Atulkrishna Ghosh (Bengali: ) (18901966) was an Indian revolutionary,

member of te!nusilan "amiti, and a leader of te #ugantar movement involved in $indu

%erman &ons'ira(yduring )orld )ar I*
+arly life
!tul was born in 1890, in a Bengali $indu middle,(lass family of te village #aduboyra,
+tmam'ur in-ustia "ub,division, wi( was ten in .adia distri(t, now in Banglades* $is
'arents were /ares &andra and Binodini 0evi* /e (ou'le ad si1 (ildren* /e
eldest, 2egamala was married to te famous 3rofessor of !lgebra, -*3* Basu, bot
(onne(ted wit te revolutionary movement* /eir son #itendranat Basu, along wit !tul
and is youngest broter !mar, was bla(4listed, too, for 'arti(i'ation in seditious a(tivities*
!fter is 'rimary (lasses at -umar4ali, !tul 'assed brilliantly is 2atri(ulation in 1909 from
te -ol4ata $indu "(ool, to 5oin te "(ottis &ur(es &ollege for Intermediate, and
te -risnanat &ollege at Beram'ur for B*"(* )ile 're'aring for is 6nal 2*"(*
e1amination at 3residen(y &ollege, -ol4ata, !tul ad to interru't is studies for is 'oliti(al
(ommitment* /e &ollege and its ostel were umming wit is radi(al asso(iates, all future
(elebrities mostly in s(ienti6( resear(, li4e "atyendra .at Bose, 2eg .ad "aa, #nan
%os, #nan 2u4er5ee, "isir 2itra, "usil !(arya, "ailen %os, $aris "ima, #atin
"et, $iralal 7ay*
819
8edit93oliti(al ba(4ground
"in(e 1906, wit is (ousin .olini4anta -ar, !tul ad been fre:uenting #atindranat
2u4er5ee wo was teir neigbour in -ustia "ub,division* /ey bot entered te
lo(al !nusilan "amiti* )* "ealy in is 7e'ort will note ;!tul %os and .olini -anta -ar, two
dangerous and im'ortant abs(onders of te gun,running (ons'ira(y*< ('=>)*
8=9
!t -ol4ata,
tan4s to #atin, tey bot (ame very (lose to "ri !urobindo* )ereas .olini 'ra(tised
wrestling wit -i44ar "ing, !tul be(ame an e1'ert trainer in self,defen(e at te 3ataldanga
bran( of te !nusilan "amiti :!tul -risna %os ? #atindranat 2u4er5ee founded
3!/$@7I!%$!/! BA!2 "!2I/A wi( was n im'ortant (entre os armed revoloulion of indian
national movement* ere e (ame a(ross a number of revolutionaries, in(luding "a(in
"anyalBs Benares grou' and Biren 0atta %u'tawom e re(ommended to #atindranat* Biren
re(eived from te latter, in #anuary 1910, te mandate to assassinate "amsul !lam, 0e'uty
"u'erintendent of 3oli(e, wo was man,andling te under,trial 'risoners of te !li'ore
Bomb (ase*
8>9
In (onne(tion wit BirenBs su((essful mission, #atindranat wit forty,si1
asso(iates were 'la(ed on trial in te $owra (ons'ira(y (ase* Inside te 'rison,
#atindranat learnt from is emissaries abroad tat %ermany was 're'aring for war against
%reat Britain* !fter is release in 1911, #atindranat sus'ended all e1tremist a(tivities, left
-ol4ata under te res'onsibility of !tul, imself forging a grand federation of regional units
in te distri(ts* ! relentless organiser, !tul seltered revolutionaries from various units as
mu( in is 'arentsB ouse at #aduboyra, as at te -ol4ata residen(e of 2egamala and -*3*
Basu, at 11 2aendra %ossainBs Cane, were tere was a free dormitory wit omely meals*
+ven leaders of rival 'arties li4e 3ratul %anguli of 0a4a admit aving en5oyed tis
os'itality, at great e1'ense and ris4 on !tulBs side: ;)e be(ame great friends wit
!tul4risna and ad (on6den(e in im* I ave very often been to is 0ar5i'ara residen(e and
s'ent nigts tere* $e ad grown intimate wit several of our members, almost (lose
friends* )e (onsidered im to be, somewat, our own (olleague and e sin(erely o'ed to
unite our 'arties so tat we (ould all wor4 togeter* Dran4ly s'ea4ing, it was tan4s to is
wis tat I met #atin 2u4er5eeE<*
8F9
0isa''ointed by te du'li(ity of te 0a4a bran(,
;some of its im'ortant wor4ers, owever, li4e "a(in "anyal and .agen (%iri5a) 0atta,
severed teir (onne(tion wit it and, introdu(ed by !tul4risna, wor4ed wit 7asbeari
Bose in @''er India*< !tulBs elder broter !gorenat, a (ivil surgeon, often loo4ed after te
bullet wounds re(eived by te 'atriots*
8G9
#atin 2u4er5eeBs rigt,and man
!((ording to .i1onBs 7e'ort, 'robably in about 191>, or 'era's a little before, (ertain of te
old members of te -ol4ata !nusilan "amiti wo, in te meantime, ad been members of
various atleti( (lubs, formed temselves into a bran( of te Seva Samiti under !tul4risna
%os: ;/e ostensible ob5e(t of tis samiti was a benevolent one* /e 6rst (entre was at
te ouse of !tul %os* 0uring te Burdwan Hoods, in 191>, many members of
tis samiti went tere for te 'ur'ose of aIording relief to te aJi(ted 'eo'le*<*
869
!tulBs
eK(ien(y and generosity as a leader be(ame evident during tis relief*
.i1on furter informs tat te ead:uarters of te samiti were later sifted to te ouse
of #ibantara $aldar, and later still to .o* 8> $ari %osBs "treet* ;Lf tis organisation !mar
%os, te broter of !tul, was an im'ortant 6gure,< mentioned .i1on* ;It was
tis samiti wi( formed te nu(leus of te (ombined 'arty wi( o'erated in Bengal in
191G* 3urna 0as of 2adari'ur brougt some of is more auda(ious s'irits along to it and
later 3ulin 2u4er5i alias /a4ur, 'reviously a member of te 0a((a !nusilan "amiti, 5oined
it and too4 a 'rominent 'art in te (ommission of outrages* Lter members of te 0a((a
!nusilan "amiti severed teir (onne(tion wit tat so(iety and 5oined te 'arty of !tul
%os* Bi'in %anguli was in (lose (onne(tion wit it and also te members of te .ortern
Bengal 'arty* #atindranat 2u4er5ee seems to ave been in tou( wit te members of
tis samiti from te time of its formation, and immediately e (ame into &al(utta, te "eva
"amiti a(4nowledged is leadersi' and be(ame te real )est Bengal 'arty of 191G*<*
8M9
0uring te !li'ore Bomb 'rose(utions, toug 7asbeari Bose ad settled in .ort India
wit te el' of "asibusan 7ay(audury, e maintained is (onta(t wit Bengal
troug !tul* !marendra &atter5ee and !tul su''lied im bombs for a(tions in u',(ountry
and, even, te one trown on Ni(eroy $ardinge* Informed by !tul, 7asbeari (ould
'arti(i'ate in te Hood relief and te signi6(ant meetings of leaders* It was !tul, again, in
"e'tember 191F, wo was (onta(ted by %urudit "ing and oter -omagata 2aru 'atriots,
(oming from Nan(ouver wit re(ommendation from /ara4nat 0as : e and "atis
&a4ravarti arranged wit various regional units of te #ugantar to selter tem, before
sending tem to destinations in .ort India, 61ed by 7asbeari* Durious to ear about te
deat of a 5ute,mill wor4er at #agaddal, (aused by te 4i(4 from a booted leg of an +nglis
su'ervisor, !tul was des'erately loo4ing for arms to avenge tis atro(ity*
8edit9In need of arms
Main article: HinduGerman Conspiracy
;/e outbrea4 of war revivi6ed te vague ideas of revolution wi( ad been Hoating about
in te mind of young Bengal for te last ten years and te o'es of tose wo ad
trougout been waiting for te o''ortunity, and te 'ossibility of a su((essful revolt
seemed imminent,< wrote .i1on* ;It was 'robably some time in "e'tember 191F tat #atin
2u4er5ee (ame to &al(utta in order to ta4e su( ste's as +nglandBs 'arti(i'ation in a war
wit %ermany seemed to (all for in tis dire(tion*<*
889
#udging te time ri'e for tem to ma4e
full 're'arations for a revolution, #atinBs men undertoo4 ta1i,(ab robberies to 'rovide funds
for tis 'ur'ose, as des(ribed in te 7owlatt 7e'ort* $en(e, on =6 !ugust 191F, "ris
&andra 2itra, one of is loyal asso(iates, smuggled 6fty 2auser 'istols and forty,si1
tousand (artridges from te 7odda (arms dealers) in -ol4ata, anded tem over to !tul,
before disa''earing for good* #atin 2u4er5ee distributed tese dreadful arms to various
units* &on(eived by #atin, as does a s4ilful stage manager, !tul (al4ed out a series of daring
overt a(ts under te immediate leadersi' of .aren Batta(arya alias 2*.* 7oy: tese are
all duly (atalogued in te 7owlatt 7e'ort* "u((essive emissaries returned from +uro'e and
!meri(a wit te good news of te arrival of arms obtained from %erman autorities by
te Berlin &ommittee* Balasore was (osen by %ermany to land a si'ment* #atin wit a
andful of asso(iates too4 selter tere* /en !tul dis'at(ed $ari4umar &a4ravarti,
0r #atin %osal, "atis &a4ravartiand a bat( of wor4ers wit boats, riHes and oter
re:uisites to te oter sele(ted 'ort at 7aymangal in te "undarbans* )en information
(ame tat te 3oli(e ad dis(overed #atinOs ideout in Balasore, .aren %ose
&audury 'ro'osed s'ontaneously to rus to te s'ot for a sowdownP#adugo'al
2u4er5ee ob5e(ted: Q0ada is big enoug to loo4 after imself* Cet us dis'erse*Q !tul was
stunned by tis (yni(al order* !fter te failure of te Indo,%erman (ons'ira(y and after
#atinBs untimely deat, diseartened !tul and oter #ugantar leaders went underground in
191G, remaining so for about seven years* +ven ten, for several years, te revolutionaries
entertained te o'e of smuggling arms for an insurre(tion* In #une 1916, !tul sent
troug !nanta $aldar a letter for Bavabusan 2itra at 0eogar, ;wo was one of te
trusted men of te 'arty* Bot !nanta and Bava Busan were dealt wit under te
0efen(e 7ules and interned in Bengal*< ("ealy, '=F)* In te teet of s'oradi( 3oli(e attem'ts
to arrest tem, on(e, in &andernagore, wile nursing &aru %ose, !tul wit te ailing (o,
wor4er on is soulders, s(aled te os'ital wall* 0r %ovindin, te &ivil "urgeon, narrated
tis to Bu'endra4umar 0atta* !((ording to .i1on: ;#atin 2u4er5ee ad at tis time gone to
Balasore, and !tul %os was a big 6gure in te arrangement for tese outrages*< In #uly
1916, ;!tul %os was still te 'rom'ting s'irit of all tese gangs, and in te Barisal 'arty,
too, e seems to ave wielded some inHuen(e*<*
899
8edit9/e last 'ase
!fter te end of te )ar, "urendranat Baner5ee, followed by Barin %ose and 2otilal 7oy,
su((essfully negotiated te witdrawal of warrants against te fugitives a((used of te Indo,
%erman 'lot* !tul was adamant in obtaining a 'romise on tese 'oints : (a) tere would be
no :uestion of surrendering armsP (b) no :uestions would be raised on teir 'ast a(tivitiesP
(() no 'arole would be demanded (on(erning teir future (ondu(ts* !tul (ame out in 19=1*
But is 0adaBs (#atin 2u4er5eeBs) eroi( deat, ;ad 4no(4ed out is revolutionary ardour
and e gave u' a(tive 'oliti(s*< Aet, in #anuary 19=F, wen %o'inat "aa 4illed an
+nglisman, mista4ing im to be /egart, te mu(,ated &ommissioner of -ol4ata 3oli(e
(re'uted to ave sot #atin 2u4er5ee dead), !tul was made a state,'risoner, to be released
in 19=6* /e same year e married 2eno4arani 7a4sit of 2a5il'ur, =F 3arganas and too4 to
business, disso(iating imself (om'letely from 'oliti(s* /ey ad no issues* In an interview
wit 3ritwindra 2u4er5ee (Baga #atinOs grandson), on =M L(tober 196> , sortly before is
deat ,, !tul siged: ;0ada was a magnetP we all, iron s(ra's, re(eived our energy from im*
)en e was no more, we all be(ame iron s(ra's* I still do not 4now weter my 6rst
allegian(e went to 0ada, or to te 2oterland*< !s4ed about te sour(e of #atindranatOs
tremendous for(e, !tul re'lied: Q$e was a very well trained wrestler and an all,round
s'ortsman* But wat (ara(terised im was is soul for(e and is 'ower of (on(entration*
$e (ould 'in,'oint all is energy to a single 'art of is body, for instan(e is 6st* ! single
blow from tat 6st was e:uivalent to an ele(tri( (arge of %od 4nows ow many voltsRQ
8109
!tul died 'ea(efully in is -ol4ata residen(e, on F 2ay 1966*
8edit9! tribute
Bu'endra4umar 0atta, is young asso(iate, re(alled: ;Instin(tively liberal in idea,
!tul4risna ated (aste and religious distin(tion* 0emo(ra(y in te 'oliti(al s'ere and
5usti(e in te so(ial s'ere were wat e (erised most* 0uring te last years e turned to
s'iritual life*<
8119
"ee also
7eferen(es
1. 1* ^ %ose, !tul4risna in Dictionary of National Biography,8abbrev* DNB9, +dited by "*3*
"en, Nolume II, &al(utta, 19MF
2. =* ^ Terrorism in Bengal,8abbrev* Terrorism9, %overnment of )est Bengal, Nolume N,
199G, '=>
3. >* ^ .otes given by !tul4risna %os and .alini4anta -ar in sadha!"ipla"i #atindranath,
8abbrev* #atindranath9, by 0r 3ritwindra 2u4er5ee, )est Bengal "tate Boo4 Board, 1990,
several referen(es
4. F* ^ "ipla"ir #i"an darshan, by 3ratul(andra %anguli, &al(utta, 19M6,'=>
5. G* ^ DNB, IIS'>M
6. 6* ^ .i1onOs 7e'ort in Terrorism, Nolume II, 'G90
7. M* ^ .i1onOs 7e'ort, Terrorism, Nol* II, 'G90*
8. 8* ^ Terrorism, Nol* II, '6=M
9. 9* ^ Terrorism, Nol* II, '610
10. 10* ^ #atindranath
11. 11* ^ DNB, Nol* II, '>M
8edit9Bibliogra'y
Bipla"i atulrishna ghosh, by Bu'endra4umar 0atta, "ri "arasvati Cibrary, -ol4ata, 1966
(abbr* B-0)
;%os, !tul4risna (1890,1966)< by Bu'endra4umar 0atta in Dictionary of National
Biography, (ed*) "*3* "en, Nol* II, 19M>, ''>M>8 (abbr* 0.B)
#*&* .i1onBs 7e'ort ;Ln 7evolutionary Lrganisation< in Terrorism in Bengal, ed* by !miya -*
"amanta, Nol II, 199G (abbr* .i1on)*
)* "ealyB 7e'ort, ;&onne(tions wit Biar and Lrissa< in Terrorism in Bengal, ed* by !miya -*
"amanta, Nol N, 199G (abbr* "ealy)*
Sadha "ipla"i #atindranath, by 3ritwindra 2u4er5ee, )est Bengal "tate Boo4 Board, 1990
Bipla"ir #i"an!darshan, autobiogra'y, by 3ratul(andra %anguli, 19M6
amader "aDi, reminis(en(es, &anda "en, 3ublised by #ayanta Basu, -ol4ata, .ovember
=00G