Dr. Madhab.K. Chattopadhyay
Ph.D. (Pharmacy 1990, Spl: Microbial Biochemistry)
Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR), Hyderabad 500 007 Ph# 040-2719 2545, E-mail: mkc@ccmb.res.in
Introduction
Recently we have celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy. They were born in 1861. Dr. Nilratan Sircar is one of those luminaries who, in spite of being born in the same year, remain ignored. A medical college in Kolkata is bearing his name. But it is most commonly called NRS Medical College and many of us do not even know what NRS stands for. This ignorance and indifference can be hardly justified keeping in mind the multifaceted contributions of Dr Sircar to the society. He was not only an eminent physician but also an educationist and entrepreneur.
Early life and Education
Born in a poor family on 1st October 1861 at a remote village (Netra) near Diamond Harbor, he passed the Entrance Examination from the Jaynagar School in 1876 with a brilliant result. His curiosity about instruments during his boyhood days projected him as a prospective engineer to people around him. However, the unfortunate death of his mother before his Entrance Examination caused by an incurable disease attracted him to the medical science. He joined the Campbell Medical School, where cost of education was within the realm of his afford ability and passed the Licentiate Examination from there in 1880. He got a post of Sub-Assistant Surgeon, which was quite lucrative for someone with his financial background. But his penchant for higher education emboldened him to leave the job and to join the Metropolitan College from where he passed F.A. and B.A. Subsequently he joined the Calcutta Medical College and passed M.B. (1888). Thereafter he also obtained the M.A. (1889) and M.D. (1890) degree. After a brief service career as a house staff at the Mayo Hospital he started private practice, which earned him name and fame within a short time. His ability to diagnose the diseases accurately made him highly popular.
Contributions in the field of medical practice and medical education
Dr. Sircar was never tired of listening to the patients. He was very kind to the poor patients. He used to provide them free medical service and in some cases also medicine and food. However, he used to charge high fees from the rich people. In doing so he and some of his fellow physicians delivered a message that Indian doctors were in no way inferior to the European doctors. They had to do it in view of the contemptuous attitude prevailing among the aristocrats during that time to the Indian doctors. The outcome was obvious. Those, who used to call European doctors earlier spending a high amount, started approaching the Indian doctors.
Being seriously concerned with the public health, he started drawing attention of the administration on the importance of supplying pure water. When the rate of child death was alarming, he emphasized the need for scientific training of the untrained midwives, on whom common people were mostly dependent during that time. He was also instrumental in setting up the Calcutta Medical Club (an association of western educated Indian doctors) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The first issue of the journal of IMA was published in March 1930 under his able editorship. He was the president of the All India Medical Conference in 1918 and 1932.
Indian students, by and large, were looked down upon by the British professors in the government medical colleges at that time. Appreciating the need for an institution free from British hierarchy, Dr. Sircar along with some like-minded people, set up a private medical college in 1895 and named it College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bengal. Earlier, a similar endeavor by some other eminent physicians (Dr. Radha Gobinda Kar, Dr. Mahendranath Banerjee) led to the birth of another institution named Calcutta School of Medicine (later renamed as Calcutta Medical School). These two non-government institutions for medical education were merged into a single entity in 1916 and christened Belgachhia Medical College. It was inaugurated by the then Governor of Bengal, Lord Carmichael, who offered gracious help for its development. Hence its name was changed again to Carmichael Medical College in 1919. Notwithstanding the skeptical and scornful attitude of the officer bearers of the Indian Medical Service to this institution, it emerged as a centre of excellence mainly because of the untiring effort of Dr. Sircar, Dr R.G. Kar, Dr. Suresh Sarbadhikari and some other devoted physicians. Following political freedom of the country, this institution was re-christened as R.G. Kar Medical College. Dr. Sircar also played an active role in setting up the Kumud Shankar Roy Tuberculosis hospital at Jadavpur. Despite being an allopath, he was respectful to the indigenous methods of medicine.
Contribution in the field of technical education
As a successful medical practitioner, he could spend the life in affluence and comfort. But his love for the people of this country inspired him to undertake a number of activities related to the public welfare. Following the decision of Lord Curzon to divide Bengal in the pretext of administrative reasons, some eminent people decided to challenge the British rule by making institutions, which would deliver education on a national basis. The National Council of Education was established in 1906 by Gurudev Rabindranth, Rasbehari Ghosh, and others. The Society for Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal (SPTE) was formed by Sir Taraknath Palit in the same year. The Bengal Technical Institute was set up under the aegis of SPTE. Dr Sircar had significant contribution behind formation of this institute and its descendant, at present known as Jadavpur University.
Contribution as an entrepreneur
Like many other contemporary thinkers (viz, Acharya P.C Roy), Dr Sircar was eager to see people of Bengal becoming economically self-sufficient against the prevailing trend of being helplessly dependent on jobs under the British people and people of other provinces of India. Instead of choosing the conventional path of preaching but not practicing (followed by most of us) he set himself as an example of an enterprising person. In 1905, he purchased a tannery at the Beleghata area of Kolkata. Later on Birajmohun Das, the first leather technologist of India, and some others joined it. The organization flourished as a limited company in course of time. It is working at present as the National Tannery Company Limited. Dr Sircar also set up a soap factory. Its product, Bijaya Soap, earned reputation in the market. Even Sir J.C Bose certified the product as safe for the skin. He also made some investments in a tea company, subsequently known as Eastern Tea Board.
Contribution as the representative of the people
Dr. Sircar was a member of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1912 to 1927. He was one of the office bearers in the Reception Committee of the 26th annual convention of the Indian National Congress held at Kolkata during 26-28 December, 1911. The famous song of Rabindranath (Jana-gana mana, now our National Anthem) was sung for the first time at the conference, mainly because of the initiative taken by Dr Sircar.
Contribution in the promotion of science research
Dr Sircar was well aware of the role of science research in the progress of a nation. He was intimately associated with the Bose Institute. He also worked as a president of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.
Contribution as office bearers
Dr Sircar was associated with Calcutta University as the Dean of Science, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and also as the Vice Chancellor at different junctures of his life. In 1920 he represented Calcutta University in a convention of all the universities within the then British empire. He worked also as a trustee of Visva Bharati and Indian Museum. After passing B.A, he served as the Headmaster of the Chatra High School for a short period.
Other achievements
Dr Sircar had deep interest in Bengali literature. One of his intimate friends was Rabindranath, who dedicated to him one of his collections of poems, Senjuti by name. During his life time, Dr Sircar was honored by a number of universities. The British government deservingly honored him with the Sir title.
Last phase of life
Despite earning a lot of money, he suffered from financial hardship during the last few years of his life mainly because of his benevolent nature and reckless investments for the interest of the society. Even his residential house had to be sold off to repay loans. He breathed his last on 18th May, 1943 at Giridi. His wife Nirmala, who hailed from a Brahma family of East Bengal, predeceased him four years ago. The name of his Alma Mater was changed to Dr Nilratan Sircar Medical College in 1950 to honor its celebrated alumnus.
Conclusion
It is nothing surprising that such a man of excellence, totally devoted to the service of the society, is one of the least known figures to the cricket and film-crazy present generation. Our enthusiasm to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary also excludes Dr Kadambini Ganguly, who was the first female physician of South Asia trained in Western medicine. However, leading educational institutions and publishers could take an active role in creating awareness about the contributions of such luminaries by organizing essay competitions among students, arranging for public lectures and publishing special issues of magazines. The endeavor made by this magazine in this regard is indeed commendable.
References
1) Kormayogi Dr Nil Ratan Sircar: An article by Prakash Das Biswas, Jnan Bichitra (Jan 2011) Vol: 35, No:7, pp: 30-33, Agartala, Tripura
2) Sansad Bangalee Charitabhidhan (2002) Vol 1, pp: 273-274, Sahitya Sansad, Kolkata
Acknowledgement
The author feels thankful to Dr Chanchal Sarbajna, Senior scientist (Geochemist), working at the Mineralogy- Geochemistry Group of Atomic Minerals Directorate, Department of Atomic Energy, Hyderabad for invitation to write this article and also to Prof D. Gupta Sharma, ex-Director, National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR), Hyderabad for critical correction of the manuscript.