Stories of Our Wise: Fatehali Ladha

Author: Anisa Daudji

Born June 1, 1923, Fatehali Ladha recounts the tragic events that lead to the loss of his father, Lalji Ladha, and how he was given the title of Shaheed or martyr by Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah. 

At the time, Fatehali lived in Iringa, a small town outside of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He was one of three brothers and one sister. 

In December 1925, when Fatehali was 2-years-old, news arrived that Missionary Khudabaksh Talib would be travelling to Iringa. Missionary Talib had travelled from India and needed to reach Iringa from Kilosa. The purpose of his journey was to share Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah’s vision. 

Fatehali’s father was in Kilosa at the time and he volunteered to take the missionary to Iringa. They secured a lorry with a driver, and Lalji Ladha, Missionary Talib, and the missionary’s assistant, Karmali Dahya, set out on the unmarked, unpaved roads of Tanzania. 

As they were driving to Iringa, heavy rains caused flooding. Suddenly, they came across an elephant, forcing the driver to swerve into a ditch. Missionary Talib, Karmali Dahya, and Fatehali’s father, Lalji Ladha did not survive.

News of the tragedy spread all over Tanzania and when it reached Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, he granted Fatehali’s father the title of Shaheed.

Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah requested that a photograph with portraits of Lalji Ladha, Missionary Talib, and Karmali Dahya be hung in all Jamatkhanas across Tanzania. This picture can still be found hanging in the hallways of some Jamatkhanas today.

A monument was built in Kilosa at the site of the accident in 1926. A second monument was built in the Dar es Salaam Ismaili cemetery in 1932 to honour the lives that were lost that day.

Following the death of his father, Fatehali supported his mother and siblings. Through his younger years, he played competitive tennis in Dar-es-Salaam. Today, at the age of 97, Fatehali loves spending time with his grandchildren and indulging in his favourite East African sweets including tepla, jalebi and nankatai. 

He often speaks about the importance of family and hopes that this story will inspire others to cherish and value their family always.

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Stories of Our Wise aims to capture the incredible stories and life journeys of our Canadian Ismaili seniors. Each week, we will be highlighting a new story. We encourage all individuals, particularly youth, to have these meaningful conversations with their loved ones, and contribute their stories to this collection. To submit a story, please use the Story Submission Form.