Roy, Raja Krishnendra

Roy, Raja Krishnendra (1834-1898) poet and playwright, was born in a brahman family of the village of Khajura in natore district, son of Shivchandra Lahiri. Krishnendra was adopted by Harasundari, the rani of Balihar.

Though Krishnendra had no formal education, he learned Bangla, Sanskrit and Persian with a house tutor. After taking charge of Balihar in 1854, he undertook many welfare activities such as digging ponds at Saraswatipur, constructing roads, establishing a charitable dispensary at Balihar, and setting up the Balihar Krishnendra M E School. In 1872 he became president of the Rajshahi Association. For his social welfare activities he was conferred the titles of 'Raja' (1880) and 'Bahadur' (1887) by the British government.

He began writing in late life, with his first book, Sitacharita, being published in 1884. Among his other works are Brtrasanghar Gitikavya (1885), Sukhbhram (1888), Svabhavniti (1895), Vanparajay Gitikavya (1927), Jayanta Parajay Gitikavya (1927), Sitaharan Panchali O Gitavali (1927) Adbhut Natak (2nd ed., 1928), etc. He died in 1898. [Anik Mahmud]