Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji, the patriarch of the Khimji family and the most senior member of the Board of Directors of the Khimji Ramdas Group, passed away today [February 18] at 85.

He was born in 1936 in Muscat and completed his education in Mumbai. He had been spearheading the Khimji Ramdas businesses for almost five decades and was granted Omani citizenship for his outstanding contribution to the growth of the community and economy.

Kanaksi Khimji was also given the rare honour of the title of Sheikh making him the only Hindu Sheikh in the entire Islamic world.

The businessman was also instrumental in establishing Oman’s first English medium school – Indian School in Muscat – in 1975 and was involved in several philanthropic activities during his time.