109 years later, MP family demands return of ₹35,000 loaned to British during WWI after finding 1917 receipt

In 1917, when India was under British colonial rule and the world was engulfed in the turmoil of World War I, thousands of Indians were sent to fight battles far from home in support of the Empire. Amid this turbulent period, financial contributions were also sought from Indian citizens to sustain Britain’s war efforts.

More than a century later, a striking chapter from that era has resurfaced in Madhya Pradesh, where an Indian family claims that their ancestor had loaned ₹35,000 to the British administration - a sum that was allegedly never repaid.

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Armed with a rediscovered 1917 receipt, the family is now seeking the return of a debt lost in colonial history for 109 years.

A Century-Old Discovery from Sehore

The revelation emerged from Sehore, where 63-year-old Vivek Ruthia discovered an original document belonging to his grandfather, Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia. A respected trader dealing in cloth and grain during the early 20th century, Seth Jumma Lal reportedly advanced ₹35,000 to the British administration in 1917.

The receipt, issued by the Bhopal Agency, acknowledges the amount under the “Indian War Loan” programme — a wartime funding initiative introduced by colonial authorities to finance military operations.

When Indians Financed Britain’s War Efforts

Historical archives, including records preserved by the British Library, show that India played a crucial financial and military role in supporting Britain during World War I. Apart from over a million Indian soldiers who served overseas, wealthy merchants and princely states were encouraged to contribute funds through war bonds and loans.

According to the Ruthia family, the amount was handed to W. S. Davis, then Political Agent in Bhopal State, with written assurance of repayment — a promise they claim was never honoured.

A Debt Beyond Money

Economists note that ₹35,000 in 1917 represented enormous wealth, equivalent to several crores in present-day value. While legal enforcement of such colonial-era claims remains complicated after India’s independence in 1947, historians say the discovery highlights the lesser-known financial sacrifices made by Indians during imperial wars. 

For the Ruthia family, the demand is not merely financial but symbolic — an attempt to reclaim recognition for an ancestor whose contribution faded into history.

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Rekindling a Colonial-Era Question

The resurfaced receipt has sparked wider public debate about unresolved colonial obligations and historical accountability. More than a century later, a small piece of paper has reopened conversations about how India supported an empire that once ruled it — and whether some debts of history still remain unpaid.