Bankim Chandra Chatterjee Biography

Born: June 27, 1838

Died: April 8, 1894

Achievements: Author of Vande Mataram, the national 

song of India

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee also known as Bankim

 

Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the greatest novelists 

and poets of India. He is famous as author of Vande 

Mataram, the national song of India.


Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was born on June 27, 1838 in 

the village Kantalpara of the 24 Paraganas District of

 

Bengal. He belonged to a family of Brahmins. The word 

'Bankim Chandra' in Bengali means 'the moon on 

the second day of the bright fortnight'. Bankim Chandra's 

father Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyaya was in government 

service. After his birth he was posted to Midnapur as 

Deputy Collector.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee had his early education in 

Midnapur. He was a brilliant student. After his 

early education in Midnapur Bankim Chan

dra Chatterji joined the Mohsin College at Hoogly and

 studied there for six years. Apart from his textbooks

, 

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, used to read other books

 

in his leisure time. He was very much interested in the

 

study of Sanskrit. His study of Sanskrit stood him in good 

stead. Later, when he wrote books in Bengali his 

knowledge of Sanskrit helped him immensely. 

In 1856, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee joined the Presidency 

College in Calcutta. In 1857, there was a strong revolt

 

against the rule of East India Company but Ba

nkim Chandra Chatterjee continued his studies and passed 

his B.A. Examination in 1859. The Lieutenant Governor of 

Calcutta appointed Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as Deputy 

Collector in the same year. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee 

was in Government service for thirty-two years and retired

 

in 1891. He was a very conscientious worker.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was married when he was only

 eleven . At that time his wife was only five years old.

 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was only twenty two when his 

wife died. After some time he married again. His second 

wife was Rajlakshmi Devi. They had three daughters but no son.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee began his literary career as a 

writer of verse. He then turned to fiction. Durgeshnandini

, his first Bengali romance, was published in 1865. His 

famous novels include Kapalkundala (1866), Mrinalini 

(1869), Vishbriksha (1873), Chandrasekhar (1877), Rajani 

(1877), Rajsimha (1881), and Devi Chaudhurani (1884).

 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee most famous novel was 

Anand Math (1882). Anand Math contained the song 

"Bande Mataram", which was later adopted as National 

Song.

Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wanted to bring about a 

cultural revival of Bengal by stimulating the intellect of the 

Bengali speaking people through literary campaign. With 

Bangadarshan in 1872.

Bankim Chatterjee was superb story-teller, and a master of 

romance. No Bengali writer before or since has enjoyed 

such spontaneous and universal popularity as Chatterjee. 

His novels have been translated in almost all the major 

languages of India. He passed away on April 8, 1894.