Bidhan Chandra Roy

Bidhan Chandra Roy MRCP, FRCS; (1 July

1882 – 1 July 1962) was an eminent
Indian physician, educationist,
philanthropist, freedom fighter and
politician who served as the Chief Minister
of West Bengal from 1948 until his death
in 1962. Bidhan Roy is often considered
the Maker of Modern West Bengal[1] due to
his key role in the founding of several
institutions and five eminent cities,
Durgapur, Kalyani, Bidhannagar,
Ashokenagar and Habra. He is one of the
few people in history to have obtained
F.R.C.S. and M.R.C.P. degrees
simultaneously. In India, the National
Doctors' Day is celebrated in his memory
every year on 1 July. He was awarded
Bharat Ratna on 4 February 1961, India's
highest civilian honour.[2]
 Bidhan Chandra Roy
MRCP, FRCS

িবধান চ রায়

Bidhan Chandra Roy in 1943

2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal

In office
23 January 1948 – 1 July 1962

Preceded by Prafulla Chandra Ghosh

Succeeded by Prafulla Chandra Sen

Member of Legislative Assembly
In office
1952–1962

Preceded by Constituency
 established

Succeeded by Bijoy Singh Nahar

Constituency Bowbazar

In office
1962–1962

Preceded by Bijoy Singh Nahar

Succeeded by Siddhartha Shankar Ray

Constituency Chowranghee
6th Mayor of Kolkata
In office
5 April 1931 – 9 April 1933

Personal details

Born 1 July 1882

Bankipore, Bengal
Presidency, British India

Died 1 July 1962 (aged 80)

Kolkata West Bengal
 Kolkata, West Bengal,
India

Political party Indian National

Congress

Parents Aghore Kamini Devi

Prakash Chandra Roy

Residence Kolkata, West Bengal,

India

Alma mater Presidency College,

Calcutta
Patna University

Profession Physician •Politician •

Educationist

Awards Bharat Ratna (1961)

Early life and education

Bidhan Chandra Roy was born to a Bengali
Kayastha family on 1 July 1882 at
Bankipore, Patna,Bihar, where his father,
Prakash Chandra Roy, was working as an
excise inspector. His mother, Aghore
Kamini Devi, was a pious lady and a
devoted social worker[3]. Bidhan was the
youngest of five siblings — he had 2
sisters, Susharbashini and Sarojini, and 2
brothers, Subodh and Sadhan. Bidhan's
parents were ardent Brahmo Samajists, led
an austere and disciplined life, and
devoted their time and money to the
service of everyone in need, irrespective of
caste or creed[4].
Prakash Chandra was a descendant of the
family of the rebel Hindu king of Jessore,
Maharaja Pradapaditya, but did not inherit
much wealth from his ancestors. He
earned only a moderate salary for most
part of Bidhan's childhood, yet he and
Aghore Kamini supported the education
and upbringing of not just their own
children but also a number of other poor
children, mostly orphans. The spirit of 'give
and take' was inculcated in Bidhan and his
siblings from their tender years. They were
taught and even encouraged to give away
what was precious to them, freely and
willingly[4].
Bidhan completed his matriculation from
Patna Collegiate School in 1897, obtained
his I.A. degree from Presidency College,
Calcutta and B.A. from Patna College with
Honors in Mathematics. After completing
his graduation in mathematics, he applied
for admission to the IIEST formerly BESU
and the Calcutta Medical College. His
application was accepted by both
institutions and he opted to pursue
medical studies. Bidhan left Patna in June
1901 to join the Calcutta Medical College.
While at medical school, Bidhan came
upon an inscription which read, "Whatever
thy hands findeth to do, do it with thy
might."[5] These words became a lifelong
source of inspiration for him.

The partition of Bengal was announced

while Bidhan was in college. Opposition to
the partition was being organised by
nationalist leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai,
Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. Bidhan
resisted the immense pull of the
movement. He controlled his emotions
and concentrated on his studies, realising
that he could serve his nation better by
qualifying in his profession first.[6]

Intending to enroll himself at St

Bartholomew's Hospital to pursue
postgraduate study in medicine, Bidhan
set sail to England in February 1909 with
only ₹1200. However, the Dean of St.
Bartholomew's Hospital was reluctant to
accept an Asian student and rejected
Bidhan's application[7]. Dr. Roy did not lose
heart but kept submitting his application
again and again till the Dean, after 30
admission requests, admitted Bidhan to
the college[8]. Bidhan completed his
postgraduation in just two years and three
months, and in May 1911 accomplished
the rare feat of becoming a member of the
Royal College of Physicians and a fellow of
the Royal College of Surgeons
simultaneously. He returned home from
England in 1911.

Career

Bidhan Chandra Roy on a 1982 stamp of India

Bidhan Chandra Roy statue in Salt Lake City

Immediately after graduation, Roy joined

the Provincial Health Service. He exhibited
immense dedication and hard work, and
would even serve as a nurse when
necessary. In his free time he practised
privately, charging a nominal fee.
Following his return from England after
post-graduation, he taught at the Calcutta
Medical College, and later at the Campbell
Medical School and the Carmichael
Medical College.[6]

Dr. Roy believed that swaraj (the call to

action for India's freedom) would remain a
dream unless the people were healthy and
strong in mind and body. He made
contributions to the organisation of
medical education. He played an
important role in the establishment of the
Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva
Sadan, Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital,
Victoria Institution (college), and
Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital. The
Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and
children was opened in 1926. Women were
unwilling to come to the hospital initially,
but thanks to Dr. Roy and his team's hard
work, the Seva Sadan was embraced by
women of all classes and communities.
He opened a center for training women in
nursing and social work.

In 1942, Rangoon fell to Japanese

bombing and caused an exodus from
Calcutta fearing Japanese insurgency. Dr.
Roy was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of
the University of Calcutta. He acquired air-
raid shelters for schools and college
students to have their classes in, and
provided relief for students, teachers and
employees alike. In recognition for his
efforts, the Doctorate of Science was
conferred upon him in 1944.

Dr. Roy believed that the youth of India

would determine the future of the nation.
He felt that the youth must not take part in
strikes and fasts but should study and
commit themselves to social work. While
delivering the Convocation Address at the
University of Lucknow on 15 December
1956, Dr. Roy said[9][10]:
 My young friends, you are
soldiers in the battle of freedom-
freedom from want, fear,
ignorance, frustration and
helplessness. By a dint of hard
work for the country, rendered
in a spirit of selfless service, may
you march ahead with hope and
courage...

Dr. Roy was both Gandhiji's friend and

doctor. When Gandhiji was undertaking a
fast in Parnakutivin, Poona in 1933, Dr. Roy
attended to him[11]. Gandhiji refused to
take medicine on the grounds that it was
not made in India. Gandhiji asked Dr. Roy,
"Why should I take your treatment? Do you
treat four hundred million of my
countrymen free?" Dr. Roy replied, "No
Gandhiji, I could not treat all patients free.
But I came... not to treat Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi, but to treat "him" who
to me represents the four hundred million
people of my country." Gandhiji relented
and took the medicine.

Dr. Roy entered politics in 1925. He ran for

elections from the Barrackpore
Constituency as an independent candidate
for the Bengal Legislative Council and
defeated the "Grand Old Man of Bengal,"
Surendranath Banerjee. Even though an
independent, he voted with the Swaraj
Party (the Parliamentary wing of the
Congress in the 1920s). As early as 1925,
Dr. Roy tabled a resolution recommending
a study of the causes of pollution in
Hoogly and suggested measures to
prevent pollution in the future.

Dr. Roy was elected to the All India

Congress Committee in 1928. He kept
himself away from rivalry and conflicts
and made a deep impression on the
leaders. Dr. Roy efficiently conducted the
Civil Disobedience in Bengal in 1929 and
prompted Pandit Motilal Nehru to
nominate him Member of the Working
Committee (CWC) in 1930. The CWC was
declared an unlawful assembly and Dr. Roy
along with other members of the
committee were arrested on 26 August
1930 and detained at Alipore Central Jail.

During the Dandi March in 1931, many

members of the Calcutta Corporation were
imprisoned. Congress requested Dr. Roy to
remain out of prison and discharge the
duties of the Corporation. He served as the
Alderman of the Corporation from 1930–
31 and as the Mayor of Calcutta from
1931 to 1933. Under him, the Corporation
made leaps in the expansion of free
education, free medical aid, better roads,
improved lighting, and water supply. He
was responsible for setting up a
framework for dispensing grant-in-aid to
hospitals and charitable dispensaries.

Post independence
The Congress Party proposed Dr. Roy's
name for Chief Minister of Bengal. Dr. Roy
wanted to devote himself to his
profession. On Gandhiji's advice, however,
Dr. Roy accepted the position and took
office on 23 January 1948. Bengal at the
time had been torn by communal violence,
shortage of food, unemployment and a
large flow of refugees in the wake of the
creation of East Pakistan. Dr. Roy brought
unity and discipline among the party ranks.
He then systematically and calmly began
to work on the immense task in front of
him. Within three years law and order was
returned to Bengal without compromising
the dignity and status of his
administration. He told the people[9]:

We have the ability and if, with

faith in our future, we exert
ourselves with determination,
nothing, I am sure, no obstacles,
 however formidable or
insurmountable they may
appear at present, can stop our
progress... (if we) all work
unitedly, keeping our vision
clear and with a firm grasp of
our problems.

The nation honoured Dr. Roy with the

Bharat Ratna on 4 February 1961. On 1
July 1962, his 80th birthday, after treating
his morning patients and discharging
affairs of the State, he took a copy of the
"Brahmo Geet" and sang a piece from it.
11 hours later Dr. Roy died at midday past
three. He had gifted his house for running
a nursing home named after his mother,
Aghorkamini Devi. He had also constituted
a trust for his properties at Patna to carry
out social service, with eminent nationalist
Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha) being its first
trustee.[12]

The B.C. Roy National Award was

instituted in 1962[13] in Dr. Roy's memory
and has been awarded annually since
1976. The award recognizes excellent
contributions in the areas of medicine,
politics, science, philosophy, literature and
arts. The Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Library and
Reading Room for Children in the
Children's Book Trust, New Delhi, was
opened in 1967. Today, his private papers
are part of the Archives at the Nehru
Memorial Museum & Library, at Teen Murti
House, Delhi.[14][15]

References
1. Kalra, R. N. (3 July 2011). "A doctor
par excellence" . The Hindu.
ISSN 0971-751X . Retrieved 27 August
2018.
2. Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy: Vision for
young India – The 15 'Gods' India
draws inspiration from Archived 26
November 2009 at the Wayback
Machine. News.in.msn.com (20
November 2009). Retrieved on 9
October 2013.
3. "Biography of Bharat Ratna "Dr. Bidhan
Chandra Roy" complete biography for
Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and
other classes" . eVirtualGuru. 1
February 2018. Retrieved 1 September
2018.
4. Thomas, K.P. (1955). Dr. B. C. Roy
(PDF). Calcutta: Atulya Ghosh, West
Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee.
5. "Remembering Dr Bidhan Chandra
Roy: Facts about the doctor who
dedicated his life to the profession of
medicine" . India Today. 1 July 2017.
6. "Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography –
Bidhan Chandra Roy Childhood, Life,
Profile, Timeline" .
www.iloveindia.com. Retrieved
25 August 2018.
7. "Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy -Biography
and Life History | Great Rulers" .
greatrulers.com. Retrieved 27 August
2018.
8. "When India's 'National Doctor' Was
Denied Service By an American
Restaurant" . The Wire. Retrieved
28 August 2018.
9. "Bengal's physician chief minister –
The Statesman" . The Statesman. 30
June 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
10. "New Incubators for Tomorrowís
Leaders. Convocation Address by
Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, Director
General, CSIR at Kalyani University"
(PDF). CSIR Newsletter. 60: 258.
November 2010.
11. "Chronology 1933" . gandhiserve.org.
Retrieved 26 August 2018.
12. Choudhary, Valmiki (1984). Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, Correspondence and
Select Documents: 1934–1937. Allied
Publishers. p. 133. ISBN 978-81-7023-
002-1.
13. "Dr. B.C. Roy Award | MCI India" .
www.mciindia.org. Retrieved
28 August 2018.
14. NMML. "Archives" .
www.nehrumemorial.nic.in. Retrieved
26 August 2018.
15. "India's Iconic Doctor: Dr. Bidhan
Chandra Roy| DailyRounds" .
www.dailyrounds.org. Retrieved
26 August 2018.

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