Subodh Chandra Mullick

Infobox Person
name = Subodh Chandra Mullick


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = 9 February 1879
birth_place = Kolkata
death_date = 14 November 1920
death_place = Kolkata
occupation = Nationalist
spouse =

Subodh Chandra Mullick, Raja, (also known as S.C.Mullick or Raja S.C.Mallick or Raja Subodh Mallick or Subodh Chandra Basu Mullick or Subodh Chandra Basu Mallik) (1879–1920) was a nationalist in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) during the British rule of India. He is notable for the substantial monetary contribution for the cause of education. He also participated in freedom movement of India and was incarcerated for short terms.

Early life

The son of Prabodh Chandra Basu Mullick of Pataldanga, Kolkata, he studied at St. Xavier’s School and Presidency College. In 1900, he passed the First Arts examination and was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge. However, owing to family problems, he had to return back to India. It was then that he joined the nationalist movement and his house in Wellington Square was a major centre of political activity. Sengupta, Subodh Chandra and Bose, Anjali (editors), 1976/1998, "Sansad Bangali Charitabhidhan" (Biographical dictionary) Vol I, Bn icon, p. 585, ISBN 8185626650 ]

National Council of Education

The early years of the twentieth century were years of political turmoil in Bengal. With the passing of the Universities Act of 1904, Calcutta University’s Senate and Syndicate were reorganised by nominating more white members into them to enable the government to control its policies. The government decided to disaffiliate many private Indian colleges, which had come up lately and were regarded by the Government as hot beds of nationalist agitation. The measures stirred the educated middle class to move for alternative systems of education.cite web
url = http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/N_0087.htm | title = National Council of Education | accessdate = 2007-08-04 | last = Palit | first = Chittabrata | work = Banglapedia | publisher = Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]

In 1905, Bengal was partitioned and the Swadeshi movement followed. The anti-partition agitation had as its manifesto, of boycott of foreign modes and also national education. On 16 November the Landholders Society organised a meeting at Park Street, attended by 1500 delegates, among whom were eminent men of the time. The idea of the National Council of Education was mooted here. In a meeting held on 9 November 1905 at the Field and Academic Club, Subodh Chandra Mullick pledged Rupees one lakh for the foundation of a National University in Bengal.

On 1 June 1906, the council was registered and on the 11 March 1922 the foundation stone of Sri Aurobindo Bhavan at the present Jadavpur University campus was laid. This is now one of the finest universities in India. The university has three faculties: engineering and technology, science and arts. It has several departments under each faculty. [cite web | url = http://www.indiaeducation.ernet.in/insitutions/profile.asp?no=U00368 | title = Jadavpur University | accessdate = 2007-08-04 | last = | first = | work = | publisher = indiaeducation]

Political and other activities

In 1907, he bore the expenses of all delegates from Bengal attending the session of the Indian National Congress held at Surat. The same year, he visited Barisal, which had been at the forefront of the Swadeshi movement, and other places in East Bengal. He was one of the collaborator’s of Sri Aurobindo in his secret action. It was in his house that Sri Aurobindo usually lived when he was in Kolkata. [cite web
url = http://intyoga.online.fr/sa_note.htm | title = Sri Aurobindo | accessdate = 2007-08-04 | last = | first = | work = A General Note on Sri Aurobindo's Political Life | publisher = Sri Aurobindo Ashram - Pondicherry ] He had donated a house for use by the revolutionary newspaper "Bande Mataram".

It is believed that the decision to assassinate Douglas Kingsford, District Judge of Muzaffarpur, in which Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki were involved, was taken by a revolutionary 'tribunal' consisting of Sri Aurobindo, Charu Chandra Dutt and Subodh Chandra Mullick. [cite web
url = http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:cnya9uqpcygJ:www.informaworld.com/ampp/siteindex%3Frequest%3D%252Findex%252F777818412.pdf+Aurobindo+Subodh+Mullick&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=17&gl=in | title = Aurobindi Ghose and Revolutionary Terrorism
accessdate = 2007-08-04 | last =
first = | work = | publisher = Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives and Research Library] He was held without trial in 1908–10 and was arrested in 1918 under the Regulations Act.

He founded the Life of Asia Insurance Company and was a trustee of the National Council of Education from 1906 till his death.

Recognition

In appreciation of his donation to the National Council of Education, the people of Bengal bestowed on him the title of ‘Raja’ (meaning "The King"), which has remained a unique example in the history of the freedom movement. [Bose, Nemai Sadhan, "Indian Awakenining and Bengal", 1960/ 1990, p. 300, Firma KLM Private Limited.] Wellington Square, where his house was located was renamed Raja Subodh Mullick Square. The long stretch of road in front of Jadavpur University, from Jadavpur Police Station to Garia is named after him. His once palatial house at 12 Raja Subodh Mullick Square lies in a shambles, bearing the status of a disputed property. [cite web
url = http://auroramirabilis.blogspot.com/2005/12/raja-subodh-mullicks-once-palatial.html | title = Raja Subodh Mullick’s once palatial house | accessdate = 2007-08-04 | last = | first = | work = Heritage house entangled in legal web | publisher = [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=22&id=36176&usrsess=1 "The Statesman", 27 April 2003] / auroramirabilis]

References

Persondata
NAME= Subodh Chandra Mullick
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Subodh Chandra Basu Mullick
SHORT DESCRIPTION=
DATE OF BIRTH= 9 February 1879
PLACE OF BIRTH= Kolkata
DATE OF DEATH=14 November 1920
PLACE OF DEATH= Kolkata