Born on May 3, 1840, Bezonji Dadabhoy Mehta was essentially a self made man. He came to Bombay around 1850 and began life in a very humble way. He did not have any formal education. He was entirely self taught and constantly carried an English dictionary with him. He was always reticent about himself and left no diaries. Even his children knew very little about his early life.

At the age of twelve or thirteen he was recommended by his great teacher to the then Manager of the Bombay Times, as a clerk to write addresses.

About this time J.N. Tata started the Empress Mills at Nagpur, and was in search of an appropriate man to take care of them. Through the recommendation of Darashaw R. Chichgar, Bezonji was appointed there as an assistant.

Many obstacles stood in the way of the success of the textile venture at Nagpur. Jamsetji and Bezonji aided by James Brooksby, who was engaged from Lancashire, progressively overcame them. The story is one of persistent endeavour, of readiness to give immediate trail to new machinery (as, for instance, the ring spindle while experiments therewith in Lancashire were still tentative), of a patient attention to the labour problem, and of constant experiment and research.

After the principal obstacles were overcome Jamsetji was content to leave the development of the enterprise in Bezonji’s care. The Mills expanded to a great and prosperous concern, which was a model of efficiency and care for the welfare of the workers.

In addition to controlling the Empress Mills, Bezonji was constantly at Jamsetji’s side through the difficult period which marked the launching of the other two mills, notably the Svadeshi and Ahmedabad Advance Mills.

His services were rewarded first with a Khan Bahadurship, and then in the year 1912 when His Majesty the King Emperor paid a visit to Nagpur, he was knighted by His Majesty in his railway saloon.

For many years Sir Bezonji was recognized as a foremost and trusted authority on the industry. In spite of retiring from service and active life he participated in the inquiry of the Tariff (Textile) Board on the depression in the Bombay Mill Industry and rendered valuable services to the textiles mills till his very last.