Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mahamahopadhyay Pandit
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya
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| Born | 22 February 1836 |
| Died | 12 April 1906 (aged 70) |
| Known for | Sanskrit Academic administration Social welfare Philosophy |
| Title | Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (1881) Mahamahopadhyay (1887) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Sanskrit, academics, academic administration, social welfare, philosophy |
| Institutions | Sanskrit College University of Calcutta Narit Nyayratna Institution Hungarian Academy of Sciences Bengal Asiatic Society Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science Anthropological Society of Bombay Government Engineering College, Shibpur |
Mahamahopadhyay Pandit Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya (born February 22, 1836 – died April 12, 1906) was an important Indian scholar. He was an expert in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. From 1876 to 1895, he served as the head of the Sanskrit College in Kolkata.
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna was a close friend and colleague of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He played a big part in the Bengal Renaissance, a time of great social and intellectual change in Bengal during the 19th century. He was one of the most respected people in Kolkata at that time.
Contents
About His Life
His Family and Early Years
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya was born on February 22, 1836. His family, the Bhattacharyyas of Narit, was well-known for their love of Sanskrit learning. Many famous scholars, called Pandits, came from his family. His father, Harinarayan Tarkasiddhanta, and his two uncles were all respected Pandits. His older brother was also a well-known scholar.
In 1848, he married Mandakini. They had a daughter, Manorama, and three sons. His sons grew up to be successful in their own fields. Manmatha Nath Vidyaratna Bhattacharyya became the first Indian Accountant General of Madras. Munindra Nath Bhattacharyya was a lawyer in Kolkata. Mahima Nath Bhattacharyya was the first Indian Collector in the Excise Department for the Government of India.
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna passed away on April 12, 1906, at the age of 70.
His Work in Education
In 1876, Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna became the head of the Sanskrit College. He held this important position for 19 years. During his time as principal, he started the Sanskrit Title Examination. This exam allowed talented students to earn special titles for their deep knowledge of Sanskrit.
He also opened a school in his home village of Narit. This school, called Narit Nyayratna Institution, taught both English and Sanskrit. It is still open today.
His Writings
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna was a prolific writer and editor. He edited important Sanskrit texts like Kavya Prakas and Mimansa Darshan. He also worked on the Black Yajur Veda, which is a sacred Hindu text.
Besides editing, he wrote many short books and essays. These included "Remarks on Dayananda Saravati's Veda-Bhashya" and "The Authorship of Mrichchhakatika." Another famous scholar, Swami Dayanand, even wrote a book in response to some of his ideas.
He worked hard to help Sanskrit learning grow. He also used his own money and influence to help people during famines. He supported education and helped build better roads and ways for people to travel.
Helping His Community
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna cared deeply about his community. He improved roads and other facilities in and around his village of Narit. He also played a key role in developing roads and even tramways in his home district of Howrah.
Awards and Recognition
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna received many honors for his work.
- In 1881, he was made a Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire (CIE). This was a special award from the British government.
- On February 16, 1887, he was given the title Mahamahopadhyay. This title was for his outstanding knowledge of Eastern studies. It meant he was considered a very important scholar.
- The title Nyayratna also showed how highly Indian scholars thought of him.
He was also chosen as a Foreign Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest. He was a member of many important groups, including the Bengal Asiatic Society and the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. He also helped oversee Sanskrit education for the entire Bengal presidency, which included areas that are now West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
A street in North Kolkata, Nyayratna Lane, is named after him to honor his contributions.
His Children's Legacy
Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna's children also made their mark on history. His eldest son, Manmatha Nath Vidyaratna Bhattacharyya, was especially notable.
Manmatha Nath Bhattacharyya was the first Indian Accountant General of Madras. A street in Shyambazar is named after him. He was a close friend of Swami Vivekananda, a famous spiritual leader. Vivekananda often stayed at Manmatha Nath's home in Madras. They kept in touch regularly, even when Vivekananda was in the USA. In 1901, Swami Vivekananda performed the first-ever Kumari Puja at the historic Belur Math. During this special ceremony, he worshipped Manmatha Nath's daughter as the Kumari, a young girl seen as a symbol of the divine.
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