Shri Bijoy Krishna Modak: The Visionary Leader and The Founder of the College

Balagarh Bijoy Krishna Mahavidyalaya, established in 1985, affiliated to the University of Burdwan, is named after Sri Bijoy Krishna Modak, the noted freedom fighter, renowned educationist and the legendary mass leader of national stature. He spent a good part of his glorious life in the challenge of uplifting the life of the masses of Balagarh—a relatively backward region of West Bengal. Bijoy Krishna, a first class graduate in engineering, carried baskets full of clay on his own head for building up a village school house in association with the inhabitants of ‘Srikanta’, an obscure village of Balagarh. This single incident is enough to set the very tune of an institution like this. The college is named after this great personality who dedicated his entire life for the sake of the society.In post-independence period, particularly in his political life and as an active social worker he was elected an M.L.A. of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from the Balagarh Assembly Constituency in the year 1957.He was also elected a Member of Parliament from the Hooghly LokSabha Constituency in the year 1967, 1971 and 1977.He elected a Member of Parliament from the Arambagh LokSabha Constituency in the year 1980. In the year 1994 on 9th May this great personality took his last breath.

 

~: The Life and Works of Shri Bijoy Krishna Modak :~

  • 1921: Left school in response to the call for the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and gets admitted to Hooghly Vidyamandir, a nationalist school established by the revolutionary leader Bhupati Majumdar. Kazi Najrul Islam, the poet, Gopinath Saha, one of the patriots and martyrs, were connected to this institution. The school had close connection with/was a melting pot of various ideological beliefs like that of non-violence propagated by Mahatma Gandhi, armed nationalist revolutionary movements and socialist movements.

      [Classmates: Younger brother Hridaykrishna Modak, Hamidul Hauque, Sirajul Hauque et al.]

  • 1922: Passed the Entrance Examination from Gouriya Vidyatan. Got involved in relief work in the flood-ridden areas of Arambagh.
  • 1923: Got admitted to the Engineering course in the Jadavpur University.
  • 1925: Entered into the famous ‘Jugantar Party.’ Got himself arrested in the case of bombing at Dakshineswar.
  • 1927: Received a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering with distinction. Joined the revolutionaries in Haripal Kalyan Sangha.
  • 1928: A full-time member of the Indian National Congress. Was engaged in the relief work at flood-ridden Arambagh. Began to organise farmers’ movements.
  • 1931: Joined the Indian Proletarian Revolutionary Party. (Co-mates were Kalicharan Ghosh, Panchugopal Bhaduri, Phanindranath Bandyopadhyay, Binoy Chowdhury, Nirapada Mukherjee et al).
  • 1938-39: Released from the Deuli Jail after remaining imprisoned for seven long years. Became a member of the Communist Party. Dedicated himself in relief works and in organising farmers’ association in villages of flood ridden Balagarh, Boga, New Boga, Srikanta etc.
  • 1941: Joined the national freedom movement and got himself arrested.
  • 1943: Devoted himself to relief work at Arambagh during the famine.
  • 1946: Formed the fishermen’s association at Balagarh with Kajal Guha.
  • 1948: Got arrested and released afterwards. Led the Farmers’ Movement at Barakamalapur.
  • 1952: Was nominated as a candidate of the undivided Communist Party of India from the Hooghly Lok Sabha Constituency.
  • 1953: Led the refugee movement at Balagarh along with Kunjalal Dasgupta.
  • 1956: Was elected the Secretary of the Hooghly District Committee of the undivided Communist Party of India.
  • 1956-64: Remained the Secretary of Hooghly District Committee of C.P.I.
  • 1964-94: Was elected the Hooghly District Secretary of C.P.I (M) after the division of the Communist Party of India took place and occupied the post his death.
  • 1957: Was elected an M.L.A. of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from the Balagarh Assembly Constituency.
  • 1959: Led the ‘Khadya Andolan’ and got arrested for this cause.
  • 1962-1966: Remained a prisoner most of the time of this period under the Protection of India Act.
  • 1964-1994: Remained a member of the West Bengal State Committee of C.P.I (M).
  • 1967, 1971, and 1977: Was elected a Member of Parliament from the Hooghly Lok Sabha Constituency.
  • 1980: Was elected a Member of Parliament from the Arambagh Lok Sabha Constituency.
  • 1994: On 9th May this great personality took his last breath.