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BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF BHAGABATI CHARAN GHOSH

Bhagabati Charan Ghosh, the founder of Urban Bank was my great grand father. He was born on 12th April, 1853 in Ichhapur, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Early days of his life is a story of struggle. His father passed away during his tender age and the family faced acute financial crisis. Although he was determined to continue his study and to look after his brothers and sisters, he literally had to beg to arrange school fees. He even had to starve many days while going to school and as he had no money to buy books, he had to borrow books and copy them. Despite all hardship he always secured highest marks in examinations, particularly in Mathematics. He was an outstanding mathematician which he proved during his tenure in Benga! Nagpur Railway and was well appreciated and recognized by his superiors. He was so loyal and sincere to his work, he did not take even a day's leave during his whole tenure and attended office even on the day his eldest son passed away. He did not take any remuneration as a Founder and Chairman of Urban Bank. He also did not claim any bonus from Bengal Nagpur Railway which he was entitled to. However, when the authorities came to know this fact, they rewarded him with the entitled amount.

He was a true leader and far sighted organiser. He, with cooperation of few other senior Railway Officials and with Railway Board's permission founded Urban Bank which was registered as a Co- operaitve Society in 1909, in the name of B. N. R. Employees Co-operative Urban Bank Ltd, with 400 members and a working capital of Rs. 21,000/-, for the benefit of middle class workers of the Railway. He himself prepared the Rules and Regulations of this bank in his own hand. Though Bhagabati Charan Ghosh retired from Government Service on a pension in 1907, he later joined the Bengal Nagpur Railway again, as a private citizen. He worked continuously for eleven and a half years, serving both his Railway Office and the Urban Bank. He officially retired from the Bengal Nagpur Railway on 23rd December, 1920. ... He abhorred flattery and shunned praise. On the occasion of the splendid farewell function organized by Railway Authorities on his retirement he said" My reward has been joy of working with devotion, loyalty and honesty. It has given the fullest satisfaction to my heart and earned the good wishes of all of you. Tomorrow, I will no longer be in your midst. Please do not deprive yourselves of the happiness satisfaction and good wishes you too can receive from work well done".

Though he adorned many high posts in many different Government Organisations he always avoided luxury and maintained a very simple but austere life. He pursued a life of austerity like an ascetic. He used to go to office at Garden Reach walking a long distance, then partly by tram and then by B. R. Rly. Launch and never rode a car. He was a teetotaler. His diet was very simple and he never ate out. He never took assistance of servant and did everything for himself until the end of his life. He was very honest, diligent and practical.

Apart from qualities as cited above Bhagabati Charan Ghosh possessed many other good qualities. He was a philanthropist and used to donate to the needy people secretly. He had very good knowledge about herbal medicines which he used to prepare with his own hand and cured his family members and many others. His wife passed away very early, so he had to look after all his children despite his heavy responsibilities in office. I heard from my grand father that he did not at all feel the absence of his mother, so affection and keen interest his father showed to the whole family.

These apart, Bhagabati Charan Ghosh was a spiritual person of very high stature. While he was posted at Gorakhpur, he was initiated in Kriya Yoga (a sacred and secret ancient pranayam and meditation technique given by a Sadguru) by Yogiraj Sri Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri. Through his sincere, regular practice and loyalty to Guru and sadhana, he attained a very high state of a Kriya Yogi. He never appeared to have become tired. His strength came from his meditations and the spiritual techniques taught him by Lahiri Mahashaya.

Although he was a strict disciplinarian in life, he guided his sons to pursue the field of their own excellence. Of his three survived sons, Mukunda Lal Ghosh was spiritually inclined from very childhood and left family and took a vow of Sannyas and was known to the world as Paramahansa Yogananda a world renowned Yogi who founded Yogoda Satsanga Society and Self-Realization Fellowship in India and abroad. He was the pioneer in disseminating India's ancient science of Yoga to the whole world. Another son Sananda Lal Ghosh, my grand father, was a born artist, painter, excellent photographer and architect. He took hundreds of portraits of eminent personalities. Rabindranath Tagore was so pleased to see the photographs which Sananda Lal took of him, he wrote a certificate appreciating his skill of photography. Youngest son Bishnu Charan Ghosh was a strong man and was revered everywhere as the pioneer of modern body building and Yoga in India.

After retirement from Railway Service, Bhagabati Charan Ghosh spent most of his time in seclusion doing Kriya Yoga sadhanas besides his philanthropic and charitable activities till he breathed his last at his 4, Garpar Kolkata Residence.+

The founder of the Society Bhagabati Charan Ghosh left for his heavenly abode at the age of 89 years on 1" August, 1942.

Written by
Somnath Ghosh
Great Grandson of Bhagabati Charan Ghosh
4, Garpar Road, Kolkata - 700 009 Read more