History
D. Chellaram was founded by Dhanamal Chellaram, a native of Hyderabard Sindh, India, who established a small trading firm in Cairo in 1860. His business prospered trading in local arts and goods and by the 1920s had expanded to 27 branches scattered around the world. The company expanded to 99 branches with family members and managers looking after the exports and imports through their various branches. Each brand purchased goods and supported the other to create a flourishing global business. It was said that the sun never sets on Chellarams as one part of their business world closed operations for the day, another office was opening to conduct daily business.
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A newspaper advertisement placed by D. Chellaram in Gibraltar's local newspaper, El Calpense, dated Tuesday, May 15 1894, illustrates that the company in just 34 years after being founded had established offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai where they exported oriental arts and crafts from India, China, Manila, and Malta to their overseas branches.
The Global World Of Indian Studies
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The Global World of Indian Merchants, Cambridge studies of history and society, by Claude Markovits illustrates the foundation of D. Chellaram in the year 1860 and gives an overview of its activities from 1860 – 1930.
Co Prosperity in Cross-culturalism: Indians in Hong Kong
Co Prosperity in Cross-culturalism: Indians in Hong Kong, by Kwok Siu-tong & Kirti Narain mentions the early impact D.Chellaram (H.K) Ltd had on the financial growth of Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post - Oct 2007
An article published in Hong Kong’s prestigious newspaper the South China Morning Post
