Draft:Kashikanto Mukhopadhyay



Kashikanta Mukhopadhyay (1839–1881) was an educator and pioneer of girls' education in the Bengal region during the 19th century. Born in 1839 in the village of Maijpara, Bikrampur, Dhaka (now part of present-day Bangladesh), Mukhopadhyay faced early adversity with the loss of his mother at the age of six months. Raised by his maternal grandmother, Doyamoyee Debi, he showed a keen interest in education from a young age.

Despite the absence of a high school in Maijpara, Mukhopadhyay's determination to pursue learning led his grandmother to support his education in Dhaka, where English-medium schooling was available. In 1857, he successfully competed in scholarship examinations and gained admission to Pogose School in Dhaka. Mukhopadhyay excelled academically, earning a gold medal in English language and a certificate in Bengali language upon completing his schooling.

In 1859, Mukhopadhyay declined an offer to become the headmaster of a school in Shibsagar, Assam, opting instead to accept the position of headmaster at Pogose School in Dhaka. Over the next three years, he demonstrated exceptional leadership, mentoring notable students such as Prasanna Kumar Ray and Anando Chandra Ray.

Recognized for his dedication to education, Mukhopadhyay was appointed Senior Deputy Inspector of Schools in Dhaka district by the Education Department in 1861. During this tenure, he advocated strongly for girls' education, establishing one of the earliest girls' schools in Dhaka, the Female Normal School, and several others in Bikrampur.

In 1865, Mukhopadhyay was promoted to Inspector of Schools for the Rajshahi Division. His departure from Dhaka was marked by expressions of gratitude from students and teachers, including a citation from the Female Normal School. In Rajshahi, he continued his efforts to promote girls' education by founding schools such as Rampur in Dhualia Chandranath Female Normal School, Kankina Female School, and Tushbhandar Female School.

In recognition of his expertise, the government tasked Mukhopadhyay with preparing a report to enhance the education system in the Bijni Kindgom. Subsequently, he was appointed Director of Education, the highest-ranking position in the department, and was assigned to the Princely State of Cooch Behar in 1872.

During his tenure in Cooch Behar, Mukhopadhyay played a pivotal role as a guardian and educator to the minor Prince Nripendra Narayan, following the untimely demise of the Maharaja when the prince was just 10 months old. Mukhopadhyay's contributions to education and his commitment to advancing girls' education left a lasting legacy in the region.

Kashikanta Mukhopadhyay passed away in 1881.