Exploring Hindu College Calcutta: Catalyst of Intellectual Evolution and Its Detractors

ABSTRACT

The paper explores the historical significance of Hindu College Calcutta, a key institution in colonial India’s intellectual discourse. Established in the early 19th century, the college faced numerous challenges, including opposition from conservative factions and financial constraints, as it evolved into a hub for education and independent thought. The study highlights the socio-political context and the necessity of an institution providing contemporary education while preserving traditional Indian values. It focuses on the contributions of intellectuals associated with the college, particularly Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, examining his dynamic influence and his pivotal role in founding the Academic Association. Derozio’s teachings and leadership inspired a cohort of students, fostering a culture of free thought and intellectual exploration.

KEYWORDS:

• Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
• Hindu education
• Western education
• rationality and religion at Hindu College

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. For an account of the first day’s proceedings, see India Office Records (hereafter IOR), Missionary Register 1817, vol. 5, August, 343–4; National Archives of India (hereafter NAI), Home/Public, no. 20, December 1831, Report on the Colleges, and Schools for Native Education, under the Superintendence of the General Committee of Public Instruction in Bengal, 8–11.

2. IOR, John Clarke Marshman before the Select Committee of House of Lords, June 15, 1853, 113, Para 6389; Kochhar, “Hindoo College Calcutta Revisited,” 842; NAI, Home/Public, no. 20, December 1831, Report on the Colleges, and Schools for Native Education, under the Superintendence of the General Committee of Public Instruction in Bengal, 8–11.

3. Minute by Lord Moira in Sharp, Selections from Educational Records, 25, 27.

4. See Rao, Beyond Macaulay.

5. Ram Mohan Roy (1772–1833) permanently relocated to Calcutta from the provincial areas in the latter part of 1815. While he was well-to-do, there were even wealthier individuals in the city. He was proficient in Sanskrit, Persian, and English, and took a keen interest in comparative theology. Notably, he was the first Indian to translate the Upanishads into Bengali, a native Indian language, as well as into English. What set him apart was his sustained campaign for the dismantling of the Puranic form of Hinduism as practiced, advocating instead for a de-ritualised Vedantic approach. To propagate his beliefs, he established an Atmiya Sabha (Society of Friends) in Calcutta in 1815, which quickly drew the attention of some of the prominent figures of the time. One of the conditions for membership was the renunciation of idol worship. (The Atmiya Sabha later evolved into the Brahmo Samaj, founded in 1828). There were persistent rumours about Ram Mohan’s conversion to Christianity, which were put to rest only after his passing when he was found to be wearing the sacred thread. During his lifetime, his unorthodox personal lifestyle was often a subject of discussion. See Kochhar, “Hindoo College Calcutta Revisited,” 843.

6. David Hare (1775–1842) was a Scottish watchmaker and philanthropist who made substantial contributions in Bengal, India, during the era of British East India Company dominance. His enduring impact encompasses the founding of various educational establishments in Calcutta (now Kolkata), such as the Hindu School, Hare School, and his instrumental role in the establishment of Presidency College. See Kochhar, “Hindoo College Calcutta Revisited,” 841–62.

7. Mittra, A Biographical Sketch, xviii–xix.

8. In the early 1815, two years after settling in Calcutta, Ram Mohan Roy personally financed the establishment of a Free English school in Sumpara, enrolling around 200 boys. The development of this institution eventually culminated in the founding of Ram Mohan Roy’s Anglo-Hindu School, which did not move to its new location near Cornwallis Square until 1822. See Thangamuthu, “Contribution of Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s,” 25–32. Ram Mohan Roy penned his letter to Lord Amherst on English education on December 11, 1823. The details of Ram Mohan Roy’s involvement in the establishment of the Hindu College are recorded in a letter from Sir Edward Hyde East to J. Harrington, dated May 18, 1816, quoted in JBORS, xvi, point 2, 155. The letter also makes note of the opposition faced from Hindu traditionalists in response to Ram Mohan’s proactive participation in the endeavour.

9. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, “Letter to Amherst, 11 December 1823,” in Sharp, Selections from Educational Records, 98–101.

10. Roy, “Letter from Rammohun Roy to Lord Amherst,” 111.

11. Ibid., 113.

12. Pernau, The Delhi College.

13. Kochhar, English Education in India, 2.

14. Ibid.

15. Dahiya, Shakespeare Studies.

16. Mayhew, The Education of India, 12–13.

17. Ibid.

18. NAI, Home/Public, no. 20, December 1831, Report on the Colleges, and Schools for Native Education, under the Superintendence of the General Committee of Public Instruction in Bengal, 9–10.

19. Another significant decision made by the Supreme Government, either during or slightly before this period, had a lasting impact on the fate of the fledgling institution. Instead of adhering to the initial plan of establishing two Hindu colleges in the Nuddeah and Tirhoot districts, the Governor General in Council, in the year 1821, resolved to establish a Sanskrit College in Calcutta. This institution’s primary objective was the revitalisation and cultivation of Hindu literature, as well as the promotion of scholarly pursuits among the erudite native population, who were predominantly Brahmins, in India. To fund the establishment of this proposed institution, it was decided that an annual grant of 30,000 Rupees would be allocated. See Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 117.

20. Securing the funds proved to be a challenging endeavour, as their allocation faced considerable opposition from orientalists due to the predominant use of English as the medium of instruction in the college. See Rao, Beyond Macaulay, 78.

21. Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 118.

22. Sirkin and Sirkin, “John Stuart Mill and Disutilitarianism,” 231–85.

23. Radhakanta Deb to Peary Chand Mittra, September 4, 1847, in Mittra, A Biographical Sketch, 37.

24. Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 117.

25. Kochhar, “Hindoo College Calcutta Revisited,” 841–62.

26. NAI, Home/Public, no. 20, December 1831, Report on the Colleges, and Schools for Native Education, under the Superintendence of the General Committee of Public Instruction in Bengal, 9.

27. Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 122.

28. Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809–1831) was a renowned Indian poet, educator, and social reformer in the early nineteenth century. See Paul, Acharyya Ray Commemoration Volume, 101–20.

29. Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 122.

30. Ibid.

31. Ibid.

32. David Hume, who lived from 1711 to 1776, was a distinguished Scottish thinker, historian and essayist who played a significant role in the Enlightenment period. He is most renowned for his significant contributions to empiricism, scepticism and the philosophy of knowledge. See Snow, “The Education of David Hume,” 207–22.

33. Christian Minisers of Various Denominations, “A Sketch of the Origin,” 124.

34. Ibid.

35. Ibid., 126.

36. For more details about Derozio, see Edwards, Henry Derozio; Mittra, A Biographical Sketch, i–ix. Oriental Magazine, October 1843, reproduced in the Bengal Obituary (1851); Stark and Madge, East Indian Worthiness; Madge, Henry Derozio.

37. Paul, Acharyya Ray Commemoration Volume, 101–20.

38. See IOR, Bengal Obituary or a Record, 104. Derozio also delivered a course of lectures on “The Modern British Poets” which was published after his death in the Calcutta Literary Gazette of October 13, 1833.

39. Mittra, A Biographical Sketch, 64. From a letter of Ramgopaul Ghosh, dated August 12, 1838 (quoted in R. G. Sanyal’s Bengal Celebrities, vol. 1 (Calcutta, 1889), 176), we learn that the Academic Association was getting on very miserably after its leading spirit was gone, but it lingered on till March 31, 1839.

40. On the vernacular press in India, see Calcutta Review (1911), 26–7.

41. Bangiya Sahitya Parisad, Sambad Sekaler Katha, 31–5.

42. Ibid., 16, 676.

43. See Derozio’s letters to Dr Wilson and the Managing Committee of Hindu College in Edwards, Henry Derozio, 77–89.

44. Clark, “The Language of Calcutta,” 470.

45. For a comprehensive account of Vernacular education, see Basak, History of Vernacular Education; Sinha, Nineteenth Century Bengal.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amit K. Suman

Amit K. Suman, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of History with a strong background in Early Modern and Modern South Asia. He obtained his PhD in History from the University of Delhi in 2016 and has since held various academic positions, including Junior Fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi, and Visiting Fellow at the German Historical Institute, London, UK. Dr. Suman’s research focuses on Colonial Education and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (18th-20th c.), as well as Intellectual History and Literary Traditions of Modern South Asia. His extensive academic journey includes numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes, exploring topics such as colonial state interactions with indigenous Islamic scholarship, the evolution of pedagogic practices during colonialism, and the impact of colonialism on education in specific regions. He has been recognized for his scholarly contributions with grants, awards, fellowships, and honorary positions, including being an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, London. Dr. Suman has actively participated in national and international conferences, workshops, and seminars, presenting papers on various aspects of colonial education, indigenous knowledge, and historical analysis. In addition to his research, Dr. Suman has been involved in editorial roles for academic journals and has contributed to e-learning chapters. He is committed to education and has engaged in mentoring and supervising doctoral and MPhil students. His administrative contributions include serving on committees related to curriculum development and being an active member of various educational and research bodies.

Saurabh Kumar Shanu

Saurabh Kumar Shanu is currently pursuing his PhD from the Department of History at Delhi University. His research focuses on the history of education in Patna District of Bihar.