40) Chittaranjan Das ; Popularly called “Deshbandhu” (Friend or Comrade of the Nation) (05.11.1870 – 16.06.1925)

Chittaranjan Das (or Chittoronjon Dash in Bengali);Popularly called “Deshbandhu”- Friend  or Comrade of the Nation (05.11.1870 – 16.06.1925)

Chittaranjan Das (or Chittoronjon Dash in Bengali), popularly known by the honorific “Deshbandhu” (Friend or Comrade of the Nation) was born in Calcutta (present day Kolkata) on 5^thNovember 1870 into a progressive Brahmo Samaj family of Telirbagh, now in Dhaka District (Bangla Desh). His father was a solicitor and a journalist, who also, edited the English Church Weekly “The Brahmo Public Opinion”. Chittaranjan studied at Presidency College, Calcutta from where he graduated and then went to England to write the Indian Civil Services Examination, in which he could not qualify.  Nevertheless, he completed his studies in Law and started practicing at the bar, on his return to India in 1893.

Prominent Solicitor and Leader in the Indian Nationalist Movement:
He rose to become a prominent lawyer of Bengal and a well known leader in the Indian Independence struggle/Nationalist movement. He gained immense popularity, when he successfully defended Sri Aurobindo Ghose (Sri Aurobindo, mentioned in my previous post), in the “Alipore Bomb case” trial, in 1908. He developed his strong patriotic ideas from his father Bhuban Mohan Das and Bankim Chandra.

He became an active member of the Nationalist movement from his Presidency College days, even when he was a member of the Student’s Association in 1886. He helped Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghose in publishing “Bande Matram”, an English Weekly for propagating the ideals of “Swarajya” (Self-Rule” – for Indians). It was only in 1917 that he came to the forefront of Nationalist politics.

He was a prominent member of the Congress Party, and served on all important Committees of the Party.  He was a powerful orator and denounced the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms which established a Dyarchy in India. He joined Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement in 1920, and travelled extensively throughout the country during 1919-1922, propagating the values of “Swarajya”.

He is well known, also, for starting the movement for boycotting British or Western dresses. He set an example by burning his own Western clothes and wearing hand made indigenous “Khadi” clothes only.   

He was a strong advocate of non-violence and stood for achieving India’s right to self-rule/Independence through peaceful and constitutional means of protest. He was arrested along with his family and imprisoned for six months in 1921.

On the failure of the Non-cooperation movement, he advocated the adoption of an obstructionist policy from within the legislative councils (No Council entry), so that the Government would sit up and take notice and do away with the Dyarchy.  However, the moderate faction within the Indian National Congress opposed this move tooth and nail. 

He was left with no alternative but to leave the Congress and  with Motilal Nehru, and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, he founded the “Swarajya Party” which gained immense popularity in Bengal and the Central Provinces winning majorities in the Legislative Councils , including the Calcutta Corporation, which made him as the first popularly elected mayor of Calcutta. Thus, Chittaranjan Das made the British Government sit up and take notice of his views, from within the Legislative Councils as originally envisaged by him.

Social contributions:

In 1917, he presided over the Bengal Provincial Conference, where he firmed up a plan for village reconstruction through the establishment of “Local Self Government”, Co-operative Credit Societies, and emphasis on Cottage Industries. 

He also, supported the cause of National Education and the vernacular medium, and wanted the youth to be properly educated, so as to participate in the Nationalist movement as informed and knowledgeable members.

He had a liberal social and religious outlook and was against caste discrimination and untouchability. He took up the cause of women’s education, equality and widow remarriage. He even donated his house and surrounding lands to the Nation for being used for the betterment of the lives of women.

He stood for “Self-rule for the masses and not the classes”. For him, “Swarajya” was a “Government by the people and for the people”.

Realizing that Hindu Muslim unity was a key  essential  for the attainment of  Indian Independence, in 1924, he put forward his famous “ Bengal Communal Pact” in 1923, for promoting permanent peace between the two communities .

He wanted an assimilation of the best of Eastern and Western cultures and even advocated a Federation of oppressed Asian Nations, including India. His commitment and enthusiasm for taking up the cause of ‘Self-Rule’ for India earned him the informal title of “DeshBandhu (Friend of the Country).

His writings:

In 1914, he started publishing a literary magazine “Narayan”. He had several poems/ writings to his credit, including “Malancha “(1895) which got him branded as an atheist, “Mala” (1904), “Sagar Sangit” (1913), “Kishore-Kishoree” (1915) and “Antaryami” (1915). He also started a newspaper called “Forward” to spread his message of “Swarajya” to the citizens of India. This paper was later called “Liberty”.

Death and legacy:

He passed away on 16.06.1925. At the time of his passing away Mahatma Gandhi and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, among others, paid rich tributes to him and the values he had lived for.

He was a great solicitor, a social reformer, and at the forefront of Indian Nationalism.

He will always be remembered for his active role in shaping the history of India during his time and his commitment to the Indian Nationalist Movement which played a prominent role in India achieving Independence in 1947.

He left behind him a determined set of committed followers/disciples to carry on his legacy for an Independent India, one of the most prominent ones being Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. 

A women’s hospital which was built on the lands donated by him to the nation called “Chittaranjan Seva Sadan” is now a Super Specialty Hospital. 

Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) , originally named Locomotive Manufacturing Works, set up in a village called Mihijam in West Bengal was renamed after him and after partition was relocated on the border of West Bengal and Bihar to a location named “Chittaranjan” in his honour. Chittaranjan Railway station is in Bihar.   CLW was inaugurated on 26^th January 1950, on the day India became a Republic and the first steam locomotive which rolled out on the occasion was named “Deshbandhu” after him. CLW also manufactured Diesel engines and is now engaged in manufacturing Electric locomotives.

Chittaranjan Park is a predominantly Bengali locality, named after him in New Delhi, housing families which had been dislocated during the Partition of Pakistan from India.

The Reserve Bank of India, to commemorate the life of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, has brought out a two rupee coin in 1998 for general circulation.

The obverse of the coin has the Lion Capital in the centre together with the words “Satyameva Jayate “ (Truth always Prevails) which together form the emblem/Coat of Arms of India. The numeral “2” denoting the denomination of the coin is below the emblem. On the left periphery are the words “Bharat” and “Rupiye” in Hindi and on the right periphery are the words “India” and “Rupees” in English.

On the reverse of the coin is a portrait/image of  Chittaranjan Das, with the words “Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das “ spelt out both in Hindi and English. His life years “1870-1925” are also engraved on the coin’s right periphery . The year 1998 which is the year of issue for this coin is mentioned below his portrait. This coin was minted at Kolkata mint. Notice that there is no  mint mark below the year of issue.

Posted on 11.03.2015:

On the Anniversary of Chittaranjan Das' birth, Indian Posts & Telegraphs brought out First Day Cover bearing a commemorative stamp in the denomination of fifteen paise on 05.11.1965.



(The First Day Cover on Chittaranjan Das is from the collection of Rahul Kumar).