Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee - Revision history

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As a president of Indian National Congress

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	'''Womesh ~~Chunder Bonnerjee~~''' (or '''Umesh Chandra [[Banerjee]]''' by current English orthography of [[Bengali language\|Bengali]] names) (29 December 1844 – 21 July 1906) was an Indian barrister. He was the co-founder and first president of [[Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{citation\|last=Nanda\|first=B. R.\|author-link=Bal Ram Nanda\|title=Gokhale: The Indian Moderates and the British Raj\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58\|series=Legacy Series\|year=2015\|publisher=Princeton University Press\|isbn=978-1-4008-7049-3\|page=58\|orig-year=1977}}</ref>		'''Womesh Chandra Bannerjee''' (or '''Umesh Chandra Banerjee''' by current English orthography of [[Bengali language\|Bengali]] names) (29 December 1844 – 21 July 1906) was an Indian barrister. He was the co-founder and first president of [[Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{citation\|last=Nanda\|first=B. R.\|author-link=Bal Ram Nanda\|title=Gokhale: The Indian Moderates and the British Raj\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58\|series=Legacy Series\|year=2015\|publisher=Princeton University Press\|isbn=978-1-4008-7049-3\|page=58\|orig-year=1977}}</ref>

	Born on 1844 at [[Calcutta]] he studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]]. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer\|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk where he acquired a knowledge of law. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June, 1867. He returned to Calcutta in 1868 and within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty. He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.		Born on 1844 at [[Calcutta]] he studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]]. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer\|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk where he acquired a knowledge of law. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June 1867. He returned to Calcutta in 1868 and within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty. He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.

	He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885 from 28 ~~December~~ to 31 December. In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]] where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.		He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885 from 28 to 31 December. In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]] where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.

	He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council. He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London. In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the London Indian society and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London. He unsuccessfully contested the [[1892 United Kingdom general election]] as a Liberal party candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)\|Barrow and Furness]] seat. In 1893, Naoroji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.		He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council. He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London. In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the [[London Indian Society\|London Indian society]] and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London. He unsuccessfully contested the [[1892 United Kingdom general election]] as a Liberal party candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)\|Barrow and Furness]] seat. In 1893, Naoroji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.

	==Birth and Ancestry==		==Birth and Ancestry==
	'''Womesh Chandra ~~Bonnerjee~~''' was born on 29 December 1844 at [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]), in the present-day state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Bio" /> He belonged to a very respectable ''[[Bengali Brahmins\|Rarhi]]'' [[Kulin Brahmin]] family who hailed from Baganda, [[Howrah ~~District~~]] in present-day state of [[West Bengal]]. His grandfather ''Pitambur Bonnerjee'' first migrated to [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]) and settled there. From his mother's side, ''Womesh Chandra'' was descended from the renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher Pundit ''[[Jagannath Tarka Panchanan\|Juggonath Turkopunchanun]]'' of [[Tribeni, Hooghly\|Tribeni]], [[Hooghly District]] in present-day [[West Bengal]].<ref>''A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities (vol. 1)~~'', Sanyal, Ram Gopal, printed and published by~~ Uma Churn Chuckerbutty~~, 1889, p.~~ 35''</ref>		'''Womesh Chandra Bannerjee''' was born on 2 December 1844 at [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]), in the present-day state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Bio" /> He belonged to a very respectable ''[[Bengali Brahmins\|Rarhi]]'' [[Kulin Brahmin]] family who hailed from Baganda, located west of the town of [[Howrah]] in present-day state of [[West Bengal]]. His grandfather ''Pitambur Bonnerjee'' first migrated to [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]) and settled there. From his mother's side, ''Womesh Chandra'' was descended from the renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher Pundit ''[[Jagannath Tarka Panchanan\|Juggonath Turkopunchanun]]'' of [[Tribeni, Hooghly\|Tribeni]], [[Hooghly District]] in present-day [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite book\|author=Sanyal, Ram Gopal\|title=A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities (vol. 1)\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19\|year=1889\|publisher=Uma Churn Chuckerbutty\|page=35\|isbn=9788170245865}}</ref>

	== Early days ==		== Early days ==

	Womesh Chandra ~~Bonnerjee~~ studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]].<ref name="Bio" /> In 1859, he married Hemangini Motilal. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer\|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk. In this post he acquired a good knowledge of law which greatly helped him in his later career. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] through a scholarship from Mr. R. J. Jijibhai of [[Bombay]]<ref name="Bio" /> where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June, 1867.<ref name="Mahmud1994">{{cite book\|author=Sayed Jafar Mahmud\|title=Pillars of Modern India, 1757–1947\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19\|year=1994\|publisher=APH Publishing\|isbn=978-81-7024-586-5\|page=19}}</ref> On his return to Calcutta in 1868, he found a patron in Sir Charles Paul, [[Barrister-at-Law]] of the Calcutta High Court.<ref name="Bio">{{cite book\|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography\|page=48\| year=1906 \| author=Buckland, CE\| publisher=Swan Sonnenshein & Co.\| place= London\|url=https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buck#page/48/mode/1up}}</ref> Another barrister, J. P. Kennedy, also greatly helped him to establish his reputation as a lawyer. Within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in the famous [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty<ref name="Bio" /> and often represented it in the legislative council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.<ref name="Bio" />		Womesh Chandra Bannerjee studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]].<ref name="Bio" /> In 1859, he married Hemangini Motilal. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer\|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk. In this post he acquired a good knowledge of law which greatly helped him in his later career. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] through a scholarship from Mr. R. J. Jijibhai of [[Bombay]]<ref name="Bio" /> where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June 1867.<ref name="Mahmud1994">{{cite book\|author=Sayed Jafar Mahmud\|title=Pillars of Modern India, 1757–1947\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19\|year=1994\|publisher=APH Publishing\|isbn=978-81-7024-586-5\|page=19}}</ref> On his return to Calcutta in 1868, he found a patron in Sir Charles Paul, [[Barrister-at-Law]] of the Calcutta High Court.<ref name="Bio">{{cite book\|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography\|page=48\| year=1906 \| author=Buckland, CE\| publisher=Swan Sonnenshein & Co.\| place= London\|url=https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buck#page/48/mode/1up}}</ref> Another barrister, J. P. Kennedy, also greatly helped him to establish his reputation as a lawyer. Within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in the famous [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty<ref name="Bio" /> and often represented it in the legislative council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.<ref name="Bio" />

	== As president of ~~Indian~~ National Congress ==		== As a president of India National Congress, ==

	He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> from 28 ~~December~~ to 31 December and attended by 72 members.<ref>{{cite news\|title=Sonia sings Vande Mataram at Congress function\|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/cong/20061228.htm\|publisher=[[Rediff]]\|access-date=23 August 2014\|date=28 December 2006}}</ref> In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, under the presidency of [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only, leaving the question of social reforms to other ~~organisations~~. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]]<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.<ref>Lacy, Creighton (1965). ''The Conscience Of India – Moral Traditions In The Modern World'', Holt, New York: Rinehart and Winston, p. 123</ref> He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London.<ref name="Mahmud1994" />		He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> from 28 to 31 December and attended by 72 members.<ref>{{cite news\|title=Sonia sings Vande Mataram at Congress function\|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/cong/20061228.htm\|publisher=[[Rediff]]\|access-date=23 August 2014\|date=28 December 2006}}</ref> In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, under the presidency of [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only, leaving the question of social reforms to other organizations. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]]<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.<ref>Lacy, Creighton (1965). ''The Conscience Of India – Moral Traditions In The Modern World'', Holt, New York: Rinehart and Winston, p. 123</ref> He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London.<ref name="Mahmud1994" />
	In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the London Indian society and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. In December 1866, Naoroji dissolved the society and formed East Indian Association.<ref name="Ahmed">{{cite book\|author=Faruque Ahmed\|title=Bengal Politics in Britain\|date=14 January 2011\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCxKAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA24\|publisher=Lulu.com\|isbn=978-0-557-61516-2\|pages=24–25}}{{self-published source\|date=May 2021}}</ref>{{self-published inline\|date=February 2020}} When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London.<ref name="Ahmed" /> He lived in Croydon and named his residence after his birthplace Khidirpur.<ref name="Ahmed" /> The Liberal party made him his candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)\|Barrow and Furness]] seat in [[1892 United Kingdom general election\|1892]]. Bonnerjee was defeated by Charles Cayzer, a Tory candidate. In the same elections Naoroji won the Finsbury Central constituency and defeated his nearest rival by a narrow margin of only 5 votes. Naoroji became the first Indian member of the British Parliament. In 1893, Naoriji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.<ref name="Ahmed" />		In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the London Indian society and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. In December 1866, Naoroji dissolved the society and formed East Indian Association.<ref name="Ahmed">{{cite book\|author=Faruque Ahmed\|title=Bengal Politics in Britain\|date=14 January 2011\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCxKAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA24\|publisher=Lulu.com\|isbn=978-0-557-61516-2\|pages=24–25}}{{self-published source\|date=May 2021}}</ref>{{self-published inline\|date=February 2020}} When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London.<ref name="Ahmed" /> He lived in Croydon and named his residence after his birthplace Khidirpur.<ref name="Ahmed" /> The Liberal party made him his candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)\|Barrow and Furness]] seat in [[1892 United Kingdom general election\|1892]]. Bonnerjee was defeated by Charles Cayzer, a Tory candidate. In the same elections Naoroji won the Finsbury Central constituency and defeated his nearest rival by a narrow margin of only 5 votes. Naoroji became the first Indian member of the British Parliament. In 1893, Naoriji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.<ref name="Ahmed" />

	==Personal life==		==Personal life==
	His daughter [[Janaki Majumdar]] (née ~~Bonnerjee~~) studied natural science, chemistry, zoology and physiology at [[Newnham College]], [[Cambridge University]].<ref name="Nasta2012">{{cite book\|author=Susheila Nasta\|author-link=Susheila Nasta\|title=India in Britain: South Asian Networks and Connections, 1858-1950\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dgYGlJI9vrUC&pg=PA70\|date=2012\|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]\|isbn=978-0-230-39272-4\|page=70}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last=Majumdar\|first=Janaki Agnes Penelope\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FhNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Janaki+Majumdar\|title=Family History\|date=2003\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|isbn=978-0-19-566360-0\|language=en}}</ref> His daughter, [[Susila Anita Bonnerjee]] was a doctor, teacher, and suffragette.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Susila Anita Bonnerjee {{!}} Croydon {{!}} Making Britain\|url=http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/taxonomy/term/291/janaki-agnes-penelope-majumdar\|access-date=2020~~-10-15~~\|website=www.open.ac.uk}}</ref>		His daughter [[Janaki Majumdar]] (née Bannerjee) studied natural science, chemistry, zoology and physiology at [[Newnham College]], [[Cambridge University]].<ref name="Nasta2012">{{cite book\|author=Susheila Nasta\|author-link=Susheila Nasta\|title=India in Britain: South Asian Networks and Connections, 1858-1950\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dgYGlJI9vrUC&pg=PA70\|date=2012\|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]\|isbn=978-0-230-39272-4\|page=70}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last=Majumdar\|first=Janaki Agnes Penelope\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FhNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Janaki+Majumdar\|title=Family History\|date=2003\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|isbn=978-0-19-566360-0\|language=en}}</ref> His daughter, [[Susila Anita Bonnerjee]] was a doctor, teacher, and suffragette.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Susila Anita Bonnerjee {{!}} Croydon {{!}} Making Britain\|url=http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/taxonomy/term/291/janaki-agnes-penelope-majumdar\|access-date=15 October 2020\|website=www.open.ac.uk}}</ref>

	== References ==		== References ==

117.251.230.215 at 04:04, 1 July 2021

2021-07-01T04:04:50Z

New page

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee
| image = WCBonnerjee.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Portrait
| office1 = 1st & 8th [[list of presidents of the Indian National Congress|President of Indian National Congress]]
| term_start1 = 1885
| term_end1 = 1886
| predecessor1 = ''post established''
| successor1 = [[Dadabhai Naoroji]]
| term_start2 = 1892
| term_end2 = 1893
| predecessor2 = [[Anandacharlu]]
| successor2 = [[Dadabhai Naoroji]]
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1844|12|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1906|07|21|1844|12|29|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Croydon]], [[London]], [[England]]
| nationality = British Indian
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Lawyer]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| known_for = Co-founder and First president of [[Indian National Congress]]
| alma_mater = [[Middle Temple]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Hemangini Motilal|1859}}
}}

'''Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee''' (or '''Umesh Chandra [[Banerjee]]''' by current English orthography of [[Bengali language|Bengali]] names) (29 December 1844 – 21 July 1906) was an Indian barrister. He was the co-founder and first president of [[Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{citation|last=Nanda|first=B. R.|author-link=Bal Ram Nanda|title=Gokhale: The Indian Moderates and the British Raj|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|series=Legacy Series|year=2015|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-7049-3|page=58|orig-year=1977}}</ref>

Born on 1844 at [[Calcutta]] he studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]]. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk where he acquired a knowledge of law. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June, 1867. He returned to Calcutta in 1868 and within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty. He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.

He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885 from 28 December to 31 December. In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]] where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.

He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council. He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London. In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the London Indian society and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London. He unsuccessfully contested the [[1892 United Kingdom general election]] as a Liberal party candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)|Barrow and Furness]] seat. In 1893, Naoroji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.

==Birth and Ancestry==
'''Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee''' was born on 29 December 1844 at [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]), in the present-day state of [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Bio" /> He belonged to a very respectable ''[[Bengali Brahmins|Rarhi]]'' [[Kulin Brahmin]] family who hailed from Baganda, [[Howrah District]] in present-day state of [[West Bengal]]. His grandfather ''Pitambur Bonnerjee'' first migrated to [[Calcutta]] (now [[Kolkata]]) and settled there. From his mother's side, ''Womesh Chandra'' was descended from the renowned Sanskrit scholar and philosopher Pundit ''[[Jagannath Tarka Panchanan|Juggonath Turkopunchanun]]'' of [[Tribeni, Hooghly|Tribeni]], [[Hooghly District]] in present-day [[West Bengal]].<ref>''A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities (vol. 1)'', Sanyal, Ram Gopal, printed and published by Uma Churn Chuckerbutty, 1889, p. 35''</ref>

== Early days ==

Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee studied at the [[Oriental Seminary]] and the [[Hindu School]].<ref name="Bio" /> In 1859, he married Hemangini Motilal. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, [[Lawyer|attorneys]] of the [[Calcutta]] Supreme Court, as a clerk. In this post he acquired a good knowledge of law which greatly helped him in his later career. In 1864 he was sent to [[England]] through a scholarship from Mr. R. J. Jijibhai of [[Bombay]]<ref name="Bio" /> where he joined the [[Middle Temple]] and was called to the Bar in June, 1867.<ref name="Mahmud1994">{{cite book|author=Sayed Jafar Mahmud|title=Pillars of Modern India, 1757–1947|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19|year=1994|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7024-586-5|page=19}}</ref> On his return to Calcutta in 1868, he found a patron in Sir Charles Paul, [[Barrister-at-Law]] of the Calcutta High Court.<ref name="Bio">{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography|page=48| year=1906 | author=Buckland, CE| publisher=Swan Sonnenshein & Co.| place= London|url=https://archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buck#page/48/mode/1up}}</ref> Another barrister, J. P. Kennedy, also greatly helped him to establish his reputation as a lawyer. Within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times {{mdash}} 1882, 1884, 1886-87. In 1883 he defended [[Surendranath Banerjee]] in the famous [[contempt of court]] case against him in the Calcutta High Court. He was the fellow of [[Calcutta University]] and was the president of its law faculty<ref name="Bio" /> and often represented it in the legislative council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He retired from the Calcutta bar in 1901.<ref name="Bio" />

== As president of Indian National Congress ==

He presided over the first session of the [[Indian National Congress]] held at Bombay in 1885<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> from 28 December to 31 December and attended by 72 members.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sonia sings Vande Mataram at Congress function|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/cong/20061228.htm|publisher=[[Rediff]]|access-date=23 August 2014|date=28 December 2006}}</ref> In the 1886 session held at Calcutta, under the presidency of [[Dadabhai Naoroji]], he proposed the formation of [[standing committees]] of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only, leaving the question of social reforms to other organisations. He was the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] again in the 1892 session in [[Allahabad]]<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> where he denounced the position that India had to prove for worthiness of political freedom.<ref>Lacy, Creighton (1965). ''The Conscience Of India – Moral Traditions In The Modern World'', Holt, New York: Rinehart and Winston, p. 123</ref> He moved to Britain and practiced before the Privy Council.<ref name="Mahmud1994" /> He financed the British Committee of Congress and its journals in London.<ref name="Mahmud1994" />
In 1865 [[Dadabhai Naoroji]] founded the London Indian society and Bonnerjee was made its general secretary. In December 1866, Naoroji dissolved the society and formed East Indian Association.<ref name="Ahmed">{{cite book|author=Faruque Ahmed|title=Bengal Politics in Britain|date=14 January 2011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCxKAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA24|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-0-557-61516-2|pages=24–25}}{{self-published source|date=May 2021}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}} When Bonnerjee became the Congress president Naoroji along with him, Eardley Norton and William Digby opened The Congress Political Agency, a branch of Congress in London.<ref name="Ahmed" /> He lived in Croydon and named his residence after his birthplace Khidirpur.<ref name="Ahmed" /> The Liberal party made him his candidate for the [[Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)|Barrow and Furness]] seat in [[1892 United Kingdom general election|1892]]. Bonnerjee was defeated by Charles Cayzer, a Tory candidate. In the same elections Naoroji won the Finsbury Central constituency and defeated his nearest rival by a narrow margin of only 5 votes. Naoroji became the first Indian member of the British Parliament. In 1893, Naoriji, Bonnerjee and [[Badruddin Tyabji]] founded the Indian Parliamentary Committee in England.<ref name="Ahmed" />

==Personal life==
His daughter [[Janaki Majumdar]] (née Bonnerjee) studied natural science, chemistry, zoology and physiology at [[Newnham College]], [[Cambridge University]].<ref name="Nasta2012">{{cite book|author=Susheila Nasta|author-link=Susheila Nasta|title=India in Britain: South Asian Networks and Connections, 1858-1950|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dgYGlJI9vrUC&pg=PA70|date=2012|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|isbn=978-0-230-39272-4|page=70}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Majumdar|first=Janaki Agnes Penelope|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FhNuAAAAMAAJ&q=Janaki+Majumdar|title=Family History|date=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-566360-0|language=en}}</ref> His daughter, [[Susila Anita Bonnerjee]] was a doctor, teacher, and suffragette.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Susila Anita Bonnerjee {{!}} Croydon {{!}} Making Britain|url=http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/taxonomy/term/291/janaki-agnes-penelope-majumdar|access-date=2020-10-15|website=www.open.ac.uk}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.congress.org.in/ Indian National Congress Website]

{{s-start}}

{{succession box
| title = [[President of the Indian National Congress]]
| years = 1885
| before = '''''(none)'''''
| after = [[Dadabhai Naoroji]]
}}
{{succession box
| title = [[President of the Indian National Congress]]
| years = 1892
| before = [[Anandacharlu]]
| after = [[Dadabhai Naoroji]]
}}

{{s-end}}

{{Indian National Congress Presidents}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonnerjee, Womesh}}
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