Captain Narendra Nath Datta
Born on 21 September, 1884 in the village Sreekail Narandra Nath Datta died on 6 April, 1949 in Calcutta at the age of 65. He was popularly known as 'Captain Datta.' Today he lives in the memory of hundreds and thousands of the people -- his friends, relatives and admirers and well-wishers. Today though our heart is naturally heavy with sorrow and pain missing him, yet it beats with a sort of joy as we recollect a man who had loved the down-trodden of the society.
Datta, indeed, lives in the minds of all those who knew him. He was a kind of man whom the local people can never forget. Although Captain Datta died in his Calcutta residence which is far away from his paternal home, yet part of his last remains were buried on the soil of Sreekail -- his birth place, which he loved so much. Captain Datta was not a person to harbour grudges and animosity against any body. He fought hard for the cause of education of the poor people of his area.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Datta was a life-time bachelor. It is known that one of his close friends once asked Datta: "Why don't you marry"? Than he replied; "If I marry I may or may not be a father of five or 10 children. But don't you see the hundreds of students of the Sreekail College and High School? They are my children." Whenever he was asked this question the reply was the same.
The Sreekail College was built in 1941 because of his sacrifice, courage and determination. It was his child. But these ideal institutions for general education will survive generation after generation. There is no need of any memorial tomb for Captain Datta. These institutions themselves are the great memorial tomb for him.
Even now the spirit of Captain Datta is there to guide and inspire us. We must not forget the example of his relentless striving for education of the poor villages for which he fought to the last. Let us also cherish the values he held sacred -- honesty, integrity, courage and sacrifice. Captain Datta lived and died to achieve just a good society based on the basic principle of education for all irrespective of cast, creed, colour, rank, status and position. His entire philosophy of life could be summed up in one word: 'Education.'
May the soul of late lamented Captain Narendra Nath Datta rest in eternal peace in the Heaven.