Jagadindra Nath Roy

Maharaja Jagadindra Nath Roy Bahadur (Moitra) (20 October,1868- 5 January,1925) [1] known as the Maharaja of Natore was a noted zamindar of Natore from Bengal. He is also noted for his contribution to the game of cricket in British India.[2][3]

Family

He was the adopted son of Govind Chandra Nath Ray (Moitra), the Zamindar of Natore, a member of the Rajshahi Raj family, who died childless and Brajasundari, his widow adopted Jagadindranath at age of fifteen. The personal title of Maharaja was bestowed upon him in 1877. He later made Calcutta his home. Natore Rajbari, the Natore Raj family's ancestral home since the time of Rani Bhabani is now a protected monument of Bangladesh.[4][5][6]

Career and patronage

He was a patron of art and sports[2] including the Town Club of Calcutta and the Bengal Gymkhana.[7] He was editor of a monthly journal titled Manasi o Marmabani and earned a reputation as a journalist.[3]

Cricket

He was a great cricket enthusiast and one of the active committee members of the Calcutta Cricket Club. In 1890, he promoted his own cricket team known as Natore. He was a great nationalist and his team consisted of Indian members. He promoted the Natore Stadium, a large cricket venue in his hometown of Natore and a sprawling cricket stadium, called Natore Garden in Calcutta at Ballygunge, which rivaled the Eden Gardens Stadium also in Calcutta. He also roped in prominent Indian players of his time, like Mehta, Baloo, Shivram, Yeshwant, Ganpat Palwankar, Vithal Palwankar, Sheshacari, K. N. Mistry, Warden, H.L. Semper, Sardaranjan and his brothers, Muktidaranjan, Kuladaranjan, and Pramodranjan. Moni Das, another noted cricket player of the era from Bengal, was also patronized by the Maharaja. Although the Maharaja had only one eye, he would bat and field himself and was a good cricket player. His son, Kumar Jogindra Nath was also a good cricket player. The Natore team boasted a nationalist spirit and the team included many noted Dalit cricketers of the era. He adopted Srishchandra, a young but poor cricket talent and saved the life of an aspiring talent of Bengal.[7] The Natore team promoted by him rivaled the team of Cooch Behar which was promoted by Maharaja Sir Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur of Cooch Behar in Bengal. The Natore team lasted until 1945, patronized by his son after his death.[2][8][7][9][10][11]

Politics

In 1901, he was made Chairman of the Congress Reception Committee at Calcutta and gave a noted lecture on India's state of political affairs and industries.[12]

He was elected as a member of the Bengal Legislative Council in 1913.[4]

Death

He died in 1925[2] survived by his son, Raja Jogindra Nath Roy, who succeeded him as Natore Raj.[4]

Memorials

There is a school named after him, which he founded, named Maharaja Jagadindra Nath Roy School at Natore.

References
  1. Subodhchandra Sengupta & Anjali Bose (2016). Sansad Bengali Charitabhidhan Vol.I. Sahitya Sansad,Kolkata. p. 230. ISBN 978-81-7955-135-6.
  2. Mukherji, Raju (21 February 2015). Eden Gardens Legend & Romance: Eden Gardens, the heritage cricket venue, celebrated 150 years. Kolkatatoday.com. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  3. Division, Bangladesh Ministry of Cabinet Affairs Establishment; Ishaq, Muhammad (1976). Bangladesh District Gazetteers: Rajshahi 1976. Bangladesh Government Press. pp. 240–41. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  4. Bakshi, Shiri Ram (2000). Bangladesh Gazetteer. Cosmo Publication. ISBN 9788177550184. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  5. Lorimer, John Gordon (1970). Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, ʻOmān, and Central Arabia. Gregg. p. 251. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  6. Lethbridge, Sir Roper (2005). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire. Aakar Books. p. 198. ISBN 9788187879541. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  7. Majumdar, Boria; Hong, Fan (13 September 2013). Modern Sport - The Global Obsession. Routledge. ISBN 9781317997955.
  8. Majumdar, Boria (18 October 2013). Cricket in Colonial India 1780 – 1947. Routledge. ISBN 9781317970132. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  9. Online, Asia Time (5 March 2005). "Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan". www.atimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2005. Retrieved 16 April 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. Macaloon, John J. (13 September 2013). Muscular Christianity and the Colonial and Post-Colonial World. Routledge. ISBN 9781317997917.
  11. "On a ground once upon a time". The Telegraph. The Telegraph Kolkata. 12 December 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  12. Haqqi, Anwarul Haque; Association, Indian Political Science (1986). Indian Democracy at the Crossroads. Mittal Publications. p. 209. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
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