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Vivek Ruthia’s ancestor, Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia, of Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia in Bhopal State, subscribed Rs 35,000 to the Indian War Loan during World War I
The family has claimed that the loan was never repaid or settled (Image: X/@sanatan_kannada)
A 109-year-old war loan certificate has brought fresh hope to a family in Madhya Pradesh, who were seeking answers about a Rs 35,000 loan that they had lent to the British government during World War I. More than a century after the money was invested in the Indian War Loan in 1917, the family has now received a response from the UK’s Debt Management Office (DMO).
Vivek Ruthia, a 63-year-old resident of Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, said his family approached the British authority to find out whether the loan taken from his ancestor was ever repaid. As reported by Times of India, his lawyer recently received an email from the DMO asking for a copy of the original war loan certificate and related correspondence.
The family is now preparing the required documents, along with other archival records, to send to the British authority. Ruthia said the response has given them hope that historical records could finally help establish what happened to the money. “I am extremely happy. I never imagined there would be a response at this stage,” he said.
What Does The 1917 Certificate Say?
At the centre of it all is a certificate dated June 4, 1917, which has reportedly remained in the Ruthia family’s possession for more than 100 years. The certificate states that Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia, associated with the firm Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia in Bhopal State, subscribed Rs 35,000 to the Indian War Loan during World War I.
“Seth Jumma Lal subscribed Rs. 35,000/- of the firm of Seth Rama Kishan Jaskaran Ruthia (Rupees Thirty-five thousand) to the Indian War Loan and thereby showed his loyalty to the Government and Empire,” the document stated, which was signed by W.S. Davis, then Political Agent in Bhopal.
In 1917, Nagar Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia of Sehore lent ₹35,000 to the British Empire’s Political Agent W.S. Davis for WWI efforts. 109 years later, his descendants are planning to file a case in a UK court to recover the amount now worth crores with interest!#History #ColonialDebt pic.twitter.com/Po7wUZhfMI— ಸನಾತನ (सनातन) (@sanatan_kannada) February 26, 2026
The family claims that the amount was never repaid. Seth Jumma Lal Ruthia died in 1937, but the family says it had found no records showing that the money was returned or settled before or after India’s independence in 1947. It is worth noting that the non-repayment claims have not been independently verified.
How Much Is The Loan Of Rs 35,000 Worth Today?
The family has previously suggested that the amount that was given as a loan in 1917 might be worth crores if compound interest were applied. They also compared the original sum with historical and current gold prices, with some estimates putting its current equivalent at more than Rs 10 crore.
However, that does not mean the UK government currently owes the family that amount. Any genuine claim would depend on the terms of the certificate, whether interest was payable, its maturity and redemption provisions and whether any payment was made.
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August 10, 2026, 18:39 IST
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