalmia’s residence on the banks of the Ganga in Banaras.
Upon discovering the impending secret marriage, Neelima’s mother was taken aback but felt powerless to intervene. Immediately after the ceremony, Dalmia suggested that Dinesh Nandini reside in London, a proposition she outrightly declined. As an alternative, she was provided with a grand house in Delhi.
Dalmia’s sixth marriage faced considerable opposition. His children were growing up, and his brother and mother objected strongly.
“After the marriage, my grandmother encountered my mother on a train. She treated my mother as if she had committed some grave error," Neelima shared, pointing out the societal tendency to place blame on women in such situations.
An Encounter With An Englishwoman
Following his sixth marriage, Dalmia initiated the One World Movement, travelling to numerous countries in his private plane. His movement garnered a positive response. During a trip to America with his sixth wife, Dinesh Nandini, he became enamoured with an Englishwoman. In her book, Neelima wrote, “In America, my father got involved with an English girl. My mother even caught him red-handed with that English girl."
A Close Bond With Fatima Jinnah
There were also speculations about Dalmia’s relationship with Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s sister, Fatima Bhutto. Neelima mentioned in her book that her mother, Dinesh Nandini, would often remark on her father’s closeness to Fatima, as he frequently spent time in her company.
Fatima Jinnah lived alone. While Neelima acknowledges the possibility of a relationship between her father and Jinnah’s sister, she remains uncertain. It is undeniable, however, that Dalmia shared an exceptionally close bond with both Jinnah and his sister.
When Jinnah made the decision to leave India permanently in the second week of August 1947, he sold his sprawling bungalow at 10, Aurangzeb Road (now APJ Abdul Kalam Road) in New Delhi to Dalmia.
The Decline After Independence
After India gained independence in 1947, Dalmia’s fortunes began to dwindle. His family experienced divisions, and his strained relationship with then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had repercussions. He faced imprisonment for two years. Upon his release, he found himself in a vastly different world, unable to reclaim his former status and financial standing. Ram Krishna Dalmia passed away in 1978 at the age of 85.
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