Kristo Das Pal (1838 — 24 July 1884), was an Indian journalist, orator and the editor of Hindoo Patriot

Hindoo Patriot

The Hindoo Patriot was an English weekly published from Kolkata in the later half of the nineteenth century. The Hindoo Patriot was a nationalist publication known for its active role in exposing the oppression of indigo planters in Bengal.- History :...

. In spite of being born of the Teli or oil-men's caste, which ranks low in the Hindu social hierarchy, he rose to be one of the important persons of his age.

Early life

He received an English education at the Oriental Seminary

Oriental Seminary

The Oriental Seminary started in 1829 by the educator Gour Mohan Addy, was the earliest privately run, first-rate school for Hindu children only in Kolkata . It was open to Hindu boys only. It was possibly India’s first fully private school, as even Hindu School, then known as Hindu College, had to...

 and the Hindu Metropolitan College, and at an early age devoted himself to journalism. In 1861 he was appointed assistant secretary (and afterwards secretary) to the British Indian Association

British Indian Association

The British Indian Association was established on 31 October 1851. Its formation was a major event of 19th century India. Its establishment meant Indians had come together and could no longer be ignored...

, a board of Bengal landlords, which numbered among its members some of the most cultured men of the day. At about the same time he became editor of the Hindu Patriot, originally started in 1853 and conducted with ability and zeal by Harish Chandra Mukherjee

Harish Chandra Mukherjee

Harish Chandra Mukherjee , was an Indian journalist and patriot, who fought tooth and nail for the indigo cultivators and forced the government to bring about changes.-Early life:...

 until his death in 1861. This journal having been transferred by a trust deed to some members of the British Indian Association, it henceforth became to some extent an organ of that body. Thus Kristo Das Pal had rare opportunities for proving his abilities and independence during an eventful career of twenty-two years.

Later life

In 1863 he was appointed justice of the peace and municipal commissioner of Calcutta. In 1872 he was made a member of the Bengal legislative council, where his practical good sense and moderation were much appreciated by successive lieutenant governors. His opposition, however, to the Calcutta Municipal Bill of 1876, which first recognized the elective system, was attributed to his prejudice in favour of the classes against the masses. In 1878 he received the decoration of C.I.E. In 1883 he was appointed a member of the viceroys legislative council. In the discussions on, the Rent Bill, which came up for consideration before the council, Kristo Das Pal, as secretary to the British Indian Association, necessarily took the side of the landlords.

He was one of the patrons of Hindu Mela

He died on the 24th of July 1884. Speaking after his death, Lord Ripon said: "By this melancholy event we have lost from among us a colleague of distinguished ability, from whom we had on all occasions received assistance, of which I readily acknowledge the value. . . . Mr. Kristo Das Pal owed the honourable position to which he had attained to his own exertions. His intellectual attainments were of a high order, his rhetorical gifts were acknowledged by all who heard him, and were enhanced when addressing this council by his thorough mastery over the English language." A full length statue of him was unveiled by Lord Elgin at Calcutta in 1894.

Note

• See N. N. Ghose, Krislo Das Pal, a Study (Calcutta, 1887).