For the people of Thane, the name “Sayanna” symbolizes a century of service and compassion. Vitthal Sayanna and his son, Diwan Bahadur Narayan Sayanna, turned colonial systems into tools for public good, shaping the city’s moral and civic life. Even today, their legacy remains a deep source of pride for Thanekars.
Vitthal Sayanna (1864–1932) was a visionary man rooted in strong values. From the disciplined Padmashali community, he rose to prominence by helping build many of Mumbai’s landmark structures. As a trusted contractor for the British Public Works Department, he worked with architects like John Begg and George Wittet, contributing to the city’s early skyline.
His work on the General Post Office (GPO), built between 1904 and 1913, was remarkable for its time. Following John Begg’s design, Sayanna managed the use of strong local stones to support the huge central dome inspired by the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur. The careful construction of heavy arches showed his great skill and earned him recognition as a master of the Indo-Saracenic style.
He was later entrusted with building the Prince of Wales Museum (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya), a project blending British grandeur with Indian tradition. He also worked at the Royal Institute of Science, known for its precise design and heavy stonework.
Though his work kept him busy at major construction sites in Colaba and Fort, Vitthal Sayanna felt a deep personal connection with Thane. In 1912, he built the Shri Datta Mandir in the Naupada area. The temple mirrors both sides of his life. Built in Porbandar stone, its shikhara echoes designs seen in the GPO and Prince of Wales Museum. Inside, the sabhamandapa rests on 26 carved pillars, creating a dignified, welcoming space. With this temple, the Sayanna family became rooted and respected citizens of Thane.
The real pride of Thane lies in how this legacy moved from buildings to public service. In the early 1930s, Vitthal Sayanna saw that poor people in Thane had almost no medical facilities. He dreamed of starting a hospital for them, but he passed away in 1932 before the work could begin.
His son, Narayan Sayanna, who had studied in Thane and joined the family business in 1920, took this dream forward as a personal responsibility. While plans for the hospital were still being made, the family turned their own house into a temporary clinic and treated patients at their own cost. To fulfil the dreams of his father, Narayan finally built the Thane Civil Hospital in 1936. For his dedicated service to society, the British government honored him with the title of Diwan Bahadur in 1937. The people of Thane celebrated this achievement with a large public function, thanking the man who used his wealth to serve the city and save lives.
Narayan Sayanna also built structures worthy of his father’s reputation. To name a few, Radio Club building at Colaba, Indian Express building, National Library building at Bandra, the stone buildings of the police lines in Thane.
Today, the Sayanna legacy moves into a new era. The old stone structures of Thane Civil Hospital have given way to the Vitthal Sayanna Superspecialty Hospital. From the majestic dome of the GPO to the healing spaces of the new hospital, the Sayanna legacy continues to shape not just the city’s skyline, but its conscience as well.
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