Introduction
Everybody in India has heard the name of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. He was one of the greatest men of modern India.
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Birth and parentage
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He was born in Calcutta on the 5th November, 1870. His father’s name was Babu Bhuban Mohan Das. he was an attorney of the Calcutta High Court. He belonged to a respectable Vaidya family of Vikrampore, Dacca, now in Bangladesh.
His education
Chittaranjan at first read in the London Missionary School at Bhowanipur in South Calcutta. He passed the Entrance Examination in 1886. He passed the B. A. Examination from the Presidency College in 1890. Then he went to England and became a Barrister-at-Law.
Career
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He came back to India and joined the Calcutta High Court as an advocate. At first he could not make much progress as a lawyer. But he worked hard, and soon became the most successful barrister. He earned a lot of money in this profession. He was also a poet.
A great patriot
He was a great lover of his country. His great ambition was to make India free. So he fought against the Government. He joined the non-co-operation movement of Mahatma Gandhi. At that time he gave up his profession. It was a great sacrifice on his part. He became President of the Indian National Congress at Gaya in 1922. He was also the first Indian Mayor of the Corporation of Calcutta.
His charity
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Chittaranjan was also known for his boundless charity. He helped many poor and needy men. He had even away his family residence for the good of the country. Chittaranjan Sevasadan is now situated there.
His last days
People gave him the title of Deshbandhu, because he was a true friend of his countrymen. He worked so hard that his health soon broke down. He died at Darjeeling in 1925. His dead body was brought down to Calcutta. There was a grand procession when his dead body was carried to the burning ghat at Keoratala from Sealdah station. People showed great respect to their departed leader. They all came out in the streets to see his dead body for the last time. No one had seen such a big gathering in a funeral procession ever before.