Chakravarti, Manindra Lal

'Chakravarti, Manindra Lal' (1910-1983) One of the revolutionaries in the anti-British movement. He was born at the town of Mandu in Burma (Myanmar) on 20 September 1910. His parental home was in the village of Bazalia at Satkania in Chittagong. His father was a kabir'a'j (an Ayurvedic physician) in Mandu. So he spent his childhood in Mandu. Manindra Lal was sent to his childless uncle and aunt in his parental residence at Bazalia. He was admitted in the high school of Patia in 1925. As a student of class ten, he was first involved in the revolutionary activities. A student named Sripati Nandi, who came from Chittagong and got admitted into class ten in the same school, influenced Manindra Lal. In those days, the young revolutionists were popular in their own areas. For their selfless patriotic activities, they could win the heart of the people in their schools, colleges and villages. Along with Sripati Nandi Monindra lal and others tried to develop patriotic feeling within them and to prepare themselves mentally for the revolution. They set up gymnasiums to make themselves physically fit. After school, interested boys gathered there for exercise. Manindra Lal Chakravarti was admitted into Chittagong Government College in 1929. He was then seriously involved in Swadeshi and revolutionary activities with the Anushilon Dal (Anushilon party). He was given the responsibility to run the underground activities in Collegiate School, Municipal School and Pahartali School. He met the activists from these schools once a week in a secret place, administered the oath to new members, distributed books among them and encouraged them all by telling them stories of the great revolutionists who laid down their lives for the country. In 1930, the revolutionaries of Chittagong also joined the civil disobedience movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Manindra Lal was in the forefront of the movement. At that time, masterda surya sen was the secretary of the Congress in Chittagong. He was associated with the 'jugantar party';. Along with many other revolutionists, Manindra Lal went into underground to avoid policy harassment. Yet from underground they continued their activities. The revolutionarists raided Chittagong armoury on 18 April 1930 under the leadership of Masterda. Police arrested Masterda along with other revolutionaries. Manindra Lal Chakravarti was expelled from Chittagong College. His family sent him to Kolkata. He was admitted in Asht'a'nga Ayurved College; in Kolkata. This time he was again involved in revolutionary activities. Manindra Lal was arrested on 1 April 1935 from his college hostel. He was sent to the Presidency Jail as a political prisoner. Here he came into close contact with the revolutionaries from all over the country. After six months, he was taken to the Kuliarchar thana in the district of Mymensingh. As a political prisoner, he was interned there for two and a half years. After his internment at Kuliarchar, Dr. Manindra Lal was taken out of Bangladesh and was sent to his parents in Burma to keep him under house arrest. He was prohibited to return to Bangladesh. In a few days Manindra Lal was released and returned to Kolkata. He then completed learning Ayurveda. He spent the last days with his family in Hoogly. The colourful life of Dr. Manindra Lal Chakravarti came into an end on 14 July 1983 when he was 73 years old. [AKM Shahnawaz] [Shahnawaz, AKM Professor of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University]