Bill passed to rename Murshidabad Univ after Maharaja Krishnanath Roy
Kolkata: Acknowledging the long-standing public sentiment in Murshidabad, the West Bengal Assembly on Saturday unanimously passed the Murshidabad University (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the institution to be renamed as ‘Murshidabad Maharaja Krishnanath University, Berhampore’ .
The amendment formally associates the university with Maharaja Krishnanath Roy, the 19th-century benefactor who founded Krishnanath College in Berhampore in 1853 and is remembered for his extraordinary patronage to higher education.
Introducing the Bill, Education minister Bratya Basu said the decision followed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s directive to honour the emotional bond Murshidabad’s residents share with Raja Krishnanath’s name. “Maharaja Krishnanath Roy’s contribution to the spread of higher education cannot be forgotten. We want his name to travel beyond the district through the university,” he told the House.
Mohammad Ali, MLA Lalgola, Murshidabad, speaking during the discussion, grew visibly emotional while recalling that Maharaja Krishnanath died at the age of 22 but left behind a vision whose benefits continue to reach thousands of students in the district. “Higher education in Murshidabad remains incomplete without invoking Krishnanath College,” he said, welcoming the government’s move.
From the Opposition benches, MLA Biswanath Karak remarked that the renaming must be matched by equal resolve in improving the university’s infrastructure and academic capacity.
Basu referred to Krishnanath’s will, through which he is said to have bequeathed his wealth for educational purposes — a gesture described as “rare in modern India’s educational history”. “
“We had received several petitions from all communities to rechristen Murshidabad University by integrating the name of Maharaja Krishnanath. Renaming the University after him provides a distinct and proud historical identity, differentiating it from other state universities and rooting it firmly in the correct historical perspective,” said Basu.
The Murshidabad University was established by upgrading the Krishnanath College through the Murshidabad University Act 2018.
