LORD GAURANGA

Shishir Kumar Ghose was born (1840) in an obscure village in Bengal. He had his early education at the Zilla School, Jessore. Passing the Entrance (Matric) examination from the Hare School, Calcutta, he appeared for the B.A. privately, but failed. For a time he was at the Engneering College. In his frail frame dwelt an indomitable spirit combining a kindness born out of universal love with the fire kindled by patriotism.

With a view to education the poor peasantry against the atrocities of the Indigo-planters in Bengal, Shishir Kumar started a Bengali papter in 1868 at Amrita Bazar Village. How this paper later moved to Calcutta and developed into the English daily Amritta Bazar Patrika that was nightmare of British bureaucracy in India towards the close of the century is a mighty and inspiring saga of Indian Journalism.

Shri Ghose always took active interest in the civic affairs of Calcutta, and may be said to be the father of the Corporation's constitution.

With advancing age, Shishir Kumar paid increasing attention to spiritual matters. From the atheism of his early Brahmo Samaj days, he slowly changed and finally became a devout follower of Lord Chaitanya, singing Kirtans in his gifted voice. He also wrote books like Amiya Nimai Charit and Kalachand Gita which are outstanding works in Bengali Bhakti literature. This book is a condensed version of his famous English masterpiece which originally appeared in two volumes.

Shishir Kumar died in 1911, deeply mourned in India and abroad as a rare patriot, journalist and devotee.