Prafulla Kumar Sen
Encyclopedia
Prafulla Kumar Sen, also known as Swami
Satyananda Puri, was an Indian revolutionary
and philosopher. Puri, had in his youth taught Oriental philosophy at the University of Calcutta
and later at Rabindranath Tagore
's Visva-Bharati University
at Santiniketan
. Encouraged by Tagore, he arrived in Thailand
in 1932, and in 1939, he founded the Thai-Bharat Lodge, a cultural forum. Arriving in Thailand, Puri was appointed a professor at the Chulalongkorn University
, lecturing in ancient Indian and Thai languages, and is said to have mastered the Thai Language
in six months and went on to translate a number of Indian philosophical works and biographies, including the Ramayana
and biographies of Gandhi to Thai.His literary work eventually was more than twenty volumes.
At the onset of World War II
in 1939, Puri also came to form the Indian National Council
that, along with Giani Pritam Singh's Indian Independence League
, was instrumental in stimulating the evolving Japanese interest in supporting armed Indian resistance for the Indian freedom movement. Singh and Puri were amongst the first people to negotiate with Fujiwara Iwaichi and the F Kikan
regarding Japanese policies in an effort to obtain a commitment about the support of the movement that ultimately saw the foundation of the Indian Independence League
and the Indian National Army
. Both Puri and Pritam Singh were among the Indian delegates killed in a plane crash en route to the Tokyo conference
in March 1942. The Swami Satyananda Puri foundation was established by the Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge
in 1942 in his honour. The SSPF library today is a reference library that houses many old and rare Indian texts. The foundation is also involved in promoting work on Indian culture, especially on the Ramayana
.
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
Satyananda Puri, was an Indian revolutionary
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
and philosopher. Puri, had in his youth taught Oriental philosophy at the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
and later at Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
's Visva-Bharati University
Visva-Bharati University
Visva Bharati University is a Central University for research and teaching in India, located in the twin towns of Santiniketan and Sriniketan in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it Visva Bharati, which means the communion of the world with India...
at Santiniketan
Santiniketan
Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata . It was made famous by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year...
. Encouraged by Tagore, he arrived in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in 1932, and in 1939, he founded the Thai-Bharat Lodge, a cultural forum. Arriving in Thailand, Puri was appointed a professor at the Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
, lecturing in ancient Indian and Thai languages, and is said to have mastered the Thai Language
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
in six months and went on to translate a number of Indian philosophical works and biographies, including the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and biographies of Gandhi to Thai.His literary work eventually was more than twenty volumes.
At the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, Puri also came to form the Indian National Council
Indian National Council
The Indian National Council was an organisation founded in December 1941 in Bangkok by Indian Nationalists residing in Thailand. The organisation was founded from the Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge on 22 December 1941. The founding president of the Council was Swami Satyananda Puri, along with Debnath...
that, along with Giani Pritam Singh's Indian Independence League
Indian Independence League
The Indian Independence League was a political organisation operated from the 1920s to the 1940s to organize those living outside of India into seeking the removal of British colonial rule over India...
, was instrumental in stimulating the evolving Japanese interest in supporting armed Indian resistance for the Indian freedom movement. Singh and Puri were amongst the first people to negotiate with Fujiwara Iwaichi and the F Kikan
F Kikan
was a military intelligence operation established by the Imperial Japanese Army in the early stages of the Pacific War. Set up in Bangkok in late 1941, the unit was headed by Major Fujiwara Iwaichi, chief of intelligence of the 15th army, and was tasked to contact the Indian independence movement,...
regarding Japanese policies in an effort to obtain a commitment about the support of the movement that ultimately saw the foundation of the Indian Independence League
Indian Independence League
The Indian Independence League was a political organisation operated from the 1920s to the 1940s to organize those living outside of India into seeking the removal of British colonial rule over India...
and the Indian National Army
Indian National Army
The Indian National Army or Azad Hind Fauj was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance...
. Both Puri and Pritam Singh were among the Indian delegates killed in a plane crash en route to the Tokyo conference
Tokyo Conference
The Tokyo Conference was a conference held between March 28 and 30, 1942 at Tokyo by South-East Asian Indian Nationalist groups including the Indian Independence League and the Indian National Council, as well as smaller local Indian associations and clubs. This conference led to the decision to...
in March 1942. The Swami Satyananda Puri foundation was established by the Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge
Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge
The Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge is one of the most prestigious Indian cultural organisation in Thailand that seeks to promote comparative studies and exchange between Thai and Indian history and culture. It was founded in 1940 in Bangkok by Swami Satyananda Puri with encouragement from the Indian...
in 1942 in his honour. The SSPF library today is a reference library that houses many old and rare Indian texts. The foundation is also involved in promoting work on Indian culture, especially on the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
.