Mira Datta Gupta
Encyclopedia
Mira Dattagupta was a well-known freedom fighter, social worker, educationist, politician
and activist on women's issues in Calcutta, India
. She was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Bengal and then West Bengal for twenty years from 1937 to 1957, firstly representing Women's constituency in 1937, and then Bhowanipore from 1952 to 1957.
, IAAS, Accountant General of India (retd.) and Sarajubala Datta Gupta (née Sen). She was born on 5 October at her maternal grandparents' house in Dhaka
. Her paternal ancestors owned substantial tracts of land in Jainshar village in Dhaka district, which the family held until the second partition of Bengal in 1947. Her paternal relatives were however not significantly affected by the partition since most members of the family had been living and working in Calcutta since the end of the nineteenth century. In Calcutta she lived with her parents for the most part of her life at 41, Hazra Road.
. She completed her M.Sc. in mathematics coming first class second in examination in 1930. Her parents were greatly inspired by patriotic feelings and she too absorbed these ideas as she was growing up. Since her father was a senior government official, the police did not suspect her of being a revolutionary worker for a long time. She secretly kept documents and even arms and ammunition for revolutionary party workers at her family home in Hazra Road. During the Calcutta Riots of 1946 she gave shelter to both Muslim and Hindu riot victims. In this endeavour she had the active backing of her family members, including her parents. In the initial years of her political career, she was a member of the Indian National Congress
, but later disillusioned by the INC, she joined the Forward Bloc.
, Calcutta and the founder-principal of the women's section of Surendranath College
, Calcutta, (appointed in 1931) she was very well known and also popular for her strong sense of discipline and academic standards. Much later in life, she also contributed to the setting up of Patha Bhavan, Kolkata
, a school named after the Visva-Bharati University school.
She was the founder of many prominent women's organisations and educational institutions in West Bengal
, India. She was among the founder members of the All India Women's Conference and All Bengal Women's Union
.
between 1937 and 1946. She was elected four times (1937, 1942, 1946 and 1951) as Member of the state legislative assembly of Bengal
, later renamed West Bengal
. She was offered the post of Deputy Minister in the Cabinet of 1952 of the then Chief Minister
, Bidhan Chandra Roy
, which she declined.
Mira's reputation grew with her increasing involvement in the revolutionary movement. She was associated with Indian revolutionary groups, such as Anushilan, Jugantar
and Bengal Volunteers
. As a member of Bengal Volunteers
she was the editor of the women's section of its magazine - Benu. While, initially she was put in charge of the organisation's South Calcutta Women's group, she later moved into a low profile role, choosing to work for India's independence secretly. In those days she used to donate her entire salary towards India's freedom movement to her party Bengal Volunteers. Around this time she also provided a channel for information between the revolutionaries who had to remain under cover and other members of the party. She participated in one of the important meetings of Bengal Volunteers held at Baranagar
near Kolkata to discuss the group's activities in Midnapore and other parts of the state. From 1933, the police grew suspicious of her activities and she was placed under constant surveillance. In 1938, many party members such as Bhavani Bhattacharya and Ujjala Mazumdar were arrested in connection with the shooting of Governor John Anderson in Darjeeling district. Mira was cross-examined by the police for many hours in connection with this case. At this stage her father sent her away from Calcutta for two years to ensure her personal safety. She was very actively involved in fund raising activities during the Quit India Movement of 1942. In 1946, she was jailed for her nationalist activities. After her released from prison she became one of the first members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Forward Bloc.
She had a devoted following in the Ballygunge
Constituency, all along the southeastern environs of the city, and was known for her social commitment. During the devastating Bengal Famine of 1943
, she, along with co-Congress workers played a leading role in organising relief
for famine victims.
Later, after independence, her many activities included relief activities for those affected by famines, floods, and also the rehabilitation of the homeless and economically weaker women.
in Kolkata and was a member of the Board of Film Censors in West Bengal. In 1958 she joined the Indian goodwill mission to China
and later visited Berlin
, Copenhagen
and Moscow
to attend developmental, educational and women's conferences. She was also a member of the Calcutta University Senate and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and activist on women's issues in Calcutta, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Bengal and then West Bengal for twenty years from 1937 to 1957, firstly representing Women's constituency in 1937, and then Bhowanipore from 1952 to 1957.
Background
She was the daughter of Sarat Datta GuptaSarat Datta Gupta
-Background:His father, Sarada Kumar Dutta Gupta, who lived in the middle of the 19th century, owned substantial tracts of land in Tarpasha-Jainshar village in Bikrampur subdivision in Dacca district in present day Bangladesh, but worked in Calcutta. He had three elder brothers, Ahwini Kumar,...
, IAAS, Accountant General of India (retd.) and Sarajubala Datta Gupta (née Sen). She was born on 5 October at her maternal grandparents' house in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. Her paternal ancestors owned substantial tracts of land in Jainshar village in Dhaka district, which the family held until the second partition of Bengal in 1947. Her paternal relatives were however not significantly affected by the partition since most members of the family had been living and working in Calcutta since the end of the nineteenth century. In Calcutta she lived with her parents for the most part of her life at 41, Hazra Road.
Education and early influences
She was a brilliant student of the University of CalcuttaUniversity of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. She completed her M.Sc. in mathematics coming first class second in examination in 1930. Her parents were greatly inspired by patriotic feelings and she too absorbed these ideas as she was growing up. Since her father was a senior government official, the police did not suspect her of being a revolutionary worker for a long time. She secretly kept documents and even arms and ammunition for revolutionary party workers at her family home in Hazra Road. During the Calcutta Riots of 1946 she gave shelter to both Muslim and Hindu riot victims. In this endeavour she had the active backing of her family members, including her parents. In the initial years of her political career, she was a member of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, but later disillusioned by the INC, she joined the Forward Bloc.
Academic and social work
The last decades of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth century saw the dawn of awakening of Indian women across India. Born in early twentieth century, Mira, like some of her contemporaries contributed towards the education and advancement of women in her province. As the vice principal of Vidyasagar CollegeVidyasagar College
Vidyasagar College , named after Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, is a government-sponsored day and evening college, affiliated to the University of Calcutta in Kolkata, India.-Notable alumni:*Jatindra Nath Das*Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar...
, Calcutta and the founder-principal of the women's section of Surendranath College
Surendranath College
Surendranath College is an undergraduate college affiliated to the University of Calcutta, in Kolkata, India. It was founded in 1884 by the nationalist leader Surendranath Banerjea....
, Calcutta, (appointed in 1931) she was very well known and also popular for her strong sense of discipline and academic standards. Much later in life, she also contributed to the setting up of Patha Bhavan, Kolkata
Patha Bhavan, Kolkata
Patha Bhavan ' is a private co-educational school in Kolkata, India. The school was established on June 28th, 1965.-History:The school was named after the university school of Visva-Bharati University . It was inspired by the education system started by the poet Rabindranath Tagore as well as the...
, a school named after the Visva-Bharati University school.
She was the founder of many prominent women's organisations and educational institutions in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India. She was among the founder members of the All India Women's Conference and All Bengal Women's Union
All Bengal Women's Union
The West Bengal Women's Union was started in the 1932, when a group of women in West Bengal formed a cadre of like-minded women to help their helpless, exploited and victimized fellow women....
.
Political career
She was a member of the Indian Congress PartyIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
between 1937 and 1946. She was elected four times (1937, 1942, 1946 and 1951) as Member of the state legislative assembly of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, later renamed West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. She was offered the post of Deputy Minister in the Cabinet of 1952 of the then Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
, Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy, M.R.C.P., F.R.C.S. was the second Chief Minister of West Bengal in India. He remained in his post for 14 years as a Indian National Congress candidate, from 1948 until his death in 1962. He was a highly respected physician and a renowned freedom fighter...
, which she declined.
Mira's reputation grew with her increasing involvement in the revolutionary movement. She was associated with Indian revolutionary groups, such as Anushilan, Jugantar
Jugantar
Jugantar or Yugantar was one of the two main secret revolutionary trends operating in Bengal for Indian independence.This association, like Anushilan Samiti started in the guise of suburban fitness club. Several Jugantar members were arrested, hanged, or deported for life to the Cellular Jail in...
and Bengal Volunteers
Bengal Volunteers
Bengal Volunteers was an underground revolutionary group against the British rule of India.The group was functional from its inception in 1928 to the Indian independence.-The beginning:...
. As a member of Bengal Volunteers
Bengal Volunteers
Bengal Volunteers was an underground revolutionary group against the British rule of India.The group was functional from its inception in 1928 to the Indian independence.-The beginning:...
she was the editor of the women's section of its magazine - Benu. While, initially she was put in charge of the organisation's South Calcutta Women's group, she later moved into a low profile role, choosing to work for India's independence secretly. In those days she used to donate her entire salary towards India's freedom movement to her party Bengal Volunteers. Around this time she also provided a channel for information between the revolutionaries who had to remain under cover and other members of the party. She participated in one of the important meetings of Bengal Volunteers held at Baranagar
Baranagar
Baranagar or Barahanagar, meaning the big and town or land of the pig , is a town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata. It is a municipality in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. A railway station of the same name is on the Dankuni line off the Sealdah north section...
near Kolkata to discuss the group's activities in Midnapore and other parts of the state. From 1933, the police grew suspicious of her activities and she was placed under constant surveillance. In 1938, many party members such as Bhavani Bhattacharya and Ujjala Mazumdar were arrested in connection with the shooting of Governor John Anderson in Darjeeling district. Mira was cross-examined by the police for many hours in connection with this case. At this stage her father sent her away from Calcutta for two years to ensure her personal safety. She was very actively involved in fund raising activities during the Quit India Movement of 1942. In 1946, she was jailed for her nationalist activities. After her released from prison she became one of the first members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Forward Bloc.
She had a devoted following in the Ballygunge
Ballygunge
Ballygunge is an upmarket and elite locality in South Kolkata, India. It is flanked by Park Circus in the north, Kasba and the Eastern Railway south suburban line in the east, Dhakuria and the Lakes in the south, and the localities of Bhowanipore and Lansdowne in the west...
Constituency, all along the southeastern environs of the city, and was known for her social commitment. During the devastating Bengal Famine of 1943
Bengal famine of 1943
The Bengal famine of 1943 struck the Bengal. Province of pre-partition India. Estimates are that between 1.5 and 4 million people died of starvation, malnutrition and disease, out of Bengal’s 60.3 million population, half of them dying from disease after food became available in December 1943 As...
, she, along with co-Congress workers played a leading role in organising relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
for famine victims.
Later, after independence, her many activities included relief activities for those affected by famines, floods, and also the rehabilitation of the homeless and economically weaker women.
Post-Retirement
In her post-retirement years, she served as an honorary justice of peace in the juvenile courtJuvenile court
A juvenile court is a tribunal having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of majority...
in Kolkata and was a member of the Board of Film Censors in West Bengal. In 1958 she joined the Indian goodwill mission to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and later visited Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to attend developmental, educational and women's conferences. She was also a member of the Calcutta University Senate and the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
West Bengal Board of Secondary Education
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education is the West Bengal state government administered autonomous examining authority for the Standard 10 examination of West Bengal, India. The examination for the 10th standard is called the Madhyamik Pariksha or secondary examination...
.