Chapter 6 : Radhakamal Mukerjee

Radhakamal Mukerjee

Life Sketch

• The Lucknow Triumvirate: Radhakamal Mukerjee (1889-1968), along with D.P. Mukerji and D.N. Majumdar, formed a triumvirate that made Lucknow University a leading centre for sociology and social anthropology in India until the mid-1960s.
• Early Life & Education:
• Born on 7th December 1889 in a large Bengali Brahmin family in Berhampur (Murshidabad), Western Bengal. He spent his first 16 years there.
• Educated at Krishinath College (Berhampur) and Presidency College (Calcutta), taking honours in English and History.
• Influenced by scholars like H.M. Percival, M. Ghosh (brother of Aurobindo Ghosh), and linguist Harinath De.
• Read meticulously the works of Comte, Herbert Spencer, Lester Ward, Bagehot, Hobhouse, and Giddings.
• Political & Social Awakening:
• His interest in ameliorating the conditions of the poor was sparked by contact with the masses during the Swadeshi days of 1905-6 and the intellectual ferment caused by the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon.
• Shifted his academic interest from history to economics and sociology to help the suffering masses.
• Started an Adult Evening School in 1906 in the slums of Mechaubazar (Calcutta) and wrote simple texts for adult education.
• Career & Persecution:
• Joined his alma mater in Berhampur in 1910 as an economics teacher, staying for 5 years. Edited the renowned Bengali monthly, Upasana.
• Arrested for a day in 1915 by the British government; his adult schools were liquidated under charges of being a 'terrorist' or sympathising with terrorism under the disguise of adult education.
• Moved to Lahore College in Punjab, nipping his political interests in the bud.
• Academic Milestones:
• Returned to the University of Calcutta (where Asutosh Mookerji established the Post Graduate Council of Arts and Science in 1917) and taught for 5 years.
• Awarded the Premchand Raychand Scholarship in 1915.
• Awarded a PhD in 1920 (Calcutta University) for his study: "Socio-Economic Change in the Indian Rural Community".
• Joined Lucknow University in 1921 as Professor and Head of the Department of Economics and Sociology on its opening day. Taught there for nearly 30 years up to…