Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani

Deewan Kauromal Chandanmal Khilnani (, 5 October 1844 – 16 December 1916) was an educationational, scholar and writer. He was one of the first major prose writer during the British Raj in India. He served as the first principal of the Training College for Men Hyderabad, Sindh, British India (Now Pakistan), City Magistrate, Deputy Collector, Municipal Commissioner and Health Officer. He authored more than 60 books in Sindhi language. He wrote extensively on the panchayat system, health, agriculture, and folklore. Kauromal was born on 5 October 1844 in Bhirya, District Naushehro Feroz, Sindh, British India (Now Pakistan). At his birth he was named 'Pritam', but because none of the children had survived earlier, the women folk felt superstitious and instead of sugar candy (misri) and sugar lump (patashas) they distributed pepper (kara mirch)on his birth. And relatives also changed his name to 'Kauro', meaning bitter. He studied Sindhi and Persian in the private school of Akhund Qazi Muhammad Suleman at village Darya Khan Jalbani (near his hometown Bhirya). He studied there from 1849 to 1855. When first primary school was opened in his hometown in 1855, he got admission there. He was a very intelligent student and mastered Sindhi and Persian language at a very early age. The Education Inspector of Sindh appointed him as a 'Boy Translator' for which he was given a scholarship of Rs 25/-. He then studied at Karachi. He was one of the four Sindhi students who went to Bombay (now Mumbai) for matriculation examination of the University of Bombay (Now University of Mumbai). He started his career as a clerk in the office of the Commissioner of Karachi. He then served as a junior school teacher at Hyderabad and Sukkur. Afterwards, he served as Head Master of these schools. He also served as a Sindhi translator.