MMC College to unveil museum to showcase legacy of Raja Manindra Chandra

Kolkata: In a sincere bid to make the young generation aware of the activities of Raja Manindra Chandra Nandy, a philanthropist and reformist during the period of Bengal Renaissance, Maharaja Manindra Chandra (MMC) College is inaugurating a museum inside the college premises. Shashi Panja, minister in-charge of state Industry and Commerce department and a member of the governing body of the college, is expected to unveil a bust of the Raja and unveil the museum on Wednesday.

“The life history of Raja Manindra Chandra right from his birth till death will be highlighted deeply through the museum. To begin with, we will have a wide collection of photographs associated with his activities and QR code-based detailed information about different episodes of his life. This will help students keen to pursue research on him.

We have already initiated talks for further boosting the museum collection through various articles used by him in the days to come,” said Goutam Kumar Ghosh, Principal of MMC College.

Manindra Chandra Nandy was born on May 29, 1860 at Shyambazar in north Kolkata. However, from his mother’s side, he belonged to the royal family of Cossimbazar. He became the Maharaja of Cossimbazar, as per the wishes of Cossimbazar Raj Family, as there were no direct male descendants alive after the death of Maharani Swarnamoyee in 1897.

In 1905, the control of Krishnath College was handed over to him by the government via a deed of transfer. A large building for Krishnath College School was constructed and expanded by him at Berhampore College to accommodate 1,200 students annually.

The foundation stone was laid in 1909 and the school formally opened in 1911. He established an English medium high school with a hostel at his ancestral village of Mathrun, Burdwan.

Manindra Chandra received the title of Maharaja from the British on May 30, 1898. He received his knighthood in 1915.

The college will soon introduce a value-added two months course through the History department so that students studying in the college have knowledge about Raja Manidra Chandra’s contribution.