Tapan Raychaudhuri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tapan Raychaudhuri
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Raychaudhuri in November 2009
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| Born | 8 May 1926 |
| Died | 26 November 2014 (aged 88) |
| Alma mater |
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| Awards | Watumull Prize |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | History |
| Doctoral advisors | Dr. C. C. Davies Jadunath Sarkar |
| Notable students | Gyanendra Pandey, Gowher Rizvi |
Tapan Raychaudhuri (born May 8, 1926 – died November 26, 2014) was a famous historian from India and Britain. He was an expert in the history of British India, how India's economy grew, and the history of the Bengal region.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Tapan Raychaudhuri was born in a place called Kirtipasha in eastern Bengal. His parents were Prativa and Amiya Kumar Raychaudhuri. His father was the last zamindar, which was like a landlord, of Kirtipasha.
He came from a well-known Baidya family. He was also related to famous people like Kiran Shankar Roy and Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri. They were his uncles through his father's sisters.
His School Days
Tapan went to several schools and colleges. He studied at Ballygunge Government High School in Calcutta. He also attended Barisal Zilla School and Scottish Church College, Calcutta.
He then went to Presidency College, Calcutta. There, he earned his B.A. degree with honors in history. He did very well in his studies.
University Studies
Tapan earned his first D.Phil. degree in history from Calcutta University. His main supervisor was Sir Jadunath Sarkar, a very respected historian.
Later, he earned a second D.Phil. from Balliol College, Oxford in England. This time, his supervisor was Major (Dr.) C.C. Davies.
His Career as a Historian
Tapan Raychaudhuri started his career as a teacher. He taught at the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Calcutta University.
After returning from Britain, he worked at the National Archives of India. He was a deputy director there, helping to look after important historical documents.
Teaching and Leadership Roles
He became a professor of history at the Delhi School of Economics. He also served as the director of the school. Later, he became a professor and head of the history department at Delhi University.
From 1973 to 1992, he taught modern South Asian history at St. Antony's College, Oxford. He later became a professor of Indian history and civilization there. After he retired, he was an emeritus fellow at St. Antony's College.
In 2009, he was part of the jury for the Infosys Prize. This prize recognizes great work in different fields. In 2011, he was named a National Research Professor in India.
Awards and Honors
Tapan Raychaudhuri received many awards for his important work.
- Watumull Prize: He won this award in 1982 from the American Historical Association. He shared it with Irfan Habib for their book, Cambridge Economic History of India.
- Doctor of Letters: He received this special degree from the University of Oxford in 1993.
- Honorary Doctorates: He also received honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from the University of Calcutta and the University of Burdwan. These were given to him to honor his achievements.
- Padma Bhushan: In 2007, the Indian government gave him the Padma Bhushan award. This is one of India's highest civilian honors. It recognized his great contributions to history.
His Final Years
Tapan Raychaudhuri passed away at his home in Oxford, England, on November 26, 2014. He was 88 years old. He died after having a stroke.
