From Empire to Invoice: Sehore’s 1917 Claim

Sehore family plans legal notice to UK over alleged unpaid colonial debt

February 26, 2026: A century-old financial claim from Sehore in Madhya Pradesh has reignited debate over colonial-era obligations. The Ruthia family alleges that in 1917, during the financial strain of World War I, the British colonial administration borrowed Rs 35,000 from Seth Jummalal Ruthia, a prominent businessman in Sehore and the princely state of Bhopal. According to the family, the substantial wartime loan was never repaid.

More than 100 years later, his grandson Vivek Ruthia says he intends to send a legal notice to the British government, terming the amount a “historic and unpaid sovereign debt.” The family claims written acknowledgment of the loan was preserved for decades by Seth Jummalal’s son, Seth Manak Chand Ruthia, until 2013, before being passed down. Adjusted for interest and inflation, they argue, the sum would now run into several crores.

Legal experts note that while international law can recognise continuity of sovereign liabilities, enforcing repayment of a century-old colonial debt would pose major procedural and jurisdictional hurdles. For the Ruthias—once among the most influential families in Sehore and Bhopal—the issue is as much about legacy and historical accountability as it is about money. Whether the proposed legal notice results in formal proceedings remains uncertain, but the case has revived discussion on unresolved financial legacies of the British Empire.