Ramesh Chandra Majumdar

Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, widely known as R. C. Majumdar, was born on 4 December 1888 at Khandarpara in the Faridpur district of Bengal, an area now in Bangladesh. He studied history at Presidency College in Calcutta, graduating with Honours in 1909, and obtained his M.A. from the University of Calcutta in 1911. His early historical research was conducted under the guidance of the noted scholar Haraprasad Shastri, and in 1912 he received the Premchand Roychand Studentship for research.

Majumdar began his academic career at Dacca Teachers' Training College in 1913 and joined the History Department of the University of Calcutta as a lecturer in 1914. His doctoral research became the basis of Corporate Life in Ancient India, published by the University of Calcutta in 1919. The work examined institutions and forms of corporate organization in ancient India and established him as a serious scholar of Indian history.

In 1921, Majumdar joined the newly established University of Dhaka as Professor of History. During his years in Dhaka, he carried out important research on the history of Bengal and ancient India. His Early History of Bengal appeared in 1924, while Outline of Ancient Indian History and Civilization, later known as Ancient India, was published in 1927.

Majumdar became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, serving from 1937 to 1942. He also contributed to major collaborative historical projects, including the preparation of comprehensive histories of Bengal and India. His scholarship covered ancient Indian civilization, Bengal, Southeast Asian connections, and the modern history of India.

Among his best-known publications are Corporate Life in Ancient India, Ancient India, The History and Culture of the Indian People, An Advanced History of India—written with H. C. Raychaudhuri and Kalikinkar Datta—and History of the Freedom Movement in India. His extensive body of work made him one of the most influential historians of twentieth-century India.

Majumdar's interpretations of Indian history, particularly the history of the freedom movement, have also been the subject of scholarly debate. His approach and conclusions differed from those of some other historians, making his writings an important part of discussions about Indian historiography.

Ramesh Chandra Majumdar died in Kolkata on 11 February 1980, aged 91. His publications continue to be consulted in studies of Indian and Bengali history.