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chief whip in the Bengal Legislative Council, member of the Council of States and of the [[Central Legislative Assembly]] (1930-1933) and secretary, Local Self Government and Public Health, Government of Bengal, | chief whip in the Bengal Legislative Council, member of the Council of States and of the [[Central Legislative Assembly]] (1930-1933) and secretary, Local Self Government and Public Health, Government of Bengal, | ||
==Social and | ==Social, cultural and artistic contributions== | ||
===Social=== | |||
Dutt's social work for the development of villages and improvement of agriculture led to the foundation of the first Rural Reconstruction Movement in India in Birbhum in 1918, extending the movement to several districts, such as Bankura, Howrah and Mymensingh. In 1922, he started a society for co-operative irrigation in Bankura, which he later extended to Mymensingh and Birbhum. In 1924, he headed an Indian delegation to a meeting of the Agricultural Institute in Rome. In December, 1929, he started ''Gramer Daak'' ('গ্রামের ডাক')that dealt with agrarian and rural matters. | Dutt's social work for the development of villages and improvement of agriculture led to the foundation of the first Rural Reconstruction Movement in India in Birbhum in 1918, extending the movement to several districts, such as Bankura, Howrah and Mymensingh. In 1922, he started a society for co-operative irrigation in Bankura, which he later extended to Mymensingh and Birbhum. In 1924, he headed an Indian delegation to a meeting of the Agricultural Institute in Rome. In December, 1929, he started ''Gramer Daak'' ('গ্রামের ডাক')that dealt with agrarian and rural matters. | ||
His contribution to the empowerment of mostly rural women was evident in the establishment of the Saroj Nalini Dutt Memorial Association, as a Central Training Institute for training women, deprived of formal education, in the crafts and basic education in February, 1925. In October 1925, he started a monthly magazine entitled, ''Bangalakshmi'' ('বঙ্গলক্ষী') to give voice to village women. | His contribution to the empowerment of mostly rural women was evident in the establishment of the Saroj Nalini Dutt Memorial Association, as a Central Training Institute for training women, deprived of formal education, in the crafts and basic education in February, 1925. In October 1925, he started a monthly magazine entitled, ''Bangalakshmi'' ('বঙ্গলক্ষী') to give voice to village women. | ||
===Cultural=== | |||
Dutt contributed immensely to the development of rural dance forms. In Mymensingh he started a Folk Dance Revival Society, which revived the secular ''Jaari'' ('জারি') dance. In 1930, he discovered the ''Raibeshe'' ('রায়বেশে') folk dance, a martial dance of un-divided Bengal, in Birbhum. Subsequently, he also revived the Kaathi (কাঠি), Dhamail (ধামায়েল), Baul (বাউল), Jhumur (ঝুমুর), Brata (ব্রত) and Dhali (ঢালি) dances from different parts of undivided Bengal. In 1931, after meeting Cecil Sharp, who had revived Morris dancing in England, he set up the Bangiya Palli Sampad Raksha Samiti (বঙ্গিয় পল্লি রক্ষা সমিতি) (Cultural Heritage Protection Society of Bengal). | Dutt contributed immensely to the development of rural dance forms. In Mymensingh he started a Folk Dance Revival Society, which revived the secular ''Jaari'' ('জারি') dance. In 1930, he discovered the ''Raibeshe'' ('রায়বেশে') folk dance, a martial dance of un-divided Bengal, in Birbhum. Subsequently, he also revived the Kaathi (কাঠি), Dhamail (ধামায়েল), Baul (বাউল), Jhumur (ঝুমুর), Brata (ব্রত) and Dhali (ঢালি) dances from different parts of undivided Bengal. In 1931, after meeting Cecil Sharp, who had revived Morris dancing in England, he set up the Bangiya Palli Sampad Raksha Samiti (বঙ্গিয় পল্লি রক্ষা সমিতি) (Cultural Heritage Protection Society of Bengal). | ||
All these efforts culminated in the founding of the Bratachari movement in 1932. In 1934, the Bangiya Palli Sampad Raksha Samiti was renamed as The Bengal Bratachari Society. In 1936, he started ''Banglar Shakti'' ('বাংলার শক্তি'), a journal on behalf of the Bengal Bratachari Society. | All these efforts culminated in the founding of the Bratachari movement in 1932. In 1934, the Bangiya Palli Sampad Raksha Samiti was renamed as The Bengal Bratachari Society. In 1936, he started ''Banglar Shakti'' ('বাংলার শক্তি'), a journal on behalf of the Bengal Bratachari Society. | ||
===Artistic=== | |||
Dutt was mostly known for his interest and contributions to Bengal's folk art, folk dance and folk music.<ref name="prideofbengal'sfolkart"> Kakoli Biswas, 'Pride of Bengal's Folk Art: Gurusaday Dutt', Karnavati University at http://karnavatiuniversity.edu.in</ref> He spent a lifetime collecting and studying art objects and handiwork from the remotest corners of undivided rural Bengal collecting items of folk art such as Kalighat paintings, ''patuas'' ('পটুয়া') scrolls, embroidered ''kanthas'' ('কাঁথা'), terracotta panels, stone sculptures, wooden carvings, dolls and toys, moulds used for making patterns on sweets or mango-paste etc.<ref name="championofbengal'sfolkart"> Soumyadeep Roy, Gurusaday Dutt: Champion of Bengal's Folk Art', 07 December, 2020 at https://www.livemintmyindia.com</ref> Gurusaday Dutt also wrote extensively on folk culture. Rabindranath Tagore and C.F. Andrews wrote in the foreword of the biography of his wife, Saroj Nalini Dutt, which he wrote. Gurusaday Dutt also wrote a good deal about the Bratachari movement. | |||
==Controversies== | ==Controversies== | ||