Chittaranjan Das: Life and Contributions

Chittaranjan Das

• Das was born on November 5, 1870, in Calcutta.
• His family were Vaidyas (physicians) known for their love of learning and progressive ideas.
• His father was a lawyer and journalist, and his mother was large-hearted and hospitable.
• Das inherited good qualities, a logical mind, liberal outlook and hospitality from both parents.
• He was fond of patriotic poems from childhood.
• He started school at age nine and attended Presidency College.
• He excelled in English but struggled with Mathematics.
• He was passionate about Bengali literature, reading Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rabindranath Tagore.
• He showed oratory skills and became Secretary of the Students' Association.
• In 1890, he went to London to qualify for the Indian Civil Service.
• Though he performed well, he wasn't selected, possibly due to political activities.
• He used home-made goods and engaged in political activities.
• He criticized remarks about Indians made by English leaders.
• His father advised him to study law.
• He joined the Inner Temple in London and became a barrister in 1893.
• Das started his legal career in the Calcutta High Court.
• He faced financial difficulties as his father became insolvent due to expensive habits/generosity.
• He supported his large family.
• Das gained fame in criminal cases and became a successful lawyer in civil cases.
• He defended various national workers, including Bepin Chandra Pal.

Das's Nationalism and Political Beliefs

• Das defined nationalism as a process enabling nations to express themselves and find their identity, not in isolation, but as parts of a larger scheme assisting the self-realization of other nations.
• He believed each nationality should proceed on its own, finding fulfilment in self-expression and self-realization.
• He stressed the importance of unity among nations, but also recognized diversity as essential for the world's unity.
• Das felt that each nation is a particular stream of the greater unity, but can fulfill itself only by realizing its identity with humanity.
• He argued that nationalism's aim was to identify a particular nation's stream and destiny, tracing continuity from the past, thus initiating self-expression and hindering growth.

Das's later life, activities, and reform

• Das was a poet, having written the book "Malancha".
• He had interest in the social and political issues.
• He founded the "Narayan" (a Bengali monthly) to promote his ideas through literature.
• He was in the editorial board of the journal "Bande Mataram".
• He helped establish a national college in 1905.
• In 1906, the Bengal Provincial Conference (anti-government) was held in Barisal, where he drafted a resolution on self-reliance.
• He was involved in the 1908 Alipore Bomb Conspiracy case, taking on the defense of Aravinda Ghose and incurring significant personal debt in the process.
• Das was involved in a boycott of schools, colleges and law courts.
• He led the 1917 Congress session.
• He was against the Rowlatt Act, and supported Satyagraha.
• He participated in the Jallianwala Bagh incident.
• He was in the enquiry committee chaired by Mahatma Gandhi, regarding the event.
• Das worked to establish and lead the Swaraj Party.
• He proposed that the Congress not boycott legislative councils.
• Later he received considerable accolades and honors.
• He was elected first Mayor of Calcutta's Corporation.
• He left his legal practice to devote himself to the freedom struggle.
• Chittaranjan Das's influence on Subhas Chandra Bose.

Last days

• His last days were marked by illness, and he died in 1925.
• His death was mourned as a national tragedy, and he is still remembered for his contributions to India's freedom struggle.