Ramaprasad Chanda was a Bengali historian and archaeologist. A pioneer in his field in South Asia, Chanda's lasting legacy is the Varendra Research Museum he established in Rajshahi (located in present day Bangladesh), a leading institute for research on History of Bengal.

Early life

Born on August 15, 1873 at Sreedharkhola in Vikrampur Pargana under Munshiganj district. He passed the Entrance Exam in 1891 from Dhaka Collegiate School, FA in 1893 from Dhaka College, and BA in 1896 from Duff College (now Scottish Church College), an institution affiliated to Calcutta University. After graduation he remained unemployed for about five years, during which period he studied regularly in the Imperial Library and started writing. A few of his articles on ancient history were eventually published. As a result, he was able to attract the attention of a British professor of the Presidency College, Kolkata and through his good offices got the job of a teacher in the Hindu School of Calcutta.

Career

In 1905, he was transferred to Rajshahi Collegiate School in 1905. In 1908 RP Chanda's article on 'The Origin of the Bengal People', presented in the Bengal Literary Conference at the palace of Raja Manindra Chandra Nandi was highly applauded by scholars and he was requested to carry on his research in this area.

He worked with the Director General of Archaeology, Calcutta, invited him to join the institution as a researcher. He worked here for two years (1917-19), having taken leave from Rajshahi Collegiate School. He visited the archaeological sites of Taxila, Mathura, Sarnath etc and acquired the experience necessary for archaeological excavation and exploration. He made a complete catalogue of the materials preserved at the Sanchi Museum in Madhya Pradesh and won the admiration of contemporary scholars.

After the completion of his service in the Archaeology Department, he returned to Rajshahi Collegiate School and resumed his work at the Varendra Research Society. But because of deteriorating health he soon resigned his post in the school and went to Calcutta. After a few months, RP Chanda joined the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, Calcutta University, as a lecturer.

Soon after he joined this position, the Department of Archaeology was opened at the Calcutta University and he was appointed the Head of the Department. He served there for two years (1919-21) and at the request of John Marshal joined the Calcutta Museum as Curator of the Department of Archaeology on 23 March 1921. There he rearranged the display rooms, enhanced the collection, and classified the museum materials following the modern system of classification based on age and period. He also wrote a number of books and articles during these years. In recognition of his intellectual contribution, he was conferred the title of 'Roy Bahadur' by the Government in 1924. He retired from service in 1932.

He contributed significantly to the Asiatic Society and Bengal Literary Association, discharging the responsibility of an executive member in these organizations. After his retirement, he went to England in 1934 to attend the world conference on anthropology as the representative of India and to deliver a lecture on Indo-Aryan races. Following the request of RL Hobson, Principal of the Eastern Department of the British Museum, he wrote a book on the Indian collection of the museum. The book that resulted came out with an introduction by RL Hobson in 1936. The book spread the fame of his scholarship at home and abroad.

He died in May 1942.

Primary Reference

Banglapedia