Chittaranjan Das

Chittaranjan Das was born on November 5, 1870, in Calcutta, British India. His family had roots in Bikrampur, in present-day Munshiganj, Bangladesh. His father, Bhuban Mohan Das, was a lawyer and journalist associated with the Brahmo Samaj. Das received his early education in Calcutta and studied at Presidency College before going to England to study law. He was called to the Bar and returned to India to establish a legal career.

Das became one of the leading lawyers of the Calcutta High Court. His national prominence increased through his defense of Aurobindo Ghose in the Alipore Bomb Case. His work in the case established him as an important figure in the nationalist movement. He formally joined the Indian National Congress in 1906 and gradually became increasingly involved in political activities.

During the Non-Cooperation Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi, Das gave up his highly successful legal practice and devoted himself to nationalist politics. He was elected president of the Indian National Congress session at Gaya in 1922. After disagreements within the Congress over participation in legislative councils following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, Das and Motilal Nehru established the Swaraj Party in 1923. The party sought to enter legislative institutions and use them to challenge colonial policies from within.

The Swaraj Party became an important political force in Bengal. In 1924, Das became Mayor of Calcutta after the party secured a majority in the municipal elections. During his mayoral tenure, he worked on municipal administration and welfare-related initiatives. His political thinking also emphasized self-government, national education, village development, and Hindu-Muslim cooperation.

Das was also a writer and poet. His literary works included Malancha, Mala, Sagar Sangit, Kishore-Kishoree, and Antaryami. He was associated with journals and newspapers and used writing as another means of engaging with the political and cultural questions of his time.

Das was closely associated with younger nationalists, including Subhas Chandra Bose, who worked with him in Calcutta's municipal administration. His wife, Basanti Devi, also participated in the nationalist movement. Das's decision to give up his legal career and substantial personal resources for public causes contributed to his popular title, "Deshbandhu," meaning "Friend of the Country."

In 1925, Das's health deteriorated, and he withdrew to his residence in Darjeeling. He died there on June 16, 1925, at the age of 55. His death marked the end of a political career that had included major roles in the Indian National Congress, the Swaraj Party, and the Calcutta municipal government.