Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury
Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury | |
|---|---|
ব্রজেন্দ্র কিশোর রায় চৌধুরী | |
 | |
| Born | 12 May 1874 |
| Died | 29 November 1957 (aged 83) Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Citizenship | British Indian (1874–1947) Indian (1947–1957) |
| Occupations | Zamindar, patron of music, educationist, philanthropist |
| Known for | Patronage of Indian classical music, contributions to the National Council of Education |
| Title | Landlord of Gouripur |
| Predecessor | Rajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury (adoptive father) |
| Successor | Birendra Kishore Roy Chaudhury (son) |
| Children | Birendra Kishore Roy Choudhury |
| Parent(s) | Hariprasad Bhattacharya (biological father) Rajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury (adoptive father) Bishweswari Devi (adoptive mother) |
Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury (Bengali: ব্রজেন্দ্র কিশোর রায় চৌধুরী; 12 May 1874 – 29 November 1957) was a zamindar of the Gouripur estate in Mymensingh District, British Bengal (now in Bangladesh). He was a patron of Indian classical music and contributed to the national education movement in Bengal.[1]
Early life and succession
Brajendra Kishore was born on 12 May 1874 in Balihar village, Naogaon District, Rajshahi Division, British Bengal.[2] He was the second son of Hariprasad Bhattacharya, belonging to a family from Naogaon.
Following the death of Rajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, the fourth zamindar of Gouripur, in 1873, his widow Bishweswari Devi Chowdhurani adopted Brajendra Kishore in 1877 to maintain the lineage.[2] During her management of the estate, Bishweswari Devi donated funds toward the establishment of local public institutions and schools.[3]
Upon the division of the estate, Bishweswari Devi retained a one-fourth share and transferred three-fourths to Brajendra Kishore. According to her directions, income from her share was utilized to establish an educational institution in her husband's memory, leading to the creation of Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School in 1911.[4]
Zamindari and public service
Brajendra Kishore succeeded to the management of the Gouripur estate. In 1939, he served on the Land Revenue Commission of Bengal (also known as the Floud Commission), which examined land tenure systems in the region. Alongside Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, the Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan, he submitted dissenting notes defending landholding interests during debates over agricultural revenue structures.[5]
He declined the title of "Raja" offered by the British colonial administration.[1]
He offered critical financial backing to leading Swadeshi Movement figures like Bipin Chandra Pal and Sri Aurobindo, helping fund nationalist newspapers—including Bande Mataram—to spread anti-colonial literature and ideas across Bengal.[6]
Educational contributions
Brajendra Kishore provided financial support to educational initiatives across Bengal. He was among the principal donors to the National Council of Education, an institution that later laid the groundwork for Jadavpur University in Kolkata.[1]
He founded and funded several schools, including:
- Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School (1911)
- Ishwarganj Bisweswari Government Pilot High School (1916)
- Madhyanagar Bisweswari Public High School and College (1920) in Sunamganj District
Arts and heritage
Brajendra Kishore developed an estate grounds complex in Gouripur featuring reservoirs, residential quarters, administrative offices, and a botanical area.[3]
He also acquired "Gouripur House" in Kalimpong, which hosted Rabindranath Tagore on several occasions between 1938 and 1940.[7] Additionally, he commissioned a wooden residence along the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh.[8][9]
Patronage of music
A practitioner of Hindustani classical music, Brajendra Kishore maintained a collection of musical notations and manuscripts. He hosted musicians at Gouripur, including Enayat Khan, Mohammad Ali Khan, Ustad Masid Khan, Ustad Uzir Khan, Hafiz Ali Khan, and Dabir Khan.[8]
His son, Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, became an instrumentalist on the sursringar, esraj, and veena, and later helped establish the music department at Rabindra Bharati University.[1]
Selected bibliography
- Marxism and the Indian Ideal (1941)[10]
- Sangeet Bigyan Probeshika - a journal about indian classical music.[8]
- The Status of Tansen in Hindustan Music. [1]
Legacy
The Gouripur estate premises were eventually partitioned over time to accommodate various public and academic institutions, including Gouripur Women's Degree College, municipal offices, and local parks.[9][11] The wooden Gouripur House in Mymensingh, currently utilized by Sonali Bank, has been designated a protected site under regional heritage regulations.[8][3][12]
See also
- Gouripur, Bangladesh
- Birendra Kishore Roy Choudhury
- Zamindars of Bengal
- Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School
- Gouripur, Bangladesh
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Raychowdhuri, Acharya Brajendra Kishore". Banglapedia. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Brajendra Kishōre Roy Choudhuri". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 newseditor. "The Life and Legacy of Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury". dailycountrytodaybd.com. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Samsad Bangla Charitabhidhan". 1960. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Records of the British Indian Association". British Library. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Incarnate Word". incarnateword.in. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Gouripur Bhavan". West Bengal Heritage Commission. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Islam, Aminul. "Gouripur House needs urgent attention". The Daily Star. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- 1 2 www.bahumatrik.com. "পর্যটন জনপদ হতে পারে ঐতিহাসিক গৌরীপুর". Bahumatrik | বহুমাত্রিক. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Marxism and the Indian Ideal by Chowdhury, Brajendra Kishore Roy: GOOD. JACKET: FAIR DJ HARD BACK ORANGE (1941) | Princeton Antiques Bookshop / Ruffolo Enterprises". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "গৌরীপুরের সেই জমিদার বাড়ি এখন জরাজীর্ণ ছাত্রীনিবাস". jagonews24.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ "Gouripur Lodge in Mymensingh: Once a cultural beacon, now a neglected landmark | The Daily Star". www.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
External links
- Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury at Banglapedia