Girdhardas Harivallabhdas Parekh

Tall and well built, he was a devotee of the Vallabhacharya Vaishnav Sampraday.

Born in a poor family, his father died when he was 10. At age 12 he joined Sheth Abhechand Panachand of Kalushini Pole to learn accountancy (namu) at a monthly salary of Rs.2/-.Becoming proficient at age 15 he joined Sheth Jhaverchand's pedhi in Ranchchodjini Pole, Sarangpur and rose from clerk to munim.

Always looking for business opprtunities, in 1859, with his brother Gordhandas, started business of Mashru and Kariyana ; suffering heavy losses in 1864. They paid off creditors by pawning family jewellery and then started business of buying and selling imported yarn in which they did well.