Eminent Personalities

Freedom Fighters Mangal Pandey – The man called to be the leader of our freedom started in 1857 i.e., the “Sepoy Mutiny”. He was a legendary martyr. Surendranath Bandyopadhyay (1848-1925)  - “A pilgrim of freedom battle. As Ashoke and Akbar dreamt, the Indian National Congress achieved through Surendranath” – described by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. A patriot, scholar and orator. Mahatma Gandhi said, “He as ever be remembered as one of the makers of modern India”. Satish Chandra Dasgupta – A Gandhian and very close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Founder of Khadi Prathistan (1925) at Sodepur and associate with  Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray and   Bengal Chemical. Mahatma Gandhi used to describe this institution as his second home and visited here on number of times. Gandhi rushed to Noakhali from this place in 1946 during riot with an eye to relief and restoration of peace. Netaji came here in 1939 for a political meet. This institution is  unique for generating cottage and small-scale industries with special attention to ‘Khadi’. Sri Das Gupta started publishing a magazine named ‘Rastrabani’ in both Bengali & English. He wrote some valuable books on Gandhi.   Literature Kabiranjan Ramprasad Sen (Halisahar 1720-1782) – An aesthetic and lyricist of ‘Sakta’ religions faith. He was a ‘Sava-Kabi’ of Maharaja Krishna Chandra. A poet, sensitive about his time and his songs are to be heard in practically every rural Bengali home even  to day. A part of his lyrics have been translated in French and English. Top

Freedom Fighters Mangal Pandey Surendranath Banerjee Satish Ch. Dasgupta Literature Kabiranjan Ramprasad Sen Bankim Ch. Chattopadhyay Tinkari Mukhopadhyay Upendranath Gangopadhyay Mohitlal Mazumder Satyendranath Datta Panchkari Bandopadhyay Khirod Prosad Vidya Vinode Kedarnath Banerjee Girindra Mohini Dasi Trailokyanath Mukherjee Sanjib Ch. Chatterjee Krishna Ram Das Baladeb Palit Others Brindaban Das Gangadhar Tarkabagish Ram Kamal Sen Nanda Kumar Naychancher Haraprasad Sastri Harinath De Benoytosh Bhattacherya Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee Sasipada Bandyopadhyay Srijib Nayatirtha

Raygunakar Bharat Chandra (Born in 1706 )  - A poet contemporary to Ramprasad Sen and a ‘Savakabi’ of Maharaja Krishna Chandra. His creation ‘Bidya Sundar’ is a subject of controversy till date.

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (Naihati 1838-1894) - Author of ‘Vandemataram’. He was the first Graduate of Calcutta University (1858). Bankim Chandra was a path finder of modern Bengali literature though he started with English novel (Rajmohan’s wife). ‘Bangadarshan’ a monthly magazine was brought out by him in 1872.  His novel Anandamath inspired Indian Freedom Fighters to face and fight the colonial ruler  for the freedom of the country.

Tinkari Mukhopadhyay (1854-1934) - A renowned journalist and writer from  Halisahar, was associated with ‘Pravati’ – a news paper and then with ‘Basumati’.

Upendranath Gangopadhyay (1881-1960) – Man of Halisahar though born in Cuttack. He was a novelist and  prose writer. Editor of “Bichitra”. He was the maternal uncle of  the famous writer Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

Mohitlal Mazumder (Born in 1888) - Born at Kanchrapara. Poet and critic.

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Satyendranath Datta (Born in 1882 ) -  Born at Nimta. A famous poet and close associate of Rabindranath.

Panchkari Bandopadhyay (Born in 1863) - Resident of Halisahar. A renowned prose writer and translator of ‘Ain-E-Akbari’ by Abul Fazal.

Khirod Prosad Vidya Vinode (1863-1927) The famous play writer who was born at Khardah, wrote Alibaba. All his play were  resounding successes. He edited a monthly mystry journal ‘Aloukik Rahasya’.

Kedarnath Banerjee (Born in 1863)  - Born at Dakshineswar. A prose writer and founder of ‘Prabasi Banga Sahitya Sammelan’.

Girindra Mohini Dasi (Born in 1858) - Born at Panihati. A poet.

Trailokyanath Mukherjee (Born in 1847) - Born at Rahuta near Jagatdal, writer and assistant curator of Indian Museum.

Sanjib Chandra Chatterjee (Born in 1834) - Born at Naihati,  writer of ‘Palamou’, elder brother of Bankim Chandra and editor of ‘Bangadarshan’ for some period. He was a gifted writer.

Krishna Ram Das – A poet and famous for ‘Kalika Mangal’ written at the age of 20 year only.

Baladeb Palit (Born in 1835) -  Born at Halisahar. A poet of Bankim era.

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Others

Brindaban Das (1518-89) A disciple of Sri Chaitanya and author of “Chaitanya Bhagabat”.

Gangadhar Tarkabagish (Halisahar) -  Scholar of Kumarhatta-Halisahar and a teacher of Sanskrit College, Calcutta (1825) who taught ‘Mugdhabodh” grammar to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. Vidyasagar expressed his deep gratitude and regards to him.

Ram Kamal Sen (Garifa, Naihati 1783-1844) – Grandfather of Kesab Chandra Sen and a man of letters, Dewan to the Bank of Bengal and Secretary of the Asiatic Society and other important institutions.

Nanda Kumar Naychanchu (1835)  Naihati – A Sanskrit Scholar and teacher of Sanskrit College, close associate of Vidyasagar.

Haraprasad Sastri (Naihati 1853-1936) -   Discovered  at Nepal the oldest available manuscripts of Bengali Language commonly called ‘Charyapadas’ dated around 10th to 12th Century A.D. and published as Buddhist song and Dohas. He was a famous Indologist associated with several institutions. He was also one of the best prose writers in Bengal.

Harinath De (Ariadaha, 1877-1911) – The first Indian member of the Imperial Education Service and the first Librarian of the Imperial Library (now National Library), heralded linguistic studies in the country. Master of twenty European and fourteen oriental languages.

Benoytosh Bhattacherya (Naihati 1897-1964) – worked at Baroda, son of Haraprasad Sastri, he wrote a number of books on Buddhisam and was editor of the Gaikas oriental series, edited and published numerous rare Sanskrit texts.

Sambhu Chandra Mukherjee (1839-94)  - Baranagar. A noted Journalist.

Sasipada Bandyopadhyay (1840-1928) Baranagar. - One of the young enthusiastics of Keshab Chandra Sen’s Brammo Samaj. Started a womens’ school at Baranagar in 1865. Worked against untouchability. Actively participated in  widow remarriage movement.

Srijib Nayatirtha (Bhatpara 1893-1992)- A famous Sanskrit Scholar and recipient of several fellowships and awards (including President's Honour). Professor of Calcutta and Jadavpur University.

Suggestions on  eminent personalities to enrich this page is welcome

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