Mahendranath Ray

The Hon'ble Babu
Mahendra Nath Ray
CIE, HonFRS, FRASB, FIAS
বাবু মহেন্দ্রনাথ রায়
Born(1861-10-29)29 October 1861
Howrah, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died16 August 1925(1925-08-16) (aged 63)
Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
EducationHowrah Zilla School
Alma materPresidency College, Calcutta
OccupationsLawyer, Educationist, Politician
Organization
SpousePrabodhmayee Debi
Parents
  • Babu Girijaprasanna Ray (father)
  • Phul Kumari Debi (mother)
FamilyZamindar Ray Family of Tajpur
Awards

The Honourable Babu Mahendranath Ray CIE HonFRS FRASB FIAS (1861–1925), was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, social worker, mathematician, educationist and a politician.[1] He was involved in the Indian freedom movement and was the first Indian elected chairperson of the Howrah Municipal corporation.[2][3] He was one of the founders of Asutosh College in Calcutta and was one of the most influential people of Howrah.[4] For his political works, commendable legal career and contributions to society, he was awarded the Companion of the Indian Empire in 1911 at the Delhi Durbar.[5][6][7][8]

Early life

He was born on 29 October 1861, in an aristocratic Mahishya family of Tajpur,[1] located in present-day Amta police station area of Howrah district.[6][9] The Ray family of Tajpur, were the Zamindars of Amta. His father's name was Girija Prasanna Ray, and his mother was Phul Kumari Debi. Mahendranath lost his father at an early age, and as a result, he was raised with great care and affection under the strict supervision of his grandfather Babu Jadunath Ray.[10][8]

Jadunath Babu, who was a very successful businessman and a Zamindar, built a large residence, almost resembling a palace, on the Khurut Road which is now known as Netaji Subhas Road in Howrah and arranged for Mahendranath's upbringing there.[11]

Mahendranath was a very bright student. He passed the Entrance Examination from Howrah Zilla School with high distinction and a scholarship, and then enrolled at Presidency College, Calcutta. He secured the first position in the F.A. (First Arts) examination, and in 1882, he passed the B.A. examination, standing first in the first division, earning the prestigious Ishan Scholarship,[1] awarded to the student who manages to score the highest marks and who tops the university by topping in every single paper particularly in Mathematics.[12][1] As well as the Vizianagaram Scholarship, awarded by the Vizianagaram Estate, to the most academically successful student of B.A. of the year in the University of Calcutta.[13] Subsequently, he earned his M.A. from the University of Calcutta in 1884, also earning a first position in the First division. Winning the highly coveted Burdwan Scholarship, awarded by the estate of the Burdwan Raj.[10] Furthermore, he was also selected for the famed Premchand Roychand Scholarship.[14] He was a classmate and a very close friend of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee. Following that he completed his B.L. from the University of Calcutta in 1885 while being a Lecturer of Mathematics at the City College, Kolkata.[6][10]

Career

Roy established a lucrative legal practice in Howrah and Calcutta. In 1885, he joined the Calcutta High Court as a Pleader and represented many clients in many big cases in the Calcutta High court and other district courts,[15] he earned the reputation of a hugely learned and empathetic legal practitioner, he was respected by both his colleagues and adversaries.[16][17] He was known for his unmatched oratory in the courtroom.[18] He also presented multiple cases before the Privy Council.[19] He practiced in the Calcutta High Court for nearly forty years.[20] From, 1895, he became a member of the The Asiatic Society at Calcutta.[21][22][23] Later in 1900, he was elected to be a Fellow of The Asiatic Society.[22] In 1901, he was appointed as one of the members among other members of the bar, to modernise the Calcutta High Court.[24] In 1924, he was elected the President of the Bar association of the Calcutta High Court.[25] In 1891, he was elected a Fellow of the University of Calcutta, being one of its first Indian fellows,[26] and in 1909, he was elected along with only one other Indian member to be an ordinary fellow of the university.[27] and from 1911 to 1920, he served as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council.[28] He became one of the most prominent members of the Indian National Congress from the district of Howrah.[29][30] He also, attended many provincial conferences of the party, including the one held in 1888.[30] He was also a professor of Mathematics and Law at City College, and served as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calcutta.[6] He was among the official examiners of the university for the papers in Mathematics.[31] He was also elevated to be a Magistrate for the Howrah district.[32] In 1914, largely due to his efforts, the proposed relocation of Shibpur Engineering College from Howrah to Dhaka was successfully prevented.[10]

Works

  • Improvement of street lighting in the city

After Babu Kedarnath Bhattacharya, Mahendranath Ray was the second elected Vice Chairman of the Howrah Municipal Board, from 1888 to 1896. Following that, he became the First elected chairperson of the Howrah Municipal Corporation, winning the election with a huge majority.[3][33] During Ray's tenure as Chairman of the Howrah Municipality, electric lighting was installed on all paved roads. Even in unpaved roads and also in slum areas, the number of kerosene lamps was reduced and electric lighting was introduced. In 1916, the last gas lamp was removed from Howrah city.

Under Act No.5 of 1873, the Howrah Municipality was empowered to levy an additional 3% tax to cover the expenses of gas lighting on the streets. Later, on 1 September 1932, a new agreement was signed between the Howrah Municipality and the Calcutta Electric Supply Company, which significantly reduced electricity costs. As a result, the number of electric lamp posts increased, while the number of kerosene lamps declined.[7]

  • Contributions in Academia

In 1893, he joined Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar's Indian association for the cultivation of Science and was one of its earliest faculty members, and later becoming one of its fellows.[34] He had an aptitude for Mathematics, and he was made the head of Mathematics department there and published many journals on the subject. He published two books by the name of "Algebra Part I & II". He was made an honorary member of the Royal Mathematical society in London.[6] He was also one of the early members of the Calcutta Mathematical Society, since its inception.[35] He was regarded as one of the best mathematicians of the country at that time.[36]

  • As a Senator of the University of Calcutta

In January 1891, Mahendranath Ray was elected as a member of the council ( Fellow) of the University of Calcutta. He was one of the first elected Fellow of the university.[37] In 1910, he also became a member of the Syndicate of the University of Calcutta.[38] He was instrumental in the founding of the Rajabazar Science College, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee had personally entrusted him with the management of the massive educational project.[6]

Styles

Personal life

In 1878, Mahendranath Ray married, Prabodhmayee Devi, the eldest daughter of Babu Srinibash Panja, a famous Jotedar.[6]

Death and legacy

On 16 August 1925 Mahendranath Ray died at the age of 64 in his house at 2, Balaram Bose 1st Lane, Bhowanipore, Calcutta.[41] His funeral was attended by most of the eminent personalities of the city and whole of Bengal at that time, such as Birendranath Sasmal, Sarat Chandra Bose and J M Sengupta. A huge procession was organised by the Indian National Congress.[6]

In the city of Howrah, near Shibpur, there is a road called "Mahendra Nath Ray Ln" named after him which connects the Grand Trunk Road and the Netaji Subhash road. In the front of the building of Howrah Municipal Corporation his bust stands, a garland is placed every year, on the founding day of the corporation.[25] Moreover, in his native village of Tajpur, near Amta, he founded a school called "Tajpur Mahendranath Ray institution" in 1895, which continues to perform well.[6] The former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee first began his career as an assistant teacher in this very school in 1957.[42][43] He visited the school back in 2017, and also inaugurated a statue of Mahendra Nath Ray, during his visit.[44]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Mukhopādhyāẏa, Ālokakumāra (1990). Nagara Hāoṛā (in Bengali). Pratimā Mukhopādhyāẏa. p. 141.
  2. ^ Mukherjee, Alok Kumar (1992). Howrah, a Study in Urbanization. Chatterjee Publishers. pp. 109 and 123. ISBN 978-81-85089-08-9.
  3. ^ a b "The dirtiest since 1889". Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Asutosh College – University of Calcutta (C.U.)". asutoshcollege.in. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  5. ^ The Historical Record of the Imperial Visit to India, 1911. government of India. 1914.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Senapati and Das, Uma and Dulal Krishna (2018). মাহিষ্য রত্নাবলী জীবনী শতক [Mahishya Ratnavali Biographical Century] (in Bengali) (2nd ed.). Kolkata: Tuhina Publications (published 2020). pp. 177 to 179. ISBN 9788194434641.
  7. ^ a b Sayan De (15 March 1982). Howrah Jeler Itihas Vol II Achal Bhattacherjee. p. 34.
  8. ^ a b Mukhopādhyāẏa, Ālokakumāra (1990). Nagara Hāoṛā (in Bengali). Pratimā Mukhopādhyāẏa. p. 140.
  9. ^ Ray, Rajat Kanta (1984). Social Conflict and Political Unrest in Bengal, 1875-1927. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561654-5.
  10. ^ a b c d Sayan De (15 March 1982). Howrah Jeler Itihas Vol II Achal Bhattacherjee. p. 153.
  11. ^ Mukherjee, Alok Kumar (1992). Howrah, a Study in Urbanization. Chatterjee Publishers. ISBN 978-81-85089-08-9.
  12. ^ DasSarma, Basudeb; PhD, Basudeb DasSarma (9 November 2010). Journey of a Lifetime: Memoir of an Indian-American Chemist. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4653-3424-4.
  13. ^ Misra, Atmanand (1962). Educational Finance in India. Asia Publishing House.
  14. ^ Calcutta, University of (1886). Minutes.
  15. ^ Who was who: A Companion to Who's Who, Containing the Biographies of Those who Died During the Period. A. & C. Black. 1929.
  16. ^ The Indian Law Reports: Containing Cases Determined by the High Court at Calcutta. Calcutta series. West Bengal Government Press. 1906.
  17. ^ India), India High Court (Kolkata (1911). The Indian Law Reports: Calcutta Series. Containing Cases Determined by the High Court at Calcutta. Superintendent, Government Print., West Bengal Government Press (published 2011). pp. 683 to 685.
  18. ^ Bengal Provincial Conference, 1888: First Session. Ghosh : distributors, Firma KLM. 1976. p. 3.
  19. ^ The Calcutta Law Journal: Reports of Cases Decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on Appeals from India and by the High Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal. Calcutta law journal office. 1906.
  20. ^ The Indian Law Reports: Calcutta series. Superintendent, Government Print., West Bengal Government Press. 1903.
  21. ^ Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The Society. 1896.
  22. ^ a b Bengal, Asiatic Society of (1900). Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The Society.
  23. ^ Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The Society. 1896.
  24. ^ History of the Bar Association by Behari Lal Pal
  25. ^ a b Man and Life. Institute of Social Research and Applied Anthropology. 1992.
  26. ^ Sen, Khagendra Nath (1970). Education and the Nation: An Indian Perspective. University of Calcutta.
  27. ^ The Calcutta Gazette. 1909.
  28. ^ a b Who was who. St. Martin's Press. 1929.
  29. ^ Ghosh, Pansy Chaya (1985). The Development of the Indian Natio[n]al Congress, 1892-1909. Firma KLM. ISBN 978-0-8364-1411-0.
  30. ^ a b Bengal Provincial Conference, 1888: First Session. Ghosh : distributors, Firma KLM. 1976.
  31. ^ Kukula, Richard; Trübner, Karl Ignaz (1892). Minerva: Jahrbuch der gelehrten Welt (in German). W. de Gruyter.
  32. ^ the, Bengal (India) Chief Secretary to the Government, Office of (1908). Half-yearly Civil List for Bengal.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "Government – Howrah Municipal Corporation". Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  34. ^ Science, Indian Association for the Cultivation of (1920). Annual Report ... p. 40.
  35. ^ Society, Calcutta Mathematical (1924). Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society.
  36. ^ Sinha, Dilip Kumar (2002). Aspects of Mathematical Sciences and Mathematical Education: A Contemporary Critique. Progressive Publishers.
  37. ^ Sankhdher, B. M. (1999). Encyclopaedia of Education System in India: Lord Curzon to world war I, 1914. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 237. ISBN 978-81-7100-947-3.
  38. ^ Sankhdher, B. M. (1999). Encyclopaedia of Education System in India: Lord Curzon to world war I, 1914. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 978-81-7100-947-3.
  39. ^ Ghosh, Yatindrakumar (1972). Bengal Provincial Conference, 1918: Hooghly Session. distributors] Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay.
  40. ^ The Historical Record of the Imperial Visit to India, 1911. government of India. 1914.
  41. ^ The Indian Year Book. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 1926.
  42. ^ "'Pranabda lives simple, thinks big'". The Times of India. 23 June 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  43. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব (28 January 2019). "প্রাক্তন শিক্ষক প্রণব ভারতরত্ন, স্কুলে উৎসব". Ananda Bazar Patrika. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  44. ^ "Pranab falls ill during Howrah trip". The Times of India. 26 December 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
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