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Mitra, (Raja) Digambar (1817-1879) businessman, politician, social worker and writer, the first Bengali sheriff of Calcutta (1874), was born in the village of Konnagar in Hughli in 1817. Digambar started his education at Hare School in
Kolkata in 1827. In 1830 he went to hindu college where he came in contact with the young bengal group, and became exposed to western concepts. His professional career started as a teacher at the Nizamat School in Murshidabad. In 1837 he became estate manager of Raja Krishnanath of Qasim Bazar. Impressed by his efficiency, the raja awarded him one lakh rupees. This changed Digambar's fortune. He increased his wealth by trading in silk and indigo. He set up industries to manufacture products locally and made the country known to the outside world. Despite his riches, he was a kind person. He listened to the problems of his workers and tried to find solutions to them. While working with Union Bank, he came to know dwarkanath tagore, who inspired him to take up politics. To reduce the miseries of farmers and the poor, he formed an organisation called the British Indian Association on 31 October 1851 and became its assistant secretary. He was elected vice-president of the association in 1869 and president in 1873. The association soon became a platform to protest against oppressive government policies. He made an agreement, called the Royal Charter, with the government in 1853. In 1857, Digambar Mitra became vocal against the black laws and the special privileges of the British. Although he was a zamindar himself, he spoke for the poor farmers. He worked as assistant secretary and president of the Bharat Sabha. He became famous for opposing the Wood plan for state governance. He delivered a lecture at the Town Hall on 6 April 1857 on the laws relating to the trial of Englishmen by Indian judges. He represented Bharat Sabha at the Income Tax Conference in 1862 and was made an honorary justice of peace. In 1864, he was the only Indian representative to the Epidemic Fever Commission and was made a non-official member of the Bengal Legislative Assembly. He was also made a member of the Legislative Council three times.
Digambar Mitra was awarded the titles of Bharat Ratna
in 1876 and Raja in 1877 by the government for his philanthropic activities.
Digambar Mitra died on 20 April 1879. [Md Masud Parvez] |
