See Tagore for disambiguation

Ramanath Tagore (archaic spelling Roma Nath Tagore) was one of the leading social figures in 19th century Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

 (then Calcutta). The son of Rammani Tagore of the Jorasanko

Jorasanko

Jorasanko is a neighbourhood in north Kolkata. It is so called because of the two wooden or bamboo bridges that spanned a small stream at this point.-History:...

 branch of the Tagore family

Tagore family

The Tagore family, with over three hundred years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, and is regarded as a key influence during the Bengal Renaissance...

, he was younger brother of Dwarkanath Tagore

Dwarkanath Tagore

Dwarkanath Tagore , was one of the first Indian industrialists and entrepreneurs, was the founder of the Jorasanko branch of the Tagore family, and is notable for making substantial contributions to the Bengal Renaissance.-Childhood:...

 and a cousin of Prasanna Coomar Tagore

Prasanna Coomar Tagore

See Tagore for disambiguationPrasanna Coomar Tagore was son of Gopi Mohan Tagore, one of the founders of Hindu College. He belonged to the Pathuriaghata branch of the Tagore family and was one of the leaders of the conservative branch of Hindu society...

. Later, he acquired the family property at Battala, one of the Kolkata neighbourhoods.

Achievements

He became dewan of the Union Bank in 1829 and remained with the bank until it was wound up. In his younger age, he as attracted towards the ideas of Ram Mohan Roy

Ram Mohan Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian religious, social, and educational reformer who challenged traditional Hindu culture and indicated the lines of progress for Indian society under British rule. He is sometimes called the father of modern India...

 and was one of the original trustees of the Brahmo Samaj

Brahmo Samaj

Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...

. Ramanath was one of the persons who initiated the establishment 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...

 and was its president from 1867 to 1877.

The Indian Association

Indian National Association

The Indian National Association was the first avowed nationalist organization founded in British India by Surendranath Banerjea and Anand Mohan Bose in 1876. The objectives of this Association were “promoting by every legitimate means the political, intellectual and material advancement of the...

, along with its more moderate contemporary, the British Indian Association, played a catalytic role in building up political consciousness. ‘We are told in Bipin Pal’s

Bipin Chandra Pal

Bipin Chandra Pal was an Indian nationalist. He was among the triumvirate of Lal Bal Pal.-Early life and background:...

 memoirs that during the seventies Calcutta student community was a honeyomber with several societies. Next to Surendranath, there were several leaders like Kristo Das Pal

Kristo Das Pal

Kristo Das Pal , was an Indian journalist, orator and the editor of Hindoo Patriot. In spite of being born of the Teli or oil-men's caste, which ranks low in the Hindu social hierarchy, he rose to be one of the important persons of his age....

, Rajendra Lala Mitra, Ramanath Tagore, Digamber Mitra, Rev K.M.Banerjee

Krishna Mohan Banerjee

Krishna Mohan Banerjee was a prominent member of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio’s Young Bengal group, educationist, linguist and Christian missionary.-Early life:...

 and Lalmohan Ghosh.’

He was one of the patrons of Hindu Mela. One of the rare persons in that age to appreciate western art, he was one of the early collectors of paintings.

Honours

As a member of the Bengal legislative council to which he was appointed in 1866, he so stoutly advocated the rights of the tenants that he was named the ‘Ryots Friend.’ He played a prominent part in municipal matters and it was chiefly because of his efforts that a proposal to shift the Nimtolla cremation ground was retained at its original location. He was nominated to the Viceroy’s Council in 1873 and created a Raja

Raja

Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...

. In 1874, he was made a Companion of the Star of India by Lord Northbrook

Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook

Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook PC, GCSI, FRS , was a British Liberal politician and statesman...

, in recognition of services rendered by him during the famine. At the Proclamation Durbar of 1877, he was made a Maharaja by Lord Lytton

Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC , was an English politician, poet, playwright, and novelist. He was immensely popular with the reading public and wrote a stream of bestselling dime-novels which earned him a considerable fortune...

, viceroy of India.

Writing

In association with Prasanna Coomar Tagore, he started the Indian Reformer. He contributed extensively to the Harkara and Englishman under the pseudonym “Hindu.”