Parbati Sankar Roy Choudhury
Encyclopedia
Parbati Sankar Roy Choudhury, (c. 1850-1918) was the zamindar
of Teota
(now in Manikganj District
, Bangladesh
) and a philanthropic
landholder. He was born in the early 1850s, and was the elder son of Joy Sankar Choudhuri of Teota.
Parbati Sankar was an active member of the British Indian Association
, the Indian Association, the Indian National Congress
, and the Dacca district board. He was also one of the founders of the Indian Industrial Association, which was set up to promote the material and economic development of the region. As part of the economic reconstruction programme, Parbati Sankar attempted to make use of the material raw resources available within the Teota zamindari (in Goalondo, Faridpur and elsewhere). His name is also associated with the formulation of a concrete and detailed plan (1890s) of extension of the railways to Manikganj, linking it up with the town of Dacca on the east and the river port of Goalando on the west.
Parbatisankar is best remembered, however, for pioneering the 'dharmagola' system of co-operative grain banking, intended to alleviate scarcity and resulting famine
. 'Dharmagolas' or grain banks were established at various places within the Teota Estate and elsewhere in Dinajpur and the system was a success. These grain banks were registered as formal co-operative societies in the second decade of the 20th century. Parbati Sankar wrote a number of articles in which he not only outlined the basic features of the 'dharmagola' system, but also clearly brought out its many virtues and advantages. He spoke on the "Indebtedness of the Bengal peasantry" at an annual session of the Congress (INC) in the early 1900s.
Parbati Sankar Rai was honoured with the Kaiser-i-Hind
in 1912. He died in Calcutta in 1918.
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
of Teota
Manikganj District
The district of Manikganj consists 3575 mosques, 160 temples, 10 churches, five Buddhist temples and a pagoda.-Literacy and education:Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 26.9%; male 33.7%, female 20.1%...
(now in Manikganj District
Manikganj District
The district of Manikganj consists 3575 mosques, 160 temples, 10 churches, five Buddhist temples and a pagoda.-Literacy and education:Literacy and educational institutions Average literacy 26.9%; male 33.7%, female 20.1%...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) and a philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
landholder. He was born in the early 1850s, and was the elder son of Joy Sankar Choudhuri of Teota.
Parbati Sankar was an active member of 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...
, the Indian Association, 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...
, and the Dacca district board. He was also one of the founders of the Indian Industrial Association, which was set up to promote the material and economic development of the region. As part of the economic reconstruction programme, Parbati Sankar attempted to make use of the material raw resources available within the Teota zamindari (in Goalondo, Faridpur and elsewhere). His name is also associated with the formulation of a concrete and detailed plan (1890s) of extension of the railways to Manikganj, linking it up with the town of Dacca on the east and the river port of Goalando on the west.
Parbatisankar is best remembered, however, for pioneering the 'dharmagola' system of co-operative grain banking, intended to alleviate scarcity and resulting famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
. 'Dharmagolas' or grain banks were established at various places within the Teota Estate and elsewhere in Dinajpur and the system was a success. These grain banks were registered as formal co-operative societies in the second decade of the 20th century. Parbati Sankar wrote a number of articles in which he not only outlined the basic features of the 'dharmagola' system, but also clearly brought out its many virtues and advantages. He spoke on the "Indebtedness of the Bengal peasantry" at an annual session of the Congress (INC) in the early 1900s.
Parbati Sankar Rai was honoured with the Kaiser-i-Hind
Kaiser-i-Hind
The Kaisar-i-Hind was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to civilians of any nationality who rendered distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj....
in 1912. He died in Calcutta in 1918.