Dr. Surendranath Bardhan (Suren Bardhan) (24 July 1888 — 29 September 1978) was a Bengali revolutionary and founder member of Mukti Sangha (Bengal Volunteers) involved with Rodda company arms heist case.

Early life

Suren Bardhan was born on July 24, 1888, in Nandalalpur village of Pabna district in British India. His father, Dwarakanath Bardhan, was the 'Nayeb' of Bolihar estate.He finished elementary and middle school at Ullapara in the Pabna District. Later, he moved to Nagewhwari in the Rangpur District of British India with his younger brothers,Jogandranath Bardhan and Nagendranath Bardhan. That's where he began working as a doctor. Because he was a doctor, he used to live in Raiganj of Nageshwari. He came in contact with Bengali rebel, Hemchandra Ghosh at that time. Haridas Dutta, Khagen Das, Dr. Surendranath Bardhan, Bibhuti Basu, Nijunja Sen, Krishnakanta Adhikari, Munshi Alimuddin, and Haridas Roy were some of the devout people that Hemchandra Ghosh brought together in 1905 to form the Mukti Sangha. Hemchandra only did revolutionary work in the town of Subhadya, but he, also, did try to start a few branches in other rural areas.He was in charge of the branches that were based on the Subhadya Society and told Surendranath Bardhan and Haridas Dutta to set up centers in North Bengal, especially in places where people from lower classes lived, like the districts of Dinajpur and Rongpur and further afield. Surendra Bardhan set up his base in the village of Nageswari. With the help of Nilkamal Bairagi, he slowly began to work among the Adivisis, especially among the Huzong and Rava tribes who were not very educated but cared a lot about protecting their local independence and the traditions of their ancestors. For these kinds of people, the freedom message was thought to have a special draw, and Dr. Bardhan's actions were thought to have a noticeable impact. Two new Rava members, Govinda Rava from Jolapara in Assam and Biren Rava from Paham village, worked hard to organise things. Later, Hemchandra Ghose turned his attention to other channels, but the Ravas never forgot the lesson of freedom Dr. Bardhan taught them, and they didn't let the party down when they needed it.

Life of a rebel

Dr Surendranath Bardhan in his middle age (image taken from the book Habu of Malanga and Rodda Arms Heist)

The Rodda Arms heist was set to happen on August 26, 1914. The German Mouser Pistols were stolen as part of a plan by Hemchandra Ghosh's party (Mukti Sangha) and Atmannoti Samiti. Srish Paul was in charge of the theft. Other important persons who took part was Habu Mitra, Haridas Dutta and some others. Habu Mitra worked for the company and was in charge of transporting the stolen goods who informed when and where the consignment unloaded. The weapon loot process was completed successfully. On the possibility that Habu might be arrested later, Srish Paul boarded him on the Darjeeling mail that night and left him with Dr. Surendranath Bardhan (one of the founders of the Mukti Sangha) in Kurigram, Nageshwari in Rangpur district, where he planned to hide him for a few days. But because Habu was moody, he started wandering around the village after just a few days. This got the attention of both the villagers and the cops. Some of the policemen were as impressed with Dr. Bardhan as a doctor that they told him that the IB men from Calcutta would be searching his house in a day or two to get rid of any such things that were there. Doctor Bardhan sent Habu right away to the Ravas of the Assam border, where he was taken care of by Haridas Dutta's younger brother Jamini Dutta and his loyal follower Neelkamal Bairagi. The police searched the house the next day but didn't find anything. They left for now, but Dr. Bardhan was added to their list of suspects, and they started to keep an eye on him. After that, in 1915, Dr. Bardhan was arrested and jailed until 1917. He went to Assam to look for Habu after getting out of jail, but there was no sign of Habu. This is what Dr. Surendranath Bardhan himself said about it:

“Srish da came to my place in the evening as a coolie in the pouring rain with Habu and left Habu early the next morning and left for Calcutta.

Habu was at my address for two months. At first, it was a bit secretive. But in the end he didn't listen to me because of his very fickle nature. He used to run around with my horse.

He started socializing with everyone in the village. As a result, it caught everyone's attention, especially the police officers.

The police had some eyes on me. Seeing the new man on top of him and hearing accent of Calcutta in his mouth raised the suspicion of the police. At least, that's what I assumed from the movement of the police.

The assistant constable of the police station was loyal to me. One day, he informed me that IB police were coming from Kolkata. Maybe my house will be searched.

That evening, I sent Habu to the Rava on the Assam border in the custody of Haridas Dutt's younger brother Jamini Dutt and my special friend and confidant Neelkamal Bairagi.

The next day, the police came to search my house and dispensary and were very disappointed not to find Habu Mitra.

In response to the police question that day I said that I had a friend of my cousin Sudhir Mitra. There was no one called Habu Mitra. That brother came for a job and left last night as he didn't get a job.

Two IB officers came from Kolkata and searched. Not finding Habu, they became naturally restless. They said that their men saw a person in my house till ten o'clock last night. Where might that guy have gone already?

However, after digging through the floor of my house and the land, the police did not find anything they wanted, so they left. After that, for many days, they sent people in various directions to look for the police and kept a close eye on me, too.

Habu's companion was our friend, a Rava youth. After being in jail for a long time, we all came out and inquired about the hideout of Ravas at the Assam Border and found out that Habu and that Rava youth had disappeared from that hideout long ago.

No one could tell where they had gone. But Ravas thinks that they have gone towards the mountains. So, I also think that the end of Habu happened in an attempt to cross the unknown frontier. It was only natural for such a lively, brave, and brilliant young man to attempt such a thing.

Workers like Habu disappeared because we were in jail for a long time. It remains a deeply painful subject for me to this day. However, I do not doubt that his death in a remote place was a martyr's death.”

Several revolutionary parties in Bengal were given the looted Mauser pistols and bullets in the following episode of the Rodda Arm theft. Hemchandra Ghosh was to get 5 Mauser pistols and 1000 bullets when Dr. Surendranath Bardhan traveled from Rangpur to Calcutta. While evading the British police, he carried out his duties as expected.

Being a member of the Mukti Sangha (Bengal Volunteers), Dr. Bardhan was involved in establishing branches of the revolutionary organization in various places. It is difficult to get much information about him in public as he was involved in revolutionary activities from the inside behind his medical profession.

Partition of Independence and later chapters

The Bardhan family—including Dr. Surendranath, his brothers Yogendranath and Nagendranath, and their families—had to flee Nageshwari in the dead of night after gaining independence through Partition and enduring communal riots. They had to leave all of their belongings, including their homes, and travel to modern-day India on a bullock cart driven by a well-wisher.

After that, Yogendranath and Nagendranath Bardhan made in Dinhata, West Bengal, their permanent home. Dr. Surendranath Bardhan, on the other hand, moved permanently to Subhashganj Village in Raiganj, North Dinajpur District, after spending just over a year renting a house of Taraknath Das (elder brother of Anil Das and Moni Das) in Azimnagar, Purnia district.

He and his family—his wife and his children—suffered through severe poverty from that point till his death. Without ever settling for injustice, he exemplified the ultimate revolutionary. He never tried to draw attention to himself and lived a very simple and modest life in the last part of his life.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer in the middle 1960s. But because he got therapy quickly and lived a very disciplined life, he was able to survive for the next decade or so.

"Tamrapatra" in recognation of his outstanding service to India's independence

In recognition of his outstanding service to the cause of India's independence, our Honourable Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi bestowed the title of "Tamrapatra" upon him on August 16, 1972, marking 25 years of India's Independence.

He was bestowed the Freedom Fighter honor by the West Dinajpur District Congress on April 13, 1976.

An oil painting portrait of him along with other revolutionaries is preserved in the Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata

On September 29, 1978, at his residence in Subhashganj, he passed away.

Special Thanks

Smt. Abhaya Rani Sarkar, Daughter of Dr. Surendranath Bardhan

Smt. Chhaya Bhowmik, Daughter of Dr. Surendranath Bardhan

Mr. Abhijit Sarkar, Grand son of Dr. Surendranath Bardhan

Dr. Gayatri Bardhan, Grand Daughter of Dr. Surendranath Bardhan

Smt. Bani Paul, Grand Daughter of Dr. Surendranath Bardhan

Dr. Dipanjan Ray, Assistant Professor, Ashoka University, Haryana.

Dr. Nirjhar Sarkar, Professor in English, Raiganj University

Mr. Amitabha Gupta, Photographer & Travelogue Writer

Mr. Susovon Guha

References

1. Sabar Alakshe By Bhupendra Kishore Rakshit Roy, Publisher: Moyukh Basu. Kolkata 12, 1967

2. India-Wrests-Freedom by S C Sengupta, Publisher:Sahitya Sansad_Kolkata-19

3. Rakter Akshare By Sailesh Dey, Publisher: Birendranath Dey, Kolkata-9

4. Habu Of Malanga and Rodda Arms Heist (মলঙ্গার হাবু ও রডা কোম্পানীর অস্ত্র লুঠ) By Satyendranath Gangopadhyay.

Publisher: Gopal Chandra Mukhopadhyay, 1978

5. Ami Subhash Bolchhi by Sailesh Dey, Publisher: Rabindranath Biswas, Kolkata 12, 1969

6. Two-Great-Indian-Revolutionaries by Uma Mukherjee

7. Bibidho Prosonge Gramin Raiganj

Born	24 July 1888
Died	29 September 1978
Occupation	Doctor/Revolutionary
Organization	Bengal Volunteers
Movement	Indian Freedom Movement