Photo: Arijit Bhattacharyya

The legacy of Derozio,

a Messiah of
Bengal Renaissance
easily be traced even today in epitaphs after
SAMIT KAR epitaphs inscribed on the tombs in the
graveyards of the city cemeteries.
The year 2008 happens to be a very It is not a matter of little wonder how a
special year for the Bengalees, in particular, young man who would live for only 22 years
and the Indians, in general. This year was able to literally take the then orthodox
marks the 200th birth anniversary of our Bengal society comprising the zamindars,
country’s great patriot, nationalist and great the Brahmins and a new class of novorich
exponent of patriotic poems—Henry Louis Vivian by storm and leave an indelible mark
Derozio. on the history of the race for generations
Henry Louis Vivian Derozio was born on to come. His tireless vigour to uphold the
18 April 1809. He lived for only 22 years, 8 tradition of reason and logic did have a lasting
months and 8 days, and breathed his last imprint to draw the roadmap towards the
on 26 December 1831, succumbing to the initiation of the Bengal Renaissance. There
dreaded Asiatic Cholera that, incidentally, took is indeed a thought-provoking critique with
away lives of a number of youths hailing regard to the social class character of the
from the West, the testimony of which can 19th century Bengal Renaissance and the

8 WEST BENGAL MAY 2008

The then Hindu College, a sketch

role of the Bengal intelligentia who, to germinate from his constant

arguably, more often than not sided interaction with his ever-loving
with the Britishers. But it still does beautiful sister.
hold water that such arguments Derozio began to study at The
notwithstanding, nineteenth century David Drummond’s School at
Bengal Renaissance was indeed Dharmatolla. Drummond was a
a social fact and Derozio was vastly learned Scottish missionary
definitely one of the herbingers. His tireless vigour who evoked in Derozio his passion
Early Life to uphold the for free-thinking, truthfulness,
In the year 1806, parents of Henry tradition of scientific bent of mind and of course
Louis Vivian Derozio, father Francis reason and logic a life free from all sorts of narrow,
Derozio, the chief accountant at did have a lasting selfish and parochial interest.
the James Scott & Company, and imprint Derozio had his first lessons in
mother Sophia Johnson tied the to draw the superstition-free rational thinking,
knots and began to live on 155 roadmap towards apart from the good grounding
Lower Circular Road (Presently the initiation of in History, Philosophy and English
Acharya Jagadish Chandra the Bengal Literature.
Bose Road) at Entally, Padmapukur. Renaissance. Derozio quit education at the
Francis was the chief accountant age of 14 and joined his father’s
at the James Scott & Company, and his concern initially in Kolkata and later in
earning at that period of time was indeed Bhagalpur. Inspired by the scenic beauty of
substantial. the banks of the river Ganges, he started
Henry Louis Vivian Derozio had two brothers, writing poetry. Some of these were published
Frank and Claudius Gilbert, as well as two in Dr. Grant’s India Gazette. His critical review
sisters, Sophia and Emilia. Elder brother Frank of the works of Emmanual Kant attracted
excelled in various terrains of music while the attention of the intelligentsia. In 1828,
elder sister Sophia died at the early age of he went to Kolkata with the objective of
seventeen. His younger sister Emilia was his publishing a book of poems. On learning that
great source of inspiration. Henry’s passion a faculty placement was lying vacant at the
to forge with reason, his uncanny knack to newly established Hindu College, he applied
raise as many questions as possible to ascertain for it and was selected. Amongst his poetic
the veracity of a particular phenomenon began creations, Fakir of Jhungeera is famous.

WEST BENGAL MAY 2008 9

 It may be recalled that Raja residence of his aunt, a Mrs.
Ram Mohun Roy established the Wilson. Noted historian, professor
Brahmo Samaj in 1828. This Susobhan Sarkar, a legendary
brought forth a massive commotion teacher in the Department of
and backlash within the orthodox History, Presidency College,
Hindu Society. It is in this Kolkata, in his famous book titled
perspective that Derozio started On the Bengal Renaissance ,
advocating his revolutionary ideas Nineteenth wrote: “Here [Bhagalpur] Derozio
that culminated in what was to
century Bengal b l o s o m e d o u t a s a w r i t e r ,
become a social revolt.
contributing to the India Gazette,
A sensation in Hindu College Renaissance
composing poems (including the
Derozio introduced the first was indeed a
Fakir of Jhungeera, inspired by
generation of English-educated social fact local legends). He wrote patriotic
students of this part of the world
and Derozio verse, unusual in one from his
to the ideas then in vogue in
was definitely community earlier than
the West. Although he was a
Kashiprasad Ghose.”
teacher of Class Four (the highest one of the
class then was called Class One), Some of his poems are indeed
herbingers.
he attracted students of other worth mentioning:
classes too. He helped them with To India—My Native Land
their studies even beyond the officially My Country ! in thy day of glory past
allocated class hours. Many of his students A beauteous halo circled round thy
used to go to his home and he entertained brow,
them as friends. And worshipped as a deity thou wast.
Derozio encouraged free thinking Where is that glory, where that
and a habit of questioning the orthodox reverence now?
Hindu customs and conventions on Thy eagle pinion is chained down at
the basis of Judeo-Christian rationalism. last,
He infused in his students the spirit And gravelling in the lowly dust are
of freedom, the yearning for knowledge thou:
and the passion to serve their native Thy minstrel hath no wreath to
country. weave for thee
In his efforts, Derozio created a sensation Save the sad story of thy misery!
as a lecturer in Hindu College. Students Well-let me dive into the depths of
there who become his ardent admirers and
time,
followers came to be known as Derozians.
And bring from out the ages that
Derozio organised an academic association
have rolled
where his students spoke on various
A few small fragments of these
subjects and he used to listen to them.
wrecks sublime,
In 1830, they published a magazine
Which human eye may never more
titled Parthenon. Apart from articles criticizing
behold:
Hindu practices, the students wrote on
women’s ema ns cipation and criticized And let the guerdon of my labour
many aspects of the British rule in India. be
Parthenon got banned after the publication May fallen country! One kind wish
of its first issue. from thee!
He wrote on his students: Well known Researcher of Bangladesh,
“Expanding like the petals of young Saifuddin Ahmed, in his book titled
flowers Derozio. Jiban O Sahitya, p u b l i s h e d b y
I watch the gentle opening of your Bangla Academy, Dhaka, narrated how
minds.” Derozio prefered to call himself a (true)
Derozio’s Poems Indian and inked a number of
As mentioned earlier, Derozio went to illuminating poems for his motherland.
Bhagalpur to spend his days at the This is one of the greatest contributions

10 WEST BENGAL MAY 2008

of this illuminating soul who Where roses bloom in many
was able to so profoundly enrich avale
the 19th century Bengal Where green-clad hills
Renaissance. majestic stand,
Derozio was able to make so Where flowers woo the
much an imprint as a poet in scented gale
the psyche of the Bengalees that Where Surya from his throne
noted poet Satyendranath Dutta Derozio above
was inspired to translate some introduced With brightest colour paints
of his poems. In his quest for the bay,
the first
patriotism and love for India, Whose mighty Gunga’s
Derozio wrote some memorable
generation of billows low;
poems, which are indeed worthy English-educated And wonder many a country
of mention. It brings to the fore students of this by;
his classical contribution as a
part of the world Whose ocean smiles screne
poet, which is yet to be explored below
adequately. In one such poem,
to the ideas Beneath the blue and sunny
he conceived India as the Harp, then in vogue sky.
which is indeed again worth in the West. Land of the gods and lofty
mentioning. name;
The Harp of India Land of the fair and beauty’s spell;
Why hang’st thou lonely on you Land of the bards of the mighty fame;
withred bough? My native land! For E’er farewell.
Unstrung for ever, must thou there
Derozio’s patriotism
remain?
On 17 December 1831, just nine days before
Thy music once was sweet—who
his death, Derozio presented a memorable
hears it now?
piece of oration. This unforgettable speech
Why doth the breeze sigh over thee
of his etched out his honesty, transperancy,
in vain?
patriotic fervour, love for his countrymen and
Silence hath bound thee with her
his deep concern for reason, rationality and
fatal chain,
logic. It was a long speech; yet a select
Neglected, mute and desolate art thou,
reference may be instructive in ascertaining
Like ruined monument on desert plain:
the mindset of Derozio, the Messiah of reason
O! may a hand more worthy for
and logic, as also the Messiah of the Bengal
than mine
Renaissance.
Once thy harmonious chords to
The Bengal Renaissance did have
sweetness gave,
certain limitations too. No doubt, the
And many a wreath for them did
social reform movement in the 18th
Fame entwine
and 19th centuries was able to create
Of flowers still blooming on the
a great social churning, which was able
minstrel’s grave:
to set aside numerous social barriers
Those hands are cold—but if thy
and cleavages detriment to the forward
notes divine
march of the society. But a large number
May be by mortal wakened once again,
of protagonists of the Renaissance and
Harp of my country, let me strike
the social reform movement were virtually
the strain!
the collaborators of the British Raj. They
Derozio’s passion for India was, in a word,
felt, it was owing to the initiation of the
great. He was a great admirer of India’s
British rule in India that the process of
scenic beauty of bountiful Nature. He preferred
modernisation and Westernisation was able
to call the sun in its native word, Surya .
to set in. As a matter of fact, the Bengalee
The poem flows in the following way:
middle class intelligentsia happened to be
To My Native Land the bedrock of British rule in India and the
Kashi Prosh Goesh social history of this part of Bengal indeed
Farewell my lovely native land bears some murky shades. But Derozio

WEST BENGAL MAY 2008 11

 was, no doubt, an exception. On rulers. Their abysmal sycophancy
that great speech just nine days plummeted to such a level that
before his demise, he said: some of these zamindars prefered
“In a few years the Hindus will to style the face of the image of
take their stand by the best and Goddess Durga in the form of Queen
the proudest Christians; and it Victoria. Even the wives of some
cannot be desirable to excite the of the Viceroys and Governor
Derozio
feelings of the former against Generals were depicted similarly.
the latter. The East Indian encouraged free But Derozio, being a Eurasian, was
complain of suffering from thinking and indeed a departure from this
prescription, is it for them to a habit of culture of servitude and slavery.
prescribe? Suffering should questioning the When the native zamindars literally
teach us not to make others orthodox Hindu behaved as trusted slaves
suffer. Is it to produce different customs and of the Raj, he was upright and
effect of East Indians? We conventions on bold enough to hold his head
hope not.” the basis of high and waged a war of
It was indeed the greatness of Judeo-Christian reason against the vested
Derozio which had prompted him rationalism. interest of the colonial rulers
to unleash such a scathing attack and of course an equal proportion
on the Christians, the religious community he of the powerful natives. It was rather
himself belonged to. His reflection “suffering ironical that these sections of people had their
should teach us not to make others suffer” is own reasons to consider Derozio as an
indeed a great lesson for each and every Indian, impediment in their way to ensure their
especially the Hindus. The Hindus practise one cherished desires.
of the most inhuman forms of exploitation in Derozio’s concern for the endemic deprivation
the guise of the caste system. Caste system of the commoners can easily be gauged from
breeds abysmal inequality in terms of economy, the following excerpt of one of his speeches:
status, honour, esteem and rank. It generates “The admission of East Indians to certain
untouchability, one of the most inhuman forms rights do not preclude the possibility of
of social degradation. But sadly there are other classes of the population also
untouchables within the untouchables and this securing for themselves the privileges
is indeed the worst form of cruelty in the Hindu to which they are entitled. If the East
caste system. Indians were permitted to enjoy all
In this same speech Derozio insisted upon privileges they now seek, it would be
the plural and inclusive ethos and culture of impossible to withhold the claims of
India since time immemorial. At present, India others. The enemies have tried to set
is ravaged by the dreaded feelings of animosity both the Europeans and the natives
in the forms of communalism, reductionism, against them by saying that they seek
casteism, parochialism, centrifugal propensities, exclusive privilege, well knowing that
disintegrative tendencies, to name a few. if they once enter the breach, there will
Moreover, India’s dignity and honour was further be many to follow...
dwarfed by total submission to the British Raj “Nothing has of late excited more
only to seek undue and unnecessary favour attention from persons of all descriptions
and benefits. It is a matter of shame that the than the condition and prospects of the
native zamindars, who were able to gain a lot inhabitants of India. The subject was
from the impact of Permanent Settlement Act little considered a few years ago, but
1793, introduced the practice of celebration from various circumstances, it has now
of ‘Durgotsav’ only to appease the colonial acquired so much importance that there
masters. In those days, when money was much seems to be but one opinion on the
dearer, the social parasites in the form of point—that the situation of the people
Bengalee native zamindars used to fork out of India may be and requires to be
lakhs of rupees only to appease the colonial improved.

12 WEST BENGAL MAY 2008

 The apathy, formerly so general, place them above the antiqueted
is rapidly giving place to a lively ideas and aspirations of the age.
concern for promoting the true Such was the force of his
welfare of the people, on the instruction that the conduct of
broadest and most solid basis.” the students out of the college
Derozio, a great revolutionary was most exemplary and gained
teacher them the applause of the outside
Derozio was often understood as Derozio world, not only in a literary or
a forerunner of reason and created a scientafic point of view, but what
Renaissance in 19th century sensation as was of greater importances, they
Bengal. He had a number of great a lecturer in were all considered men of truth.
intrinsic qualities in him. But his Hindu College. Indeed the ‘College boy’ was
landmark role as a teacher in the Students there a synonym for truth.”
Hindu College was undoubtedly who became his Derozio’s greatness as a
exemplary. This was one of the admirers and legendery teacher needs to be
most important factors that made followers came understood from the fact that he
him so special in the annals of to be known as was perhaps the first teacher who
Bengal social history. This can be Derozians. stressed upon the need to inculcate
best revealed from the description the culture of debate and dialectical
provided by Haramohan Chattopadhyay, a thoughts among his students by forming
non-teaching staff of the then Hindu College, Academic Association. In such exercise,
which was quoted by a noted biographer of Derozio would throw up an issue and himself
Derozio: participate for or against the thought.
“The students of first, second and third His main intention was to develop the power
class had the advantage of attending of reason and a logical mind among his beloved
a conversation established in the school students. But sadly, there is hardly any teacher
by Mr. Derozio where readings in poetry, in the contemporary scenario of higher
literature and moral philosophy were education.
carried on. The meetings were held This author was involved in a major study
almost daily after or before school hours. on the social impact of the panchayat system
Though they were without the in West Bengal few years back. During the
knowledge or sanction of the authorities course of the study, it was revealed that
yet Mr. Derozio’s zeal and devotion in very few teachers of schools, colleges and
bringing up the students in these universities were directly involved in the process
subjects were unbounded, characterised of spreading mass literacy programmes. This
by a love and philanthrophy which upto feeling of frustration and despair was echoed
this day has not been equalled by any repeatedly by the villagers. The bulk of the
of the teachers, either in or out of service was provided by the students,
the services. unemployed youths and panchayat
“The students in their turn loved him functionaries. But the teachers virtually
most tenderly and were ever ready to remained mute spectators. This is perhaps
be guided by his counsels and imitated an important example, which distinctly upholds
him in all their daily actions in life. In the fact that a large number of mainstream
fact, Mr. Derozio acquired such an teachers teaching at various levels of education
ascendency over the minds of his pupils are clearly shedding the social responsibility
that they would not move even in their that Derozio volunteered so vigorously about
private concerns without his counsel two centuries back.
and advice. On the other hand, he Soon the Academic Association became a
fostered their tastes in literature, taught famous and vibrant forum for intellectual
the evil effects of the idolatry and exercise. The meetings of this forum used
superstition and formed. So far their to take place at a Gardenville in Manicktola.
novel conceptions and feelings, as to And the ones who used to frequent these

WEST BENGAL MAY 2008 13

 lively, vibrant discussions were all Hinduism by the Derozians could
legendary personalities of the time be revealed from a description
such as Rashikkrishna Mallick, as offered by Haramohan
Krishnamohan Bandyopadhyay, Chattopadhyay in the following
Ramgopal Ghosh, Radha- lines:
nath Sikdar, Dakshinaranjan “The principle and practices of
Mukhopadhyay, Harachandra Hindu religion were openly ridiculed
He (Derozio)
Chosh, Ramtanu Lahiri, and condemned, and angry
Shibchandra Deb, Parychand Mitra. was perhaps disputes were held on moral
Later, even the likes of David Hare, the first teacher subjects. The sentiments of Hume
Colonel Benson, the private who stressed had been widely diffused and
secretary to William Bentinck, Dr. upon the need warmly patronised..., The most
Mill, the Principal of Bishop College, to inculcate glowing harangues were made at
too, became regular participants. the culture of debating clubs which were then
The students and other debate and numerous. The Hindu religion was
participants used to participate in dialectical denounced as vile and corrupt and
endless debates and discussions. thoughts among unworthy of the regard of rational
Most of such exercises centered his students. beings. The degraded state of the
around the prevailing illogical and Hindus formed the topic of many
conservative ethoes of the society and religion. debates, their ignorance and superstition were
They believed, these were inhuman practices declared to be the cause of such a state,
and as such it needed to be remedied at and it was then resolved that nothing but a
any cost. The Babus and the powerful Hindu liberal education could enfranchise the minds
Society became furious against Derozio and of the people.
his followers; and Derozio, in spite of being The students of the Hindu College who
a great teacher, was shown the door of Hindu became very close to Derozio began to identify
College by the college authority at the behest themselves as Young Bangal. This they had
of the powerful Hindu Babus of Kolkata who perhaps emulated from the young
used to have profound say by virtue of their revolutionaries of Italy, who under the
money power in running the Hindu College. inspiration of Matzini and Garibaldi, used to
Derozio was expelled from the college without call themselves as young Italy.
being given a scope to defend himself. This Derozio’s expulsion from Hindu College
was unethical, illegal and immoral. But that On 23 April 1831 the Hindu College authority
was perhaps the order of the day as Derozio met at an emergency meeting to discuss
was so courageous in inviting the wrath of ‘various allegations’ against Derozio who,
this power coterie of Hindu College. This they contended, was unable to comply with
was indeed a national shame. Sibnath Sastri the behavioral trait supposed to be performed
wrote in his famous treatise Ramtanu Lahiri by a teacher of this august institution. In
O Tatkalin Banga Samaj: “Derozio left the this historically significant meeting, the members
Hindu College. But the waves which was able who attended included Chandra Kumar Thakur,
to introduce began to gain further fillip along Vice-President Wilson, Radhakanto Deb,
with the passage of time.” This statement Radhamadhab Bandyopadhyay, Ramkamal Sen,
by Sibnath Sastri was able to correctly portray David Hare, Rasamoy Dutta, Prasanna
Derozio as the first fireless soldier of Bengal Kumar Thakur, Srikrishna Sinha and secretary
Renaissance of the 19th century. Laxminarayan Mukhopadhyay. The meeting
Derozio gained the wrath of the traditional discussed the proposals regarding why
Hindu conservatives—who were rich by virtue Derozio should be summarily dismissed
of ownership over large quantum of agricultural without giving him an opportunity for
land as a beneficiary of the Permanent self-defence. It may be mentioned here that
Settlement Act 1793—having profound clout the Hindu College at that time was controlled
and a pressing hegemony over the then by a very reactionary and orthodox Hindu
Bengalee society. The scathing attack on coterie who began to apprehend that the

14 WEST BENGAL MAY 2008

continuation of service of Derozio But he was candid enough in raising
in Hindu College may jeopardize certain points about:
their position and hence he needs “(1) There was no definite
to be dismissed with immediate allegation against me.
effect. This is perhaps a case in (2) If there was any allegation,
point which proves that the apostles I was not informed.
of reason and logic were proved (3) I was not allowed to make
The students...
to be fetters in the course of human myself present to defend
history time and again. Very few who became very myself at the meeting.
genius and great men have been close to Derozio (4) I was not heard nor anyone
able to win laurels during their began to identify of the complainants (were
life time. Derozio was indeed of themselves as heard) close-door in the
no exception, and his dismissal Young Bangal. meeting.
made him one of the notable This they had (5) I was not given any chance
inclusions in the annals of such perhaps emulated to render my response, instead
great men who were thoroughly from the young you have resorted to character
rejected and disowned by the revolutionaries assassination against myself
prevailing society. of Italy. which are thoroughly baseless
The said meeting saw that the and fictitious.
members were divided in taking an appropriate (6) Majority of the members declined
decision against Derozio. But it was owing to state that as a teacher I was
to the insistence of three important members, incompetent and thus you have
Radhakanta Deb, Radhamadhab resorted to dismiss me at one pretext
Bandyopadhyay and Ramkamal Sen that a or other. Worse still, you have not
final decision was taken against Derozio. even considered forwarding my case
It may be mentioned that the Hindu College to the court of law for taking necessary
authority prefered to ask Derozio to submit action against me. I would prefer to
a letter of resignation instead of sacking him restrict my comments about the
directly. But whatever may be their style of outcome of this day’s meeting.”
action, the ultimate result was unidirectional; In this way, Derozio prudently concluded
Derozio became a prey of a conservative, his letter of resignation.
orthodox, parochial and mean-minded Hindu The Derozian legacy
community of the 19th century Bengal. The The dismissal of Derozio is one of the murkiest
dismissal of Derozio is indeed a ready-reckoner and saddest happenings of Bengal social
in highlighting the abysmal inferior mentality history and the role of the orthodox,
of the conservative Hindus. conservative Hindu Bengalees was perhaps
These Bengalee Hindus became the most even worse. The fact that the Bengalee
formidable and solid social base of the British Hindu Babus who dominated the late
Raj, and this was proved beyond doubt soon 18th and 19th century Bengalee Society
when the turbulence of the first Indian war where all the beneficiaries of the British Raj.
of Independence in 1857—which literally They were shamelessly plaint to the colonial
tormented the bulk of the states in north masters and equally ruthless and cruel in
and central India—failed to have any discernible subjugating the masses for maintaining
impact on the Bengal presidency. their economic and social hegemony. Some
Derozio’s letter of resignation of them curiously enough became patrons
Derozio in a letter to the Managing Committee for the spread of English education, literary
of the Hindu College stated his compulsion and cultural awakening, which became
to resign from the Hindu College much against central in the germination of the Bengal
his wish. In this letter he thanked three Renaissance. It was this great legacy of late
members of the meeting, namely, David Hare, 18th and 19th century Bengal social history
Wilson and Babu Srikrishna Sinha for backing that Bengal had been a witness to the
him during the course of the deleberation. emergence of great men who toiled hard in

WEST BENGAL MAY 2008 15

 the genesis of this new socio- Derozio is now virtually a
cultural awakening, which forgotten name. But the relevance
subsequently came to be known of his great tradition as a teacher
as ‘Bengal Renaissance.’ and an honest crusader against
There are indeed thought- the social evils has become much
provoking debates and more relevant in our contemporary
controversies whether the social society. It is our moral and ethical
Derozio is now
churning, which happend during compulsion to hold high the ideals
this period of time, may at all be virtually a of this great and honest
considered the Renaissance. There forgotten name. revolutionary as well as patriotic
are some scholars who have But the relevance hero in order to liberate our
pointed out that it is improper to of his great society from the deep social
draw parallels with the Renaissance tradition... problems as he was able to so
that blossomed in Western Europe. has become prudently envisage about 200 years
Yet, the cultural, social and religious much more back. Thus it is high time that
reform movements indeed had an relevant in our the role and contribution of
important impact in doing away contemporary Derozio should have a re-look
with the various elements of society. now by the all concerned to
backwardness of the then Bengal usher in a better future for the
society. To whatever limited extent it may the generations to come.
be, Derozio was indeed the pioneer of this A select reference
new social awakening. But the most important 1. On the Bengal Renaissance, Susobhan Sarkar,
contribution of Derozio was his insistence Papyrus, Kolkata, 1979.
on the spread of reason, logic and rational 2. Derozio, Jiban O Sahitya, Safiuddin Ahmed,
thought. The way he inculcated the culture Bangla Academy, Dhaka, 1995.
of debate among his students was indeed 3. Italio Renaissance-er Aloke Banglar
his landmark contribution, which later became Renaissance, Dr. Saktisadhan Mukhopadhyay,
an important part of basic education in modern Progressive Publisher, Kolkata 2000.
educational system. 4. M a n u s h G a r a r K a r i g a r D e r o z i o, M r i n a l i
Derozio stressed upon the need to develop Dasgupta, Camp. Kolkata, 1997.
the dialectical way of thinking and acting, 5. Indian Philosophy in Modern Times , V Brodov,
which may make an individual more self- Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1984.
reliant, confident and scientific in one’s outlook 6. Ramtanu Lahiri O Tatkalin Banga Samaj,
and disposition. He tried relentlessly, and Sibnath Sastri, New Age Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
some of his deserving pupils like Rev. Kolkata, 1955.
Khrishnamohan Bandyopadhyay and Ramgopal 7. Social background of Indian Nationalism,
Ghosh religiously followed his line of thought. A. R. Desai, Popular Prakashan Bombay,
But the short life-span and an even shorter 1948.
span of teaching career of Derozio thwarted 8. Chirasthayee Bandobaste Bangladesher
many of his aspirations and desires. Krishak, Badruddin Umar, Chirayat prakashan,
The name of Derozio is indeed a name of Kolkata, 1972.
great reverence in the domain of knowledge 9. Ouponibeshik Bangla, Tajul Islam Hashmi,
and Education. But in order to bestow our Papyrus, Kolkata, 1985.
real reverence to Derozio on the occassion 10. Speech Delivered by Professor Surya Kumar
of his two hundredth birth annivarsery, we Bandyopadhyay on the occassion of year-
need to become more devoted and trusted long celebration to commemorate the 200th
souls in order to make India become Birth Anniversary of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
emancipated from an endemic poverty, by Presidency College, Kolkata, Seminar held
deprivation religious fundamentalism, o n 1 7 A p r i l 2 0 0 8 .n
ignorance, illeteracy and most other social,
economic and cultural malaise with which The author is a reader, Presidency College,
our country is deeply afflicted. Kolkata.

16 WEST BENGAL MAY 2008