Educator, writer and social reformer Rajnarayan Basu was born on this day in Boral in South 24-Parganas.
He had studied at Hare School and Hindoo College and had joined as an English teacher at Sanskrit College in the city, but left for Midnapore, where he founded several educational institutions and created an excellent environment for teaching. He also established a library, a night school for farmers and labourers and a school for women.
He was a follower of the Brahmo religion and had worked at the Tattvavodini Sabha.
For years he was engaged in translating the Upanishads. He was a driving force behind Hindu Mela. He believed in encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship among Bengalis. He became a member of the Indian Association and raised his voice against the 1878 Vernacular Press Act. He was the president of the nationalist organisation Sanjeevani Sabha.
Basu wrote several books in Bengali and English, including his autobiography.