Eminent-Bengalees

Eminent Bengalees

This page is designed to outline the lives and careers of Bengalees of distinction. Most of the personalities featured here lived and contributed to Bengal's pre-eminent position within India in the first half of the twentieth century. They were almost without exception, men, of considerable ability, dynamism and versatility. Many shared the qualities to be found in Maharaja Bahadur Sir Joteendro Mohun Tagore's entry: great intelligence and ability, distinguished public spirit, high character, staunch loyalty to the British Government, extensive charities, both public and private, and personal services rendered to the State.

Besides a place in modern Bengali history, a distinction all the individuals featured here share is a place in that very British institution, Who's Who, which first began to be published in 1897. The source of all the information here is from that august publication. "The details in each entry were obtained originally from the individual concerned, and revised by him each year".

Spellings and the contents have been largely left untouched to retain as much of the original 'flavour' as possible. The only concessions to readability have been the presentation of entries and in reducing the number of abbreviations. For an explanatory note on the British honours system and the abbreviations that have been retained, please click on this link.

Most of these men and their contribution to modern India has been forgotten, and only the Calcutta streets named after them, commemorate their past eminence. If the work of these eminent Bengalees acts as any sort of inspiration to their succeeding generations, this site would have fulfilled its purpose.

Bengal was blessed with a large number of distinguished sons, and it will be a while before this site is completed. Feedback is welcomed.

AHMED

(1888-1939)

Kabeerud-Din, MLA; Bar-at-Law and Senior Advocate, Calcutta High Court and Delhi Federal Court; Member High Court Bar, Calcutta.

Born 1888; son of late Muhammad Sabkat-Ullah, landholder; unmarried.

Educated: Malda Government High English School; Magdalene College, Cambridge. Called to Bar, 1910.

Member, Bengal Legislative Council, 1919-20; Member, Indian Legislative Assembly, 1921-23, 1924-26, 1927-30, 1931-34, and since 1936 a sitting member; Member Democratic Party in the Indian Legislature, 1921-24; Founder of the Parliamentary Muslim Party in the Indian Legislative Assembly and its Chief Whip, 1924-26;

Member Royal Commission on Labour, 1929-31; Member, Central National Mahomedan Association, Calcutta; Member University Court, Dacca; Founder of the Bengal Joatdar's and Rajyat's Association; takes great interest in Agriculture and was President, Bengal Agricultural Conference, 1917; Organiser, Founder and President, Indian Seamen's Union, Calcutta, 1921-27.

Publications: Handbook of Equity, Roman Law, etc.

Recreations: tennis, riding, etc.

Address: Biswanathpur, Kansat P.O., Malda, Bengal.

Clubs: India, Calcutta; Chelmsford, Simla

ALI CHOWDHURY

(1863-1929)

The Hon. Nawab Bahadur Syed Nawab, C.I.E. 1918; Khan Bahadur, 1906; Member Bengal Executive Council; Member Viceroy's Legislative Council, 1916-20; First Mahomedan Minister, Bengal, in-charge of Agriculture, Industries, Excise and Public Works, 1921.

Belongs to the Syed family of Dhanbari in Mymensingh, Bengal, Zaminder; Born Natore, Dec. 1963; married; two sons, two daughters.

Rajshahi Collegiate School and St. Xavier's College.

Member, East Bengal and Assam Legislative Council, 1906-11; Member Bengal Legislative Council 1912-16; Member of about a hundred associations and public bodies, including Calcutta University, Dacca University, Bengal Landholders' Association, Central National Mahomedan Association, British Indian Association, Sanitary Board of Bengal, London Mosque Committee, Moslem University Foundation Fund and Imperial Religious Endowment Committee; was Vice-President, All-India Moslem League; Founder-President, Bengal Moslem Federation, 1921.

Received the title of Nawab as a personal distinction, 1911; Nawab Bahadur, 1924.

Recreations: gardening and books on Educated.

Address: Dhanbari, District Mymensingh, Bengal, India; Writer's Buildings, Calcutta.

BAGCHI

(1882-1939)

Satischandra, MA, LLD, Barrister-at-Law; Reader in Natural Philosophy, Calcutta University, since 1938.

Born January 1882, son of Ramgopal Bagchi; married Charubala, 2^nd daughter of Kedarnath Roy, Krishnagar; two daughters two sons.

Educated: Santipur Municipal School; G.A.I. Calcutta; St. John's College, Cambridge. BA Calcutta University, 1901; BA Mathematical Tripos, Cambridge, 1904; Law Tripos, Part II, 1906; LLB Cambridge and Dublin; LLD, Trinity College, Dublin, 1907 (First in the List); called to Bar, Grey's Inn, 1907.

Principal, University Law College, Calcutta (1909-38); Fellow of Calcutta University (1909-34); Tagore Professor of Law, 1914; Asutosh Mookerji Lecturer, 1931; Head of Law Department and Dean of the Faculty of Law, Allahabad University, 1931-32; Member of the Faculty of Law, Dacca University. Vice-President, Calcutta Mathematical Society, 1926-36.

Publications: Mathematical papers in the Educatedal Times, English Mechanic, Bulletin of Calcutta Mathematical Society, Nature; Translations from French Stories into Bengali; Text-books and papers on law, mathematics, physics, history, etc.

Recreations: angling, walking, billiards, and tennis.

Address: University Law College, Darbhanga Buildings, Calcutta; Bellevue, West End, Madhupur (S.P.), India.

BANARJI

(18??-1930)

Hon. Sir Pramada Charan, Kt., cr. 1913; BA, DL; Puisne Judge, High Court, N. W. Provinces 1893-1924; joined the service, 1872.

Address: Allahabad, India.

BANERJEA

(1881-1960)

Pramathanath, MA, DSc Econ.; Patron, Calcutta Association for the United Nations; President: Indian Economic Society; Indian Institute of Political Science; Federation Hall Society; Vice-President, Indian Statistical Institute; Honorary Director, Indian Cultural Institute; Leader, Nationalist Party, Central Legislative Assembly, 1942-45; Barrister-at-Law; President, Indian Economic Conference, 1931; President, Indian Political Science Conference, 1940; Minto Professor of Economics, Calcutta University, 1920-35; formerly President, Council of Post-Graduate Teaching in Arts, Calcutta University, India.

Born 1881; son of Nanilal Banerjea; married 1901; no children (one adopted daughter).

Educated: Presidency College, Calcutta; School of Economics, London.

Worked as Professor in Colleges of the Calcutta University; Member of the Senate, Calcutta University, 1923-53; Member of the Syndicate, 1924-53; Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Calcutta University, 1929-30; President of the Boards of Study in Economics and Commerce; represented the University at the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire at Oxford, 1921; Member, Bengal Legislative Council, 1923-30; President, Federation Hall Society.

Publications: A Study of Indian Economics, 7^th edn., 1954; Public Administration in Ancient India; Fiscal Policy in India; Indian Finance in the Days of the Company; A History of Indian Taxation; Provincial Finance in India; The Future of Finance in India; Industry in India, etc..

Address: 4/1A Vidyasagar Street, Calcutta, India.

Club: Calcutta University Institute (Calcutta).

BANERJEA

(1848-1925)

Sir Surendranath, Kt., cr. 1921; BA; Editor of The Bengalee; Professor of English Literature, Ripon College.

Born 10 November 1848; second son of late Dr. Durga Churn Banerjea, Physician; married 1867; one son, five daughters.

Educated: Doveton College, Calcutta; University College, London.

Entered I.C.S. 1871; left the service 1874.

Professor of English Literature, Metropolitan Institution of Calcutta, 1875; founded Indian Association, 1876; founded Ripon College, Calcutta, 1882.

Was twice President of the Indian National Congress; for eight successive years was Member of the Bengal Legislative Council; again elected, 1913; Member of the Imperial Legislative Council, 1913-20; President of the Moderate Conference, 1918; appointed a Member of the Franchise Committee in connection with Montague-Chelmsford Reforms for India, 1918; went to England and gave evidence before the Joint Parliamentary Committee of both Houses on Indian Reforms, under the Reforms Scheme, 1921; appointed Minister to the Government of Bengal in charge of Local Self - Government and Public Health.

Recreation: gardening

Address: Bengalee Office, Calcutta.

BANERJEE

(1844-1919)

Sir Gooroo Dass, Kt., cr. 1904; MA, DL, PhD; retired High Court Judge.

Born Narikeldanga, Calcutta, January 1844; elder son of Babu Ram Chandra Banerjee; married 1861, third daughter of Pandit Pitambar Tarakpanchanan; four sons, two daughters.

Educated: Hare School; Presidency College, Calcutta. Junior, Senior and Burdwan Scholarships; BA 1864; Gold Medal for Mathematics; BL, Gold Medallist, 1866.

Assistant Lecturer in Mathematics, Presidency College, 1865; Law Lecturer in the Berhampur College, 1866-72; Tagore Law Lecturer, 1878; Fellow of Calcutta University, 1878; Vice - Chancellor, 1889-91. President of the Central Text - Book Committee, 1896-99; Member of the Indian Universities Commission, 1902; Honorary PhD, 1908.

Municipal Commissioner for the Suburbs of Calcutta, 1886; Presidency Magistrate, 1887; Member of the Bengal Legislative Council, 1888; Judge of the Calcutta High Court, 1889-1903.

Publications: The Elements of Arithmetic, 1879; The Tagore Law Lectures on the Hindu Law of Marriage and Stridhana, 1879; A Note on the Devanagari Alphabet, 1893; A Few Thoughts on Educated, 1904; Elementary Geometry, 1907; in Bengali: Siksha; Juan O Karma, 1910; Saral Patiganit, 1914; The Educated Problem in India, 1914.

Address: 28 Sastitala Road, Narikeldanga, Calcutta.

See also Banerjee, Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra, C.I.E.

BANERJEE

(1870-1932)

Rai Bahadur Sarat Chandra, C.I.E. 1931; MA, DL; Advocate, Calcutta High Court.

Born 3 October 1870; 2^nd son of Sir Gooroo Dass Banerjee; married 1885 Usha Devi; three sons, one daughter.

Educated: Hare School; Presidency College, Calcutta; Metropolitan Institution.

Lecturer on Mathematics and Physics, Duff College, Calcutta 1892-93; Vakil, Calcutta High Court; Legal Assistant, Legislative Department of the Government of India, 1907-14; President of the Calcutta Improvement Tribunal, 1914-30.

Address: 28 Sastitala Road, Narikeldanga, Calcutta, India.

See also Banerjee, Sir Gooroo Dass.

BANERJI

(????-1903)

Durga Gati, C.I.E.; Member of Council, Bengal

Address: Calcutta

BASU

(1885-1937)

The Hon. Bijay Kumar, C.I.E. 1932; Senior Member of G. C. Chunder & Co., Solicitors, Calcutta; Member Council of State since 1931.

Born Chittagong, Bengal, 18 October 1885; younger son of Annada Prasad Basu and Rani Bhabani; married Kamala, daughter of Bhupendra Nath Dutt, Cossipur; two sons, two daughters.

Educated: Presidency College, Calcutta.

Admitted solicitor, 1911; was member of the Council of the Incorporated Law Society, Calcutta; the University Law College, Calcutta and of the Council of Law Reporting, High Court, Calcutta; Commissioner, Calcutta Corporation, 1921-24; Councillor, 1925-27; Alderman, 1927; Mayor of Calcutta, 1927-28; Examiner for Solicitors' Examination since 1931; Member of the Executive Committee, Indian Association; Treasurer, Indian Association; Treasurer, 3^rd Calcutta Boy Scouts' Association; was Chairman of the Executive Committee Tuberculosis Association of Bengal; travelled in the United Kingdom and the Continent to study Municipal Problems, 1927; Member, Retrenchment Advisory Committee, Government of India; Substitute Delegate for India, League of Nations Assembly, 1935; delegate from Indian Central Legislature to Empire Parliamentary Conference, 1935; Member Governor's Executive Council, Bengal, 1936.

Recreations: travelling, sight-seeing

Address: 50 Turf Road, Bhowanipur and 6 Old Post Office Street, Calcutta, India. T A Bikuba, Calcutta. Telephone: Park 10, Calcutta 1876

Clubs: Calcutta, Calcutta

BASU

(1859-1924)

Bhupendra Nath, MA, BL; Member, Council of Secretary of State for India, 1917-23; Member of Council of Governor of Bengal, since 1924; Vice - Chancellor, Calcutta University.

Born Calcutta, January 1859.

Educated: Presidency College, Calcutta.

Was Member, Bengal Legislative Council, also Viceroy's Legislative Council; President of the Indian National Congress, held in Madras, 1914; Representative of the Government of India at the International Labour Conference at Geneva, 1922; Member, Royal Commission on Indian Public Services, 1923.

Address: Temple Chambers, Calcutta.

Clubs: National Liberal; Calcutta, Calcutta

BOSE

(1851-1933)

Sir Bipin Krishna, Kt., cr. 1917; K.C.I.E., cr. 1920 (C.I.E. 1898); MA, BL; Advocate.

Born 21 January 1851

Address: Nagpur, Central Provinces, India.

BOSE

(1861-1930)

Rai Bahadur Chunilal, C.I.E. 1922; I.S.O. 1915; MB, FCS; Chairman of the Directors of the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works, Ltd., Calcutta.

Born 13 March 1861; 2^nd son of Babu Denonath Bose, a broker; married Srimati Tilottama, elder daughter of Babu Gour Kishore Sircar, Zemindar of Brahminpara in the district of Howrah; two sons, two daughters.

Educated: Sanscrit Collegiate School, the General Assembly's Institution, and the Medical College of Calcutta. Matriculation (Calcutta University), 1877; First Examination in Arts, 1879; Bachelor of Medicine, 1886; Gold Medallist in Botany, Pathology and Medicine, and recipient of Certificates of Honour and prizes in Anatomy. Surgery, Medical Jurisprudence, Midwifery, Hygiene, Clinical Medicine and Clinical Surgery.

Assistant Chemical Examiner and Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Medical College, Calcutta, 1886; Additional Chemical Examiner, 1894; Chemical Examiner and Professor of Chemistry, 1915-20; gold medal (Coates' Memorial prize) for original research work on the Chemistry and Toxicology of Nerium Odorum; Vice-President in the Medico-legal Section of the first Indian Medical Congress, 1894; Fellow of the Chemical Society, 1894; late Lecturer in Chemistry and Physics in the Campbell Medical School, and Lecturer in Chemistry in the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 1895 and 1899-1921; Examiner, MB and DPH, Calcutta University.

Vice-President and Trustee of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Calcutta; Ex-President of the Indian Provincial Medical Services' Association, and Vice-President of the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad (Bengal Academy of Literature); President, All India Temperance Association, 1917; President of the Students' Residence Committee, Calcutta University; Honorary Secretary of the Calcutta Orphanage, the Calcutta Blind School, and President, Indian Committee, District Charitable Society, Calcutta; President Shambazar Anglo-vernacular School; Member of the Sanitary Board, The Conciliation Panel, and recently of the Advisory Board of Industries, Bengal; Sheriff of Calcutta, 1921; Rai Bahadur, 1899.

Publications: a large number of scientific and literary papers, pamphlets and books.

Address: 25 Mohendra Bose Lane, Calcutta, India. Telephone: Burrabazar 2382.

BOSE

(1858-1937)

Sir Jagadis Chunder, Kt., cr. 1917, C.S.I. 1911, C.I.E. 1903, Officer de l'ordre de Belgique; F.R.S.; MA (Cantab.), DSc (Lond.); Hon. DSc, Calcutta, Lahore, Benares; Hon. LLD, Aberdeen; Corresponding Member, Academy of Sciences, Vienna; Hon. Member, Societas Scientiarum Fennica; Professor Emeritus of the Presidency College, Calcutta; Founder and Director of Bose Research Institute.

Born 30 November 1858; son of late Bhagaban C. Bose; married Abala, daughter of late Durga Mohan Dass.

Educated: Calcutta; Christ's College, Cambridge.

Delegate to International Scientific Congress, Paris, 1900; scientific member of deputation to Europe and America, 1907, 1914 and 1919; President, Indian Science Congress, 1927; former Member of International Committee on Intellectual Co-operation, League of Nations.

Publications: Response in the Living and Non-Living; Plant Response; Comparative Electro-physiology; Irritability of Plants; The Physiology of the Ascent of Sap; Life Movements in Plants; The Physiology of Photosynthesis; The Nervous Mechanism of Plants; Plant Autographs and their Revelations; Collected Physical Papers; The Motor Mechanism of Plants; Growth and Tropic Movements of Plants.

Address: Bose Research Institute, Calcutta. Telephone: Burrabaazar 1309.

Clubs: India, Calcutta.

BOSE

(18??-1927)

Sir Kailas Chandra, Kt., cr. 1916; CIE, 1910; OBE, 1918; Rai Bahadur; Kaiser-I-Hind Gold Medal, 1909; Fellow, Calcutta University; Vice-President, Indian Medical Congress; Fellow, Royal Institute of Public Health; Member, British Medical Association; Honorary Presidency Magistrate; Member of Governing Body, State Medical Faculty of Bengal; Presidency Magistrate and ex-officio JP; Municipal Commissioner; President of Calcutta Medical Club; Member of Plague Commission, Bengal; Delegate at All India Sanitary Conference, etc..

Address: 1 Sukeos Street, Calcutta. T: 1993

CHATTERJEE

(1874-1955)

Sir Atul Chandra, G.C.I.E., cr. 1933 (K.C.I.E., cr. 1925; C.I.E. 1919); K.C.S.I., cr. 1930; LL.D. (Hon.) Edinburgh;

Born 24 November 1874; son of Rai Sahib Hem Chandra Chatterjee and Srimati Nistarini Devi; married 1^st, Vina Mookerjee (deceased); one daughter; second, 1924, Gladys Mary Broughton, O.B.E., M.A., D.Sc., Barrister-at-Law, Lincoln’s Inn, formerly of the Indian Educatedal Service and Labour Adviser to Indian Government.

Educated: Presidency College, Calcutta; King’s College, Cambridge (Government of India Scholar); BA Honours. Passed first in the I.C.S. open competition, 1896; Bhownugger Medallist (Cambridge University).

Served as Assistant Magistrate, Joint Magistrate, Magistrate, and Collector in the United Provinces, 1897-1906; special inquiry in to industries in the United Provinces, 1907-8; Registrar, Co-operative Societies, UP, 1912-16; Revenue Secretary to UP Government, 1917-18; Chief Secretary to UP Government, 1919; Member, Board of Industries and Munitions, Government of India, 1920; Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Industries, 1921; Member of Indian Legislative Assembly, 1921-24; Industries Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, India, 1923-24; High Commissioner for India in the United Kingdom, 1925-31; Member of Council of India, 1931-36; Adviser to Secretary of State for India, 1942-47.

Indian Government Representative at International Labour Conference, Washington, 1919, and Geneva, 1921, 1923-33; President of International Labour Conference, 1927; League of Nations Assembly, 1925 and 1946; Member of Board of Liquidation, League of Nations, 1946-47; Member of the Governing Body, ILO, 1926-31, Vice President, 1932 and President, 1933; Leader of ILO delegation to World Economic Conference, 1932; Vice-President Consultative Economic Committee of the League of Nations, 1938-46; Chairman of Permanent Central Opium Board of League of Nations, 1938-46; Member of Allocations Committee of League of Nations;

Indian Delegate to London Naval Conference, 1930; Leader of Indian delegation to Ottowa Imperial Conference, 1932; Member of Imperial Economic Committee, 1925-31;

Fellow of the University of Allahabad, 1908-20; Chairman of Council of Royal Society of Arts, 1940 and 1941; Vice President, Royal Asiatic Society and Royal India Society; Vice-Chairman of Council of East India Association; Member of ILO Committee of Experts.

Publications: Notes on the Industries of the United Provinces (1908); New India (1947); (Jointly) Short History of India, 3^rd Edition, 1953; various contributions to journals and reviews.

Recreation: travel.

Address: 26 York House, Kensington Church Street, W8. T: Western 6190.

Clubs: Athenaeum; Calcutta (Calcutta)

CHATTERJEE

Dr. Gopal Chunder, MB, Hon. FRI (Lond); Rai Bahadur; Hon. Lecturer of Protozoology, Calcutta University; Founder Hon. Secretary, The Central Co-op. Malaria Society, Ltd.; Vice-President and Hon. Treasurer, Central Co-operative Anti-Malaria Society and Public Health Society, Ltd., 1952; Founder President, Bengal Co-operative Home Crofters’ Association Ltd.

Born 1873; second son of Dr. Nilmadhab Chatterjee, MB, Calcutta; married; two sons, two daughters.

Educated: Calcutta University

House Physician to First Physician , Medical College Hospitals, Calcutta, for three years; served as Asst. Bacteriologist to the Govt. of Bengal and Assistant Professor of Pathology and Bacteriology, Medical College, Calcutta, for twenty two years; Rai Bahadur, 1917; retired from Govt. service, 1922.

Commissioner of Panihaty Municipality, 24 Prgns, Bengal, for twenty one years; has specialised for many years in Bengal on tuberculosis, anti-malaria and public health.

Publications: many papers on Tuberculosis in medical journals. Editor, Sonar Bangha, a monthly journal.

Recreations: Propaganda for rousing the sanitary conscience of the people in the matters of public health, modern scientific agriculture and co-operative marketing, dairying, home crafting, research in intestinal flagellate protozoa and fermentative bacteria.

Address: 1/2A, Prem Chand Bural Street, Calcutta 12, India. TA: Antimalaria, Calcutta; T: 3070 Avenue

CHATTERJI

(1848-1917)

Sir Protul Chandra, Kt., cr. 1909; CIE; Rai Bahadur; MA, DL, LLD; retired Judge, Chief Court, Punjab; Advocate, Chief Court.

Born 8 October 1848; son of Nabo Chandra Chatterji; married first, Nitumbini Devi, daughter of Woomacharan Banerji, Calcutta; second, Basant Kumari Devi, daughter of Srinath Mukerji, landholder, Kanchrapara, Bengal; five sons, three daughters.

Educated: General Assembly's College, Calcutta; Presidency College, Calcutta, Law Department.

Enrolled as a vakil High Court, Calcutta, 1870; removed to Lahore, 1870. Municipal Commissioner, Lahore, 1887-95; Officiating Judge, Chief Court, 1889; Judge Chief Court, 1894-1908; Vice Chancellor, Punjab University, 1904 and 1907-09; President, Public Library, Lahore.

Address: 168 Cornwallis Street, Calcutta; Chatterji Road, Lahore.

Clubs: India, Calcutta; Punjab Association, Lahore.

CHAUDHURI

(1860-1924)

Hon. Mr. Justice Asutosh, Kt. Cr. 1917; BA (Cantab), MA (Calcutta University); Barrister-at-Law; Judge of the Calcutta High Court.

Born: Bengali, Brahmin, 1860. Elder son of Durgadas Chaudhuri, Zemindar of Rajshye, a member of one of the oldest families of that district, the title 'Chaudhuri' having been bestowed upon them by the Emperors of Delhi. Married Prativa Devi, of the Tagore family of Calcutta, grand daughter by son of Maharshi Devendranath Tagore; four sons one daughter.

Educated: St. John's College, Cambridge; Presidency College, Calcutta. After graduating in Calcutta went to Cambridge and studied mathematics, taking 3^rd Class Honours in the Mathematical Tripos, 1884.

Admitted as an Advocate of the Calcutta High Court, 1886; President of the Bengal National Conference; founded the Bengal Land Holders' Association in Calcutta, of which he was the Honorary Secretary for years; was one of the founders of the Calcutta National College, and has always taken a prominent part in reform movements in Bengal; first time a Hindu member of the Calcutta Bar has been appointed a Judge of the Court; now the Senior Judge on the original side of the Calcutta High Court; was President of the Bengali Literary Conference, and is President of the Calcutta Club.

Publications: Elements of Trigonometry; some other works for school use.

Address: 47 Old Ballygunge, Calcutta. T A Baratlaw, Calcutta.

Clubs: National Liberal; Calcutta, Calcutta.

COOCH BEHAR

(1886-1922)

His Highness Sir Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharajah of, KCSI cr. 1917.

Born 20 December 1886; son of Maharajah Nripendra Narayan and Maharani Sunity Devi (ne¢ e Sen); succeeded brother, 1913; married daughter of Gaekwad of Baroda; two sons two daughters.

Educated: Eton; Imperial Cadet Corps.

Area of State is 1307 square miles. The Maharjah is entitled to a salute of 13 guns.

Recreations: sport, games of all kinds.

Address: Cooch Behar, Bengal.

Clubs: Princees', Royal Automobile, Automobile Association, Motor; Calcutta, Orient, Royal Calcutta Turf, Calcutta; etc.

See also Cooch Behar, Sir Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur and Raj Rajendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharajahs of.

Sir Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur was the father Gayatri Devi, later Maharani of Jaipur, and holder of a Guinness Book World Record of winning an electoral victory by the largest margin.

COOCH BEHAR

(1862-1911)

Col. His Highness Sir Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharjah of, GCIE 1887; CB 1889; Honorary Colonel, His Majesty's Land Forces; attached VI King Edward's Own Cavalry; Honorary A.D.C. to His Majesty the King Emperor; Post Grand Senior Warden of England; Past District Grand Mark Master of Bengal.

Born: 4 October 1862. Succeeded father, 1863; married 1878, elder daughter of Keshub Chander Sen; four sons three daughters.

Educated: Ward's Institute, Benares; Bankipur College, Patna, under H. St. J. Keller; Presidency College, Calcutta.

Publications: Thirty-seven years of Big Game Shooting, 1909.

Address: Cooch Behar, Bengal; Woodlands, Alipore, Calcutta; Colinton, Darjeeling.

See also

Cooch Behar, Raj Rajendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur and Sir Jitendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharajahs of.

Sen, Nirmul Chunder, C.B.E.

The marriage of Sunity Devi to the Maharajah of Cooch Behar caused the Bramho Samaj to split.

COOCH BEHAR

(18??-1913)

His Highness Raj Rajendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur, Maharajah of

Succeeded father, 1911.

Address: Cooch Behar, Bengal.

DACCA

(18??-1915)

Nawab Bahadur, Sir, Khwaya Salimulla, G.C.I.E. cr. 1911; K.C.S.I., Nawab of

Address: Dacca, India

Compiler's Note: The Nawab was involved in the nationalist movements sweeping through Bengal at the turn of the century, but decided to support Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal in 1905.

DAS

(1867-1936)

Sir Kedarnath, Kt., cr. 1933; C.I.E. 1918; MD; Principal and Professor of Midwifery and Gynaecology, Carmichael Medical College and Obstetrician and Gynaecologist to the Hospitals.

Born 24 February 1867, son of Jadab Krishna Das.

Educated: Scottish Churches College; Calcutta Medical College. MB (Calcutta University), 1892.

Medical and Surgical Registrar, Medical College Hospital, 1892-99; Teacher of Midwifery, Campbell Medical School, 1899-1918; Fellow, Calcutta University; Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Calcutta University; Member, Bengal Council of Medical Registration; Member Governing Body, State Medical Faculty, Bengal; Honorary Fellow, American Gynaecological Society; Honorary Fellow, AAOG and Abd. Surgeons; Fellow, British College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Publications: Handbook of Obstetrics; Obstetric Forceps-its History and Evolution etc.

Address: 22 Bethune Row, Calcutta, India.

Clubs: Calcutta, Bengal Flying, Calcutta

DAS

(1872-1928)

Hon. Satish Ranjan, Barrister-at-law; Member, Governor - General's Executive Council since 1925.

Born: 29 February 1872; second son of Durga Mohan Das; married 1905, Bonolata, daughter of Behari Lal Gupta, CSI, ICS; two sons.

Educated: University College School, London; Grammar School, Manchester. Called to the Bar, Middle Temple, 1894.

Advocate, Calcutta High Court, 1894; Standing Counsel, Govt. of India, 1917; Advocate-General, Bengal, 1922.

Publications: A Letter to my Son; A New Policy for India, etc.

Recreation: tennis

Address: Simla, India.

See also Gupta, Bihari Lal, C.S.I. I.C.S.

DINAJPUR

(1860-1919)

Maharaja Sir Grirjanath Ray Bahadur of, K.C.I.E.

Born 1860; son by adoption to Maharaja Taraknath Roy and Maharani Shyammohini of Dinajpur; married 1876.

Educated: Queen's College, Benares.

Member, Eastern Bengal and Assam Legislative Council, 1906-11; Honorary Magistrate, Dinajpur; Vice-President, British Indian Association, Calcutta; former President, East Bengal Landholders Association; Chairman Dinajpur Municipality; former Vice-Chairman, Dinajpur District Board; President Dinajpur Landholders' Association;

Member, East India Association, London; Asiatic Society, Bengal; Calcutta Literary Society; Bangiya Sahitya Parisat.

Recreations: sports, music,

Heir: Maharaja Kumar Jagadisnath Ray, married 1916.

Address: Dinajpur Rajbati, Dinajpur, Bengal, India.; 43 Wellesly Street, Calcutta.

Clubs: India, Calcutta, Indian Sangita Samaj.

DUTT

(1848-1909)

Romesh Chunder, C.I.E., 1892; Fellow Royal Society of Literature; Member Royal Asiatic Society; Barrister-at-Law, Middle Temple; retired I.C.S.

Born Calcutta, 13 August 1848; second son of Isan Chunder Dutt, Calcutta; married 1864, Mano Mohini, daughter of Nobo Gopal Basu; one son, five daughters.

Educated: Hare's School; Presidency College, Calcutta; University College London Passed Open Competition Civil Service for India, 1869, taking third place in order of merit;

Joined Civil Service, 1871; District Officer, 1882-94; Divisional Commissioner 1894 and 1895, being the only native of India who attained that position in the last century; retired I.C.S., 1897.

Revenue Minister of Baroda State, 1904, 1905 and 1906. Member Royal Commission on Decentralisation in India, 1907-8; Prime Minister of Baroda State, 1909.

Publications: a series of historical and social novels in Bengali, and a translation of the Rig Veda and other Sanscrit religious works into that language; in English: Civilisation in Ancient India; Maha-bharata, condensed into English verse; Ramayana, condensed into English verse; Economic History of India under Early British Rule, 1757 to 1837; Economic History of India in the Victorian Age, 1837 to 1900; Lake of Palms, a Story of Indian Domestic Life; Slave Girl of Agra, 1909.

Recreation: walking

Club: National Liberal (London)