كان والده يعمل في التجارة وكانت مزدهرة، رغم أنه من عائلة نساجين في قرية بنلي (Paneli) بولاية جوندال الأميرية؛ وكانت والدته من نفس القرية أيضا.
His father was a prosperous merchant who had been born to a family of weavers in the village of Paneli in the princely state of Gondal (Kathiawar, Gujarat); his mother was also of that village.