Madhya Pradesh – A prominent family from Sehore district in Madhya Pradesh has sought the repayment of a 109-year-old loan of ₹35,000 extended to the British government during World War I. Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia had provided the funds as a ‘War Loan’ in 1917 to support administrative and war expenses. The UK’s Debt Management Office has recently responded to the family’s claim, asking for supporting documents and evidence to take the matter forward.

Madhya Pradesh –  – Historical Document Unearthed After More Than a Century

The issue came to light when brothers Vinay Ruthia and Vivek Ruthia discovered a sepia-tinted historical certificate dated June 4, 1917, while looking through old family papers after their father’s passing. The certificate, issued by the then Political Agent in Bhopal, W.S. Davis, confirms that Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia (Firm: Seth Ramkishan Jaskaran Ruthia) subscribed ₹35,000 to the Indian War Loan. Seth Jumma Lal passed away 20 years later in 1937, and the amount was never repaid by the colonial administration.

Madhya Pradesh – UK Government Responds as Family Prepares Legal Claim

In response to the family’s legal initiative and communications, the United Kingdom’s Debt Management Office requested official documentation to verify the transaction. The Ruthia family noted that under international law, sovereign states remain responsible for historical financial obligations. In present-day terms, particularly when benchmarked against gold prices or inflation since 1917, the ₹35,000 loan represents a multi-crore sum.

Madhya Pradesh – Legacy of One of Central India’s Wealthiest Families

Beyond the financial claim, the discovery highlights the historic stature of the Ruthia family, who were among the most affluent and influential merchants in the pre-independence Bhopal princely state. Known for traveling in Rolls-Royce cars and owning vast landholdings, the family claims that nearly 40 to 45 percent of modern-day Sehore city stands on land originally owned by their ancestors. The family stated that their primary goal is setting the historical record straight and asserting self-respect while submitting the requested proofs to UK authorities.