Kalyanji Bhagat: the man behind Kalyan Matka
Updated: 2026-10-24
Kalyanji Bhagat started the Worli Matka in 1962 – the daily game whose name lives on today as Kalyan, the most followed matka market. Here are the facts that published sources agree on.
Quick facts
| Born | a farmer's family in Kutch, Gujarat (family name Gala) |
|---|---|
| Name 'Bhagat' | a title (from 'bhakt') reportedly given to the family by the ruler of Kutch for their devotion |
| Came to Bombay | 1941, as a migrant – sold spices from a cart, later ran a grocery shop in Worli |
| Started Worli Matka | 1962, from the compound of his building in Worli |
| How it ran | every day of the week |
| Died | early 1990s; his son Suresh Bhagat took over the business |
From cotton rates to the matka
Before the matka, Bombay's mill workers bet on the opening and closing rates of cotton reported from the New York cotton market. Kalyanji Bhagat began taking such bets at his grocery shop in Worli. When the cotton rates stopped being available in the early 1960s, the numbers began to be drawn from an earthen pot – a matka – and in 1962 his game became the Worli Matka.
Kalyanji Bhagat and Ratan Khatri
Ratan Khatri, later called the 'Matka King', worked in the same world and launched his own New Worli game in 1964, which ran Monday to Friday while Bhagat's ran all week. Sources describe them as separate operations. Read Ratan Khatri's story in our Ratan Khatri guide.
Kalyan today
Kalyan is still the biggest matka market: an open around the afternoon and a close about two hours later, Monday to Saturday. See today's Kalyan result, its timings and the full Kalyan chart with records going back to 2012.
The Matka King series
In 2026 the series Matka King (Amazon Prime Video, released 17 April 2026) dramatised this era. According to press reports, Kalyanji Bhagat's granddaughter went to court shortly before release, objecting that it drew on her grandfather's life without permission; the court did not stop the release.
This page is history for information only. Betting on matka is illegal in most of India. MatkaPulse does not take bets or sell tips. 18+.
Questions
Who was Kalyanji Bhagat?
A man from Kutch, Gujarat, who came to Bombay in 1941 and started the Worli Matka in 1962 – the game known today as Kalyan Matka.
When did Kalyan Matka start?
Kalyanji Bhagat's Worli Matka started in 1962.
Who started Kalyan Matka – Ratan Khatri or Kalyanji Bhagat?
Kalyanji Bhagat started Worli (Kalyan) Matka in 1962. Ratan Khatri launched his separate New Worli game in 1964.
When did Kalyanji Bhagat die?
In the early 1990s; his son Suresh Bhagat then ran the business.
