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{{Short description|Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, India}}
{{Short description|Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1950 to 1962}}
{{Peacock|date=April 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2025}}  
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}  
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox Indian politician
| name                = Bidhan Chandra Roy
| name                = Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy  
| native_name        =
| native_name_lang    = bengali
| native_name_lang    = bn
| image              =
| image              = Photograph of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, 2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal.jpg
Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy in 1943 (cropped).jpg
| image_size          = 250px
| image_size          = 250px
| caption            = Roy in 1943
| caption            =  
| honorific-suffix    = [[Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom|MRCP]], [[Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons|FRCS]]
| alt                = Portrait of Bidhan Chandra Roy
| alt                = Portrait of Bidhan Chandra Roy
| order              = 2nd
| order1              = 2nd
| office              = Chief Minister of West Bengal
| office1            = Premier of West Bengal
| term_start          = 23 January 1948
| governor1          = [[Chakravarti Rajagopalachari]]<br /> [[Kailash Nath Katju]]
| term_end            = 1 July 1962
| term_start1        = 23 January 1948
| governor            = [[C. Rajagopalachari]]<br>[[Kailash Nath Katju]]<br>[[Harendra Coomar Mookerjee]]<br>[[Phani Bhusan Chakravartti]]<br>[[Padmaja Naidu]]
| term_end1          = 25 January 1950
| predecessor         = [[Prafulla Chandra Ghosh]]
| predecessor1        = [[Prafulla Chandra Ghosh]]
| successor          = [[Prafulla Chandra Sen]]
| successor1          = ''Position abolished''<br /> (himself as [[Chief Minister of West Bengal]])
| office1             = [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
| order2              = 1st
| term2               = 1962–1962
| office2            = Chief Minister of West Bengal
| constituency2       = [[Chowranghee (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Chowranghee]]
| governor2          = [[Kailash Nath Katju]]<br /> [[Harendra Coomar Mookerjee]]<br /> [[Phani Bhusan Chakravartti]] ''(acting)''<br /> [[Padmaja Naidu]]
| predecessor2       = [[Bijoy Singh Nahar]]
| term_start2         = 26 January 1950
| successor2         = [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]]
| term_end2          = 1 July 1962
| term1               = 1952–1962
| predecessor2        = ''Office established''<br /> (himself as [[Premier of West Bengal]])
| constituency1       = [[Bowbazar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bowbazar]]
| successor2          = [[Prafulla Chandra Sen]]
| predecessor1       = ''Constituency established''
| office3             = [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
| successor1         = [[Bijoy Singh Nahar]]
| term4               = May 1962 – 1 July 1962
| office3             = [[Mayors of Kolkata|5th Mayor of Kolkata]]
| constituency4       = [[Chowranghee (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Chowranghee]]
| term_start3         = 5 April 1931
| predecessor4       = [[Bijoy Singh Nahar]]
| term_end3           = 9 April 1933
| successor4         = [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]]
| predecessor3       = [[Subhas Chandra Bose]]
| term3               = 1952–1962
| successor3         = [[Santosh Kumar Basu]]
| constituency3       = [[Bowbazar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bowbazar]]
| predecessor3       = ''Constituency established''
| successor3         = [[Bijoy Singh Nahar]]
| office5             = [[Mayors of Kolkata|5th Mayor of Kolkata]]
| term_start5         = 5 April 1931
| term_end5           = 9 April 1933
| predecessor5       = [[Subhas Chandra Bose]]
| successor5         = [[Santosh Kumar Basu]]
| office6            = Member of [[Bengal Legislative Council]]{{br}}for [[Barrackpore]]
| term6              = 1925 {{nbnd}} 1929
| predecessor6        = [[Surendranath Banerjee]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1882|7|1}}
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1882|7|1}}
| birth_place        = [[Bankipore]], [[Patna]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| birth_place        = [[Patna]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]] (present-day [[Bihar]], India)
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=yes|1962|7|1|1882|7|1}}
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=yes|1962|7|1|1882|7|1}}
| death_place        = [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| death_place        = [[Calcutta]] (present-day [[Kolkata]]), [[West Bengal]], India
| party              = [[Indian National Congress]]
| party              = [[Indian National Congress]]
| residence          = [[Kolkata]], West Bengal, India
| residence          = [[Kolkata]], West Bengal, India
| parents            = Aghore Kamini Devi<br>Prakash Chandra Roy
| parents            =  
| alma_mater          = [[Presidency College, Calcutta|Presidency College]] ([[Intermediate of Arts|IA]])<br />[[Patna University]] ([[B.A.|BA]])<br/>[[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata|Calcutta Medical College]] ([[MBBS]], [[Doctor of Medicine|MD]])<br>[[Royal College of Physicians]] ([[Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom|MRCP]])<br>[[Royal College of Surgeons of England|Royal College of Surgeons]] ([[FRCS]])
| alma_mater          = [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]]<br/>[[St Bartholomew's Hospital]]
| profession          = {{hlist|[[Physician]]|[[Politician]]|[[Educationist]]}}  
| profession          = {{hlist|Physician & Surgeon|Politician }}
| awards              = [[Bharat Ratna]] (1961)
| awards              = [[Bharat Ratna]] (1961)
| signature          =
| signature          = Signature of Bidhan Chandra Roy.svg
| website            =
| website            =  
| footnotes          =
| footnotes          =  
}}
}}


'''Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy''' [[Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom|MRCP]], [[Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons|FRCS]] (1 July 1882 – 1 July 1962) was an Indian physician, educationist, [[philanthropist]], [[Indian freedom fighter|freedom fighter]] and statesman who served as [[List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal|Chief Minister of West Bengal]] from 1948 until his death in 1962. Bidhan Roy is often considered the maker of modern [[West Bengal]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/a-doctor-par-excellence/article2153732.ece|title=A doctor par excellence|last=Kalra|first=R. N.|date=3 July 2011|work=The Hindu|access-date=27 August 2018|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> due to his key role in the founding of several institutions and four eminent cities [[Durgapur, West Bengal|Durgapur]], [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]], [[Bidhannagar, Kolkata|Bidhannagar]] and [[Ashoknagar Kalyangarh|Ashoknagar]]. He is one of the few people in history to have become both a [[Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons|Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons]] and a [[Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom|Member of the Royal College of Physicians]]. In India, the [[National Doctors' Day]] is celebrated in his memory every year on the 1st of July. He was awarded the [[Bharat Ratna]], India's highest civilian honour on 4 February 1961.<ref>[http://news.in.msn.com/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=3433120&page=4 Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy: Vision for young India – The 15 'Gods' India draws inspiration from] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126040807/http://news.in.msn.com/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=3433120&page=4 |date=26 November 2009 }}. News.in.msn.com (20 November 2009). Retrieved on 9 October 2013.</ref>
'''Bidhan Chandra Roy''' (1 July 1882 – 1 July 1962) was an Indian physician and politician who served as [[List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal|Chief Minister of West Bengal]] from 1950 until his death in 1962. He played a key role in the founding of several institutions and cities like [[Bidhannagar|Salt Lake]] (now a part of [[Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation]]),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/back-to-the-beginning-on-the-50th-year-of-the-landfill-heres-the-story-of-how-salt-lake-came-into-being/cid/396434|work=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]]|date=10 August 2012|title=Back to the beginning – On the 50th year of the landfill, here's the story of how Salt Lake came into being }}</ref> [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]], [[Durgapur]] and [[Ashoknagar Kalyangarh]].
 
In India, the [[National Doctors' Day#India|National Doctors' Day]] is celebrated in his memory every year on 1 July. He was awarded the [[Bharat Ratna]], India's highest civilian honour in 1961.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/national-doctors-day-all-you-need-to-know-about-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-10851091.html|work=Firstpost|date=1 July 2022|accessdate=1 July 2022|title=National Doctors' Day: All you need to know about Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
B. C. Roy was born to a Bengali (বাঙালি) Hindu (হিন্দু) Kayastha (কায়স্থ)-Brahmo (ব্রাহ্ম) family of [[Bankipore]], [[Patna]]. His parents were Aghorekamini Debi, a pious lady, devoted to social work, and Prakash Chandra Roy, an Excise Inspector. On both sides of his family he hailed from the [[Murshidabad]] district of Bengal. His paternal grandfather, Prankali Roy, was an official of the collectorate of [[Murshidabad]] in Baharampur. His maternal grandfather, Bipin Chandra Basu, was a ''Zamindar'' of Murshidabad, also based in Baharampur.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OeXw4AYVusC&pg=PA16|title = ''Karmajogi Bidhanchandra (Life of Bidhan Chandra Roy)''|language= Bengali|author= Nandalal Bhattacharya|publisher= Grantha-tirtha|year= 2004|page= 15 & 16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://evirtualguru.com/biography-of-bharat-ratna-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-complete-biography-for-class-10-class-12-and-graduation-and-other-classes/|title=Biography of Bharat Ratna "Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy" complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.|date=1 February 2018|work=eVirtualGuru|access-date=1 September 2018}}</ref>  
[[File:Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy in 1911.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Bidhan Chandra Roy in 1911]]
Bidhan Chandra Roy was born on 1 July 1882 to a [[Bengali Kayastha]] family in [[Bankipore]] in [[Patna]], where his father, Prakash Chandra Roy coming from a wealthy family of [[Satkhira]], [[Khulna]] district, [[Bengal Presidency]] (now in [[Bangladesh]]), was serving as an excise inspector. His mother, Aghorkamini Devi, was religious and a devoted social worker.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://evirtualguru.com/biography-of-bharat-ratna-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-complete-biography-for-class-10-class-12-and-graduation-and-other-classes/|title=Biography of Bharat Ratna "Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy" complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.|date=1 February 2018|work=eVirtualGuru|access-date=1 September 2018}}</ref> Roy was the youngest of five siblings, with 2 sisters (Susharbashini and Sarojini) and 2 brothers(Subodh and Sadhan). His parents were ardent [[Brahmo Samaj]]ists.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/20290/1/2851.pdf|title=Dr. B. C. Roy|last=Thomas|first=K.P.|publisher=Atulya Ghosh, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee|year=1955|location=Calcutta|access-date=1 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902011916/http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/20290/1/2851.pdf|archive-date=2 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Prakash Chandra was a descendant of the family of [[Pratapaditya|Maharaja Pradapaditya]], the rebel Hindu king of [[Jessore District|Jessore]], but did not inherit much wealth from his [[ancestor]]s. He earned a moderate salary for most part of Roy's childhood, but he and Aghorkamini supported the education and upbringing of both their own children and a number of other poor children, mostly orphans.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |author=Nandalal Bhattacharya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0OeXw4AYVusC&pg=PA16 |title=''Karmajogi Bidhanchandra (Life of Bidhan Chandra Roy)'' |publisher=Grantha-tirtha |year=2004 |page=15 & 16 |language=Bengali}}</ref>
 
Roy left Patna in June 1901 to study at the [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]]. While at medical school, he came upon an inscription which read, "Whatever thy hands findeth to do, do it with thy might."<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/remembering-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-1021823-2017-07-01|title=Remembering Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy: Facts about the doctor who dedicated his life to the profession of medicine|website=India Today|date=1 July 2017}}</ref> These words became a lifelong source of inspiration for him.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/bidhan-chandra-roy.html|title=Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography – Bidhan Chandra Roy Childhood, Life, Profile, Timeline|website=www.iloveindia.com|access-date=25 August 2018|archive-date=25 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425031928/http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/bidhan-chandra-roy.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


Bidhan was the youngest of five siblings. He had two sisters, Susharbashini and Sarojini, and two  brothers, Subodh and Sadhan. As ardent [[Brahmo Samaj]]ists, his parents led an austere and disciplined life, and devoted their time and money to the service of everyone in need, irrespective of caste or creed.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/20290/1/2851.pdf|title=Dr. B. C. Roy|last=Thomas|first=K.P.|publisher=Atulya Ghosh, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee|year=1955|location=Calcutta|access-date=1 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902011916/http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/20290/1/2851.pdf|archive-date=2 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Intending to enroll at [[St Bartholomew's Hospital]] to complete further studies in medicine, Roy left for Britain in February 1909 with {{INR}}1,200. The then dean of St. Bartholomew's Hospital was reluctant to accept an Asian student and rejected his application.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://greatrulers.com/books/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy--biography-and-life-history|title=Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy -Biography and Life History {{!}} Great Rulers|website=greatrulers.com|access-date=27 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828001729/https://greatrulers.com/books/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy--biography-and-life-history|archive-date=28 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Roy submitted several additional applications until the dean, after 30 admission requests, admitted him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/culture/when-indias-national-doctor-was-denied-service-by-an-american-restaurant|title=When India's 'National Doctor' Was Denied Service By an American Restaurant|website=The Wire|access-date=28 August 2018}}</ref>


His father, Prakash Chandra was a descendant of the family of [[Pratapaditya|Maharaja Pradapaditya]], the rebel king of [[Jessore District|Jessore]], but did not inherit much wealth from his ancestors. He earned a moderate salary for most part of Bidhan's childhood, but he and his wife supported the education and upbringing of both their own children and a number of other orphaned children. The spirit of 'give and take' was inculcated in Bidhan and his siblings at an young age. They were taught and even encouraged to give away what was precious to them, freely and willingly.<ref name=":2" />
==Career==
[[File:Dr._Bidhan_Chandra_Roy_in_1943.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Roy in 1943]]
Upon returning to India, Roy joined the '''Provincial Health Service'''. In addition to a private practice, he served as a nurse when necessary. He taught at the [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]] and later at the [[Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital|Campbell Medical School]] (now [[NRS Medical College]]) and the [[R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital|Carmichael Medical College]]<ref name=":0" /> (now [[R. G. Kar Medical College]]). He served as the first president of '''Cardiological Society of India''' from 1948 to 1950.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Past President – CSI |url=https://csi.org.in/presidents?page=1 |access-date=28 November 2022 |website=csi.org.in}}</ref>


Bidhan graduated from the [[Patna Collegiate School]] in 1897, and obtained his [[Intermediate of Arts|I.A.]] degree from [[Presidency College, Calcutta]]. He [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] degree with honours in [[mathematics]] from [[Patna College]]. After graduation he applied for postgraduate studies at the [[Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur|Bengal Engineering College]] and [[Calcutta Medical College]]. His applications in both the institutions were accepted and he chose to attend the latter. Bidhan leaving Patna in June 1901 to study for a medical degree. While at Medical College, he came upon an inscription which read, "Whatever thy hands findeth to do, do it with thy might."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/remembering-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-1021823-2017-07-01|title=Remembering Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy: Facts about the doctor who dedicated his life to the profession of medicine|website=India Today|date=1 July 2017}}</ref> These words became a lifelong source of inspiration for him.
Roy believed that [[swaraj]] (the call to action for India's freedom) would remain a dream unless the people were healthy and strong in mind and body. He made contributions to the organisation of medical education. He played an important role in the establishment of the Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, [[Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital|Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital]], [[Victoria Institution (College)]], and [[Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute|Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital]]. In 1926, the Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and children was opened by Roy.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thoughtoftheday98.com/2021/07/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-biography.html|title=''Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography: डॉ. बिधान चंद्र राय जीवन परिचय''|language=Hindi|author=Sumit Kumar|publisher=Sumit-Kumar|year=2021}}</ref>


While still in college, Bidhan was drawn by [[Partition of Bengal (1905)|Bengal was partitioned]]. Opposition to the partition was being organised by such nationalists as [[Lala Lajpat Rai]], [[Bal Gangadhar Tilak|Bal Tilak]] and [[Bipin Chandra Pal]]. He resisted the immense pull of the movement. He controlled his emotions and concentrated on his studies, realising that he could serve his nation better by qualifying in his profession first.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/bidhan-chandra-roy.html|title=Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography – Bidhan Chandra Roy Childhood, Life, Profile, Timeline|website=www.iloveindia.com|access-date=25 August 2018}}</ref>
Roy was also [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s personal doctor and friend.


Intending to enroll at [[St Bartholomew's Hospital]] to complete further studies in medicine, Bidhan left for Britain in February 1909 with {{INR}}1200. The then Dean of St. Bartholomew's Hospital was reluctant to accept an Asian student and rejected his application.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://greatrulers.com/books/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy--biography-and-life-history|title=Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy -Biography and Life History {{!}} Great Rulers|website=greatrulers.com|access-date=27 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828001729/https://greatrulers.com/books/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy--biography-and-life-history|archive-date=28 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Roy did not lose heart and submit several additional applications till the Dean, after 30 admission requests, admitted Bidhan into his hospital.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/culture/when-indias-national-doctor-was-denied-service-by-an-american-restaurant|title=When India's 'National Doctor' Was Denied Service By an American Restaurant|website=The Wire|access-date=28 August 2018}}</ref> He completed his studies in only two years and three months, and in May 1911 obtained a membership of the [[Member of the Royal College of Physicians|Royal College of Physicians]] and a fellowship of the [[FRCS (Eng)|Royal College of Surgeons]] simultaneously, which even then was a rare feat. He returned to India in 1911.
In 1925, Roy ran for elections from the [[Barrackpore]] constituency as an independent candidate for the [[British Bengal Legislative Council|Bengal Legislative Council]] and defeated the "Grand Old Man of Bengal", [[Surendranath Banerjee]]. Though an independent, he voted with the [[Swaraj Party]] (the Parliamentary wing of the [[Congress party]] in the 1920s). As early as 1925, Roy tabled a resolution recommending a study of the causes of pollution in [[Hooghly River|Hooghly]] and suggested measures to prevent pollution in the future.<ref name=":3" />


==Career==
Roy was elected to the [[All India Congress Committee]] in 1928. Roy conducted [[Civil disobedience movement|Civil Disobedience]] in Bengal in 1929 and prompted [[Pandit Motilal Nehru]] to nominate him as a member of the [[Congress Working Committee]] (CWC) in 1930. The CWC was declared an unlawful assembly and Roy along with other members of the committee were arrested on 26 August 1930 and detained at [[Alipore Jail|Alipore Central Jail]].
[[File:Dr._Bidhan_Chandra_Roy_statue.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Bidhan Chandra Roy statue in [[Salt Lake City]]]]
 
[[File:Bidhan Chandra Roy 1982 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|a commemorative post stamp of Dr. Roy, published by [[India Post]]]]
During the [[Salt March|Dandi March]] in 1931, many members of the [[Calcutta Corporation]] were imprisoned. Congress requested Roy to remain out of prison and discharge the duties of the Corporation. He served as the [[Alderman]] of the Corporation from 1930 to 1931 and as the [[Mayor of Calcutta]] from 1931 to 1933. Under him, the Corporation expanded schemes for free education, free medical aid, improved roads and lighting, and water supply. He set up a framework for dispensing grant-in-aid to hospitals and charitable [[dispensaries]].<ref name=":3" />
[[File:Statue of Dr. B. C. Roy.jpg|thumb|Statue of Dr. B. C. Roy in [[Howrah]] city]]
 
Immediately after his return, Roy joined the Provincial Health Service. He exhibited immense dedication and hard work, and would even serve as a nurse when necessary. In his free time he practised privately, charging a nominal fee. He also taught at the [[Medical College Kolkata|Calcutta Medical College]], and later at the [[Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital|Campbell Medical School]] (now [[NRS Medical College]]) and the [[R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital|Carmichael Medical College]].<ref name=":0" />(now R.G. Kar Medical College).
In 1942, [[Rangoon]] fell to the Japanese bombing and caused an exodus from Calcutta fearing a Japanese invasion. Roy, then serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the [[University of Calcutta]], acquired air-raid shelters for schools and college students to have their classes in, and provided relief for students, teachers and employees alike.


Roy believed that [[swaraj]] (the call to action for India's freedom) would remain a dream unless the people were healthy and strong in mind and body. He made contributions to the organisation of medical education. He played an important role in the establishment of the Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, [[Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital|Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital]], [[Victoria Institution (College)|Victoria Institution (college)]], and [[Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute|Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital]]. The [https://www.thoughtoftheday98.com/2021/07/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-biography.html Chittaranjan Seva Sadan] for women and children was opened in 1926 by [[Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy Super-Speciality Hospital & Research Centre|'''Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy''']]<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thoughtoftheday98.com/2021/07/dr-bidhan-chandra-roy-biography.html|title=''Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography: डॉ. बिधान चंद्र राय जीवन परिचय''|language=Hindi|author=Sumit Kumar|publisher=Sumit-Kumar|year=2021}}</ref>
==Chief Minister of West Bengal==
The Congress Party proposed Roy's name for Premier of West Bengal. Although Roy sought to continue with his profession, he accepted the position and took office on 23 January 1948 upon Gandhi's advice. Bengal at the time had been torn by [[communal violence]], shortage of food, unemployment and a large flow of [[refugee]]s in the wake of the creation of [[East Pakistan]]. In an address to the people of West Bengal, Roy said:<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=30 June 2016 |title=Bengal's physician chief minister – The Statesman |work=The Statesman |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/bengal-s-physician-chief-minister-151414.html |access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref>


In 1942, Rangoon fell to Japanese bombing and caused an exodus from Calcutta fearing a Japanese invasion. Roy was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. He acquired air-raid shelters for schools and college students to have their classes in, and provided relief for students, teachers and employees alike. In recognition for his efforts, the Doctorate of Science was conferred upon him in 1944.
{{blockquote|We have the ability and if, with faith in our future, we exert ourselves with determination, nothing, I am sure, no obstacles, however formidable or insurmountable they may appear at present, can stop our progress... (if we) all work unitedly, keeping our vision clear and with a firm grasp of our problems.}}


Roy believed that the youth of India would determine the future of the nation. He felt that the youth must not take part in strikes and fasts but should study and commit themselves to social work. While delivering the Convocation Address at the [[University of Lucknow]] on 15 December 1956, Dr. Roy said:<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/bengal-s-physician-chief-minister-151414.html|title=Bengal's physician chief minister – The Statesman|date=30 June 2016|work=The Statesman|access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=November 2010|title=New Incubators for Tomorrowís Leaders. Convocation Address by Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR at Kalyani University|url=http://www.niscair.res.in/ScienceCommunication/RnDNewsLetters/csirnews2k10/csirnews_nov10.pdf|journal=CSIR Newsletter|volume=60|page=258}}</ref><blockquote>My young friends, you are soldiers in the battle of freedom-freedom from want, fear, ignorance, frustration and helplessness. By a dint of hard work for the country, rendered in a spirit of selfless service, may you march ahead with hope and courage...</blockquote>Dr. Roy was both Gandhiji's friend and doctor. When Gandhiji was undertaking a fast in Parnakutivin, Poona in 1933, Dr. Roy attended to him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gandhiserve.org/information/chronology_1933/chronology_1933.html|title=Chronology 1933|website=gandhiserve.org|access-date=26 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214436/http://gandhiserve.org/information/chronology_1933/chronology_1933.html|archive-date=26 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Gandhiji refused to take medicine on the grounds that it was not made in India. Gandhiji asked Dr. Roy, "Why should I take your treatment? Do you treat four hundred million of my countrymen free?" Dr. Roy replied, "No Gandhiji, I could not treat all patients free. But I came... not to treat Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, but to treat "him" who to me represents the four hundred million people of my country." Gandhiji relented and took the medicine.
On 26 January 1950, Roy took oath as the first Chief Minister of West Bengal in [[Independent India]]. Under his leadership, the Congress party won the legislative assembly elections in West Bengal in [[1952 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1952]] and [[1957 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1957]].


Roy entered politics in 1925. He ran for elections from the [[Barrackpore]] Constituency as an independent candidate for the Bengal Legislative Council and defeated the "Grand Old Man of Bengal," [[Surendranath Banerjee]]. Even though an independent, he voted with the [[Swaraj Party]] (the Parliamentary wing of the Congress in the 1920s). As early as 1925, Roy tabled a resolution recommending a study of the causes of pollution in [[Hooghly River|Hoogly]] and suggested measures to prevent pollution in the future.
The 22-member Sarkar Committee, headed by industrialist [[Nalini Ranjan Sarkar]], recommended the formation of technical institutions for higher education in India. Roy successfully petitioned then Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] to setup the first institute in West Bengal, on the grounds that the state had the highest concentration of industries at that time. The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur was thus established in May 1950, with Roy serving as the first chairman of the board of Governors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 October 2024 |title=About IIT Kharagpur |url=https://www.iitkgp.ac.in/about-iitkgp-history |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=IIT Kharagpur}}</ref>


Roy was elected to the [[All India Congress Committee]] in 1928. He kept himself away from rivalry and conflicts and made a deep impression on the leaders. Roy efficiently conducted the Civil Disobedience in Bengal in 1929 and prompted [[Pandit Motilal Nehru]] to nominate him Member of the Working Committee ([[Congress Working Committee|CWC]]) in 1930. The CWC was declared an unlawful assembly and Dr. Roy along with other members of the committee were arrested on 26 August 1930 and detained at [[Alipore Jail|Alipore Central Jail]].
He was credited for the development of cities like [[Bidhannagar]], [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]], and [[Durgapur]], which were crucial for the growth of [[Economy of West Bengal|West Bengal's economy]] at a time when it was ravaged by the ill consequences of [[Partition of India|partition]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />


During the [[Salt March|Dandi March]] in 1931, many members of the [[Calcutta Corporation]] were imprisoned. Congress requested Roy to remain out of prison and discharge the duties of the Corporation. He served as the [[Alderman]] of the Corporation from 1930–31 and as the Mayor of Calcutta from 1931 to 1933. Under him, the Corporation made leaps in the expansion of free education, free medical aid, better roads, improved lighting, and water supply. He was responsible for setting up a framework for dispensing grant-in-aid to hospitals and charitable dispensaries.
==Death==
Bidhan Chandra Roy died on 1 July 1962, coincidentally on his 80th birthday. His house was later converted into a nursing home named after his mother, Aghorkamini Devi. He had also constituted a trust for his properties at [[Patna]] to carry out social service, with eminent nationalist [[Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha)]] being its first trustee.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Correspondence and Select Documents: 1934–1937|last=Choudhary|first=Valmiki|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=1984|isbn=978-81-7023-002-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/drrajendraprasad0000pras/page/133 133]|url=https://archive.org/details/drrajendraprasad0000pras/page/133}}</ref>


==Post independence==
==Legacy==
[[File:Dr._Bidhan_Chandra_Roy_statue.jpg|thumb|150px|Bidhan Chandra Roy statue in [[Bidhannagar|Salt Lake City]]]]
[[File:Bidhan Chandra Roy 1982 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|150px|A commemorative post stamp of Dr. Roy, published by [[India Post]].]]
[[File:Statue of Dr. B. C. Roy.jpg|thumb|150px|Statue of Dr. B. C. Roy in [[Howrah]] city]]
[[File:Bust of Bidhan Chandra Roy in Kolkata.jpg|thumb|150px|Bust of Roy at Bidhan Shishu Udyan in [[Ultadanga]]]]
The Indian Government honoured Roy with the [[Bharat Ratna]] on 4 February 1961.


The Congress Party proposed Roy's name for Chief Minister of Bengal. Roy wanted to devote himself to his profession. On Gandhiji's advice, however, Roy accepted the position and took office on 23 January 1948. Bengal at the time had been torn by communal violence, shortage of food, unemployment and a large flow of refugees in the wake of the creation of [[East Pakistan]]. Roy brought unity and discipline among the party ranks. He then systematically and calmly began to work on the immense task in front of him. Within three years law and order was returned to Bengal without compromising the dignity and status of his administration. He told the people:<ref name=":1" />
The [[Dr. B. C. Roy Award|B.C. Roy National Award]] was instituted in 1962<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/awards/dr-b-c-roy-award|title=Dr. B.C. Roy Award {{!}} MCI India|website=www.mciindia.org|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828071416/https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/awards/dr-b-c-roy-award|url-status=dead}}</ref> in his memory and has been awarded annually since 1976. The award recognises excellent contributions in the areas of medicine, politics, science, philosophy, literature and arts. The Dr. B. C. Roy Memorial Library and Reading Room for Children in the Children's Book Trust, New Delhi, was opened in 1967. Today, his private papers are part of the Archives at the [[Nehru Memorial Museum & Library]], at [[Teen Murti House]], Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nehrumemorial.nic.in/en/archives.html|title=Archives|last=NMML|website=www.nehrumemorial.nic.in|access-date=26 August 2018|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726224938/http://www.nehrumemorial.nic.in/en/archives.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrounds.org/rounds/indias-iconic-doctor-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy|title=India's Iconic Doctor: Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy{{!}} DailyRounds|website=www.dailyrounds.org|access-date=26 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214416/https://www.dailyrounds.org/rounds/indias-iconic-doctor-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy|archive-date=26 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>


{{quote|We have the ability and if, with faith in our future, we exert ourselves with determination, nothing, I am sure, no obstacles, however formidable or insurmountable they may appear at present, can stop our progress... (if we) all work unitedly, keeping our vision clear and with a firm grasp of our problems.}}
India celebrates National Doctors' Day on 1 July every year to honour his birthday and deathday.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Pakrasi |first=Susmita |date=30 June 2021 |title=National Doctors' Day on July |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/national-doctors-day-on-july-1-history-and-significance-101625011035886.html |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=The Hindustan Times}}</ref>


The nation honoured Roy with the [[Bharat Ratna]] on 4 February 1961. On 1 July 1962, his 80th birthday, after treating his morning patients and discharging affairs of the State, he took a copy of the "Brahmo Geet" and sang a piece from it. 11 hours later Roy died. He had gifted his house for running a nursing home named after his mother, Aghorkamini Devi. He had also constituted a trust for his properties at [[Patna]] to carry out social service, with eminent nationalist [[Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha)]] being its first trustee.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Correspondence and Select Documents: 1934–1937|last=Choudhary|first=Valmiki|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=1984|isbn=978-81-7023-002-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/drrajendraprasad0000pras/page/133 133]|url=https://archive.org/details/drrajendraprasad0000pras/page/133}}</ref>
=== In Bollywood ===
In the superhit movie [[Bawarchi]], [[Rajesh Khanna]] who played the role of protagonist Raghu, is talented traditional Indian cook who is surprisingly a philosopher, singer, composer, [[dance instructor]] and mathematician. In the movie, Raghu speaks to have attained these skills and traits through working with different Indian public figures including Bidhan Chandra Roy to name a few.


The [[Dr. B. C. Roy Award|B.C. Roy National Award]] was instituted in 1962<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/awards/dr-b-c-roy-award|title=Dr. B.C. Roy Award {{!}} MCI India|website=www.mciindia.org|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828071416/https://www.mciindia.org/CMS/awards/dr-b-c-roy-award|url-status=dead}}</ref> in Roy's memory and has been awarded annually since 1976. The award recognizes excellent contributions in the areas of medicine, politics, science, philosophy, literature and arts. The Dr. B.C. Roy Memorial Library and Reading Room for Children in the Children's Book Trust, New Delhi, was opened in 1967. Today, his private papers are part of the Archives at the [[Nehru Memorial Museum & Library]], at [[Teen Murti House]], Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nehrumemorial.nic.in/en/archives.html|title=Archives|last=NMML|website=www.nehrumemorial.nic.in|access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrounds.org/rounds/indias-iconic-doctor-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy|title=India's Iconic Doctor: Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy{{!}} DailyRounds|website=www.dailyrounds.org|access-date=26 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214416/https://www.dailyrounds.org/rounds/indias-iconic-doctor-dr-bidhan-chandra-roy|archive-date=26 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[B.C. Roy Trophy]]
*[[Bidhannagar]]


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Bengali politicians]]
[[Category:Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata alumni]]
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[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Calcutta]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta faculty]]  
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[[Category:Indian city founders]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna]]
[[Category:Brahmos]]
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[[Category:Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]]
[[Category:Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata]]
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[[Category:Chief ministers of West Bengal]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Bengal]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
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[[Category:Vice Chancellors of the University of Calcutta]]
[[Category:Vice-chancellors of the University of Calcutta]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of British India]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of British India]]
[[Category:Mayors of Kolkata]]
[[Category:Mayors of Kolkata]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Indian National Congress]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kolkata]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1951–1957]]
[[Category:State funerals in India]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1957–1962]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1962–1967]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital]]
[[Category:20th-century mayors of places in India]]

Latest revision as of 03:11, 25 January 2026


Bidhan Chandra Roy
Portrait of Bidhan Chandra Roy
2nd Premier of West Bengal
In office
23 January 1948 – 25 January 1950
GovernorChakravarti Rajagopalachari
Kailash Nath Katju
Preceded byPrafulla Chandra Ghosh
Succeeded byPosition abolished
(himself as Chief Minister of West Bengal)
1st Chief Minister of West Bengal
In office
26 January 1950 – 1 July 1962
GovernorKailash Nath Katju
Harendra Coomar Mookerjee
Phani Bhusan Chakravartti (acting)
Padmaja Naidu
Preceded byOffice established
(himself as Premier of West Bengal)
Succeeded byPrafulla Chandra Sen
Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly
In office
1952–1962
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byBijoy Singh Nahar
ConstituencyBowbazar
In office
May 1962 – 1 July 1962
Preceded byBijoy Singh Nahar
Succeeded bySiddhartha Shankar Ray
ConstituencyChowranghee
5th Mayor of Kolkata
In office
5 April 1931 – 9 April 1933
Preceded bySubhas Chandra Bose
Succeeded bySantosh Kumar Basu
Member of Bengal Legislative Council
for Barrackpore
In office
1925 Template:Nbnd 1929
Preceded bySurendranath Banerjee
Personal details
Born(1882-07-01)1 July 1882
Patna, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Bihar, India)
Died1 July 1962(1962-07-01) (aged 80)
Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), West Bengal, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
ResidenceKolkata, West Bengal, India
Alma materMedical College and Hospital, Kolkata
St Bartholomew's Hospital
Profession
  • Physician & Surgeon
  • Politician
AwardsBharat Ratna (1961)
Signature

Bidhan Chandra Roy (1 July 1882 – 1 July 1962) was an Indian physician and politician who served as Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1950 until his death in 1962. He played a key role in the founding of several institutions and cities like Salt Lake (now a part of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation),[1] Kalyani, Durgapur and Ashoknagar Kalyangarh.

In India, the National Doctors' Day is celebrated in his memory every year on 1 July. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour in 1961.[2]

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Bidhan Chandra Roy in 1911

Bidhan Chandra Roy was born on 1 July 1882 to a Bengali Kayastha family in Bankipore in Patna, where his father, Prakash Chandra Roy coming from a wealthy family of Satkhira, Khulna district, Bengal Presidency (now in Bangladesh), was serving as an excise inspector. His mother, Aghorkamini Devi, was religious and a devoted social worker.[3] Roy was the youngest of five siblings, with 2 sisters (Susharbashini and Sarojini) and 2 brothers(Subodh and Sadhan). His parents were ardent Brahmo Samajists.[4]

Prakash Chandra was a descendant of the family of Maharaja Pradapaditya, the rebel Hindu king of Jessore, but did not inherit much wealth from his ancestors. He earned a moderate salary for most part of Roy's childhood, but he and Aghorkamini supported the education and upbringing of both their own children and a number of other poor children, mostly orphans.[5]

Roy left Patna in June 1901 to study at the Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. While at medical school, he came upon an inscription which read, "Whatever thy hands findeth to do, do it with thy might."[6] These words became a lifelong source of inspiration for him.[7]

Intending to enroll at St Bartholomew's Hospital to complete further studies in medicine, Roy left for Britain in February 1909 with ₹1,200. The then dean of St. Bartholomew's Hospital was reluctant to accept an Asian student and rejected his application.[8] Roy submitted several additional applications until the dean, after 30 admission requests, admitted him.[9]

Career[edit | edit source]

Roy in 1943

Upon returning to India, Roy joined the Provincial Health Service. In addition to a private practice, he served as a nurse when necessary. He taught at the Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata and later at the Campbell Medical School (now NRS Medical College) and the Carmichael Medical College[7] (now R. G. Kar Medical College). He served as the first president of Cardiological Society of India from 1948 to 1950.[10]

Roy believed that swaraj (the call to action for India's freedom) would remain a dream unless the people were healthy and strong in mind and body. He made contributions to the organisation of medical education. He played an important role in the establishment of the Jadavpur T.B. Hospital, Chittaranjan Seva Sadan, Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital, Victoria Institution (College), and Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital. In 1926, the Chittaranjan Seva Sadan for women and children was opened by Roy.[11]

Roy was also Mahatma Gandhi's personal doctor and friend.

In 1925, Roy ran for elections from the Barrackpore constituency as an independent candidate for the Bengal Legislative Council and defeated the "Grand Old Man of Bengal", Surendranath Banerjee. Though an independent, he voted with the Swaraj Party (the Parliamentary wing of the Congress party in the 1920s). As early as 1925, Roy tabled a resolution recommending a study of the causes of pollution in Hooghly and suggested measures to prevent pollution in the future.[6]

Roy was elected to the All India Congress Committee in 1928. Roy conducted Civil Disobedience in Bengal in 1929 and prompted Pandit Motilal Nehru to nominate him as a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in 1930. The CWC was declared an unlawful assembly and Roy along with other members of the committee were arrested on 26 August 1930 and detained at Alipore Central Jail.

During the Dandi March in 1931, many members of the Calcutta Corporation were imprisoned. Congress requested Roy to remain out of prison and discharge the duties of the Corporation. He served as the Alderman of the Corporation from 1930 to 1931 and as the Mayor of Calcutta from 1931 to 1933. Under him, the Corporation expanded schemes for free education, free medical aid, improved roads and lighting, and water supply. He set up a framework for dispensing grant-in-aid to hospitals and charitable dispensaries.[6]

In 1942, Rangoon fell to the Japanese bombing and caused an exodus from Calcutta fearing a Japanese invasion. Roy, then serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, acquired air-raid shelters for schools and college students to have their classes in, and provided relief for students, teachers and employees alike.

Chief Minister of West Bengal[edit | edit source]

The Congress Party proposed Roy's name for Premier of West Bengal. Although Roy sought to continue with his profession, he accepted the position and took office on 23 January 1948 upon Gandhi's advice. Bengal at the time had been torn by communal violence, shortage of food, unemployment and a large flow of refugees in the wake of the creation of East Pakistan. In an address to the people of West Bengal, Roy said:[12]

We have the ability and if, with faith in our future, we exert ourselves with determination, nothing, I am sure, no obstacles, however formidable or insurmountable they may appear at present, can stop our progress... (if we) all work unitedly, keeping our vision clear and with a firm grasp of our problems.

On 26 January 1950, Roy took oath as the first Chief Minister of West Bengal in Independent India. Under his leadership, the Congress party won the legislative assembly elections in West Bengal in 1952 and 1957.

The 22-member Sarkar Committee, headed by industrialist Nalini Ranjan Sarkar, recommended the formation of technical institutions for higher education in India. Roy successfully petitioned then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to setup the first institute in West Bengal, on the grounds that the state had the highest concentration of industries at that time. The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur was thus established in May 1950, with Roy serving as the first chairman of the board of Governors.[13]

He was credited for the development of cities like Bidhannagar, Kalyani, and Durgapur, which were crucial for the growth of West Bengal's economy at a time when it was ravaged by the ill consequences of partition.[6][14]

Death[edit | edit source]

Bidhan Chandra Roy died on 1 July 1962, coincidentally on his 80th birthday. His house was later converted into a nursing home named after his mother, Aghorkamini Devi. He had also constituted a trust for his properties at Patna to carry out social service, with eminent nationalist Ganga Sharan Singh (Sinha) being its first trustee.[15]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Bidhan Chandra Roy statue in Salt Lake City
A commemorative post stamp of Dr. Roy, published by India Post.
Statue of Dr. B. C. Roy in Howrah city
Bust of Roy at Bidhan Shishu Udyan in Ultadanga

The Indian Government honoured Roy with the Bharat Ratna on 4 February 1961.

The B.C. Roy National Award was instituted in 1962[16] in his memory and has been awarded annually since 1976. The award recognises excellent contributions in the areas of medicine, politics, science, philosophy, literature and arts. The Dr. B. C. Roy Memorial Library and Reading Room for Children in the Children's Book Trust, New Delhi, was opened in 1967. Today, his private papers are part of the Archives at the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, at Teen Murti House, Delhi.[17][18]

India celebrates National Doctors' Day on 1 July every year to honour his birthday and deathday.[14]

In Bollywood[edit | edit source]

In the superhit movie Bawarchi, Rajesh Khanna who played the role of protagonist Raghu, is talented traditional Indian cook who is surprisingly a philosopher, singer, composer, dance instructor and mathematician. In the movie, Raghu speaks to have attained these skills and traits through working with different Indian public figures including Bidhan Chandra Roy to name a few.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Back to the beginning – On the 50th year of the landfill, here's the story of how Salt Lake came into being". The Telegraph. 10 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "National Doctors' Day: All you need to know about Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy". Firstpost. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Biography of Bharat Ratna "Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy" complete biography for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes". eVirtualGuru. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  4. ↑ Thomas, K.P. (1955). Dr. B. C. Roy (PDF). Calcutta: Atulya Ghosh, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  5. ↑ Nandalal Bhattacharya (2004). Karmajogi Bidhanchandra (Life of Bidhan Chandra Roy) (in Bengali). Grantha-tirtha. p. 15 & 16.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Remembering Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy: Facts about the doctor who dedicated his life to the profession of medicine". India Today. 1 July 2017.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography – Bidhan Chandra Roy Childhood, Life, Profile, Timeline". www.iloveindia.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy -Biography and Life History | Great Rulers". greatrulers.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "When India's 'National Doctor' Was Denied Service By an American Restaurant". The Wire. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Past President – CSI". csi.org.in. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Sumit Kumar (2021). "Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy Biography: डॉ. बिधान चंद्र राय जीवन परिचय" (in Hindi). Sumit-Kumar.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  12. ↑ "Bengal's physician chief minister – The Statesman". The Statesman. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "About IIT Kharagpur". IIT Kharagpur. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Pakrasi, Susmita (30 June 2021). "National Doctors' Day on July". The Hindustan Times. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  15. ↑ Choudhary, Valmiki (1984). Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Correspondence and Select Documents: 1934–1937. Allied Publishers. p. 133. ISBN 978-81-7023-002-1.
  16. ↑ "Dr. B.C. Roy Award | MCI India". www.mciindia.org. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  17. ↑ NMML. "Archives". www.nehrumemorial.nic.in. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  18. ↑ "India's Iconic Doctor: Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy| DailyRounds". www.dailyrounds.org. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.


Political offices
Preceded by
Prafulla Chandra Ghosh 		Chief Minister of West Bengal
1948–1962 		Succeeded by
President's Rule
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