Akshay Kumar Datta
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Akshay Kumar Datta (also spelt Akshay Kumar Dutta) (15 July 1820 - 18 May 1886) was born in Chupi in Bardhaman. Son of Pitamber Dutta, he was one of the initiaters of the Bengal Renaissance. After studying in the Oriental Seminary, he had to give up studies because of the untimely death of his father and go job-seeking. However, that could not put an end to his yearning for learning. He had learnt Sanskrit and Persian, and read the Hindu scriptures at school. He acquired proficiency in French, German and various Indian languages. He composed the poetry-book Anangamohan at the age of 14. While a youngster he used to translate newitems and features for Iswar Chandra Gupta’s Sambad Prabhakar. He even studied in Medical College for some time to gain knowledge of botany, zoology and chemistry.
In 1839, he joined the Tattwabodhini Sabha and soon became its assistant secrtary. He was appointed a teacher of the Tattwabodhini Pathsala the next year and in 1843, Tattwabodhini Patrika was published as mouthpiece of both the Tattwabodhini Sabha and Brahmo Samaj. He was the first editor of the newspaper and contributed substantially towards the dvelopment of prose writing in Bengali. The students of Hindu College used to make fun of Bengali writing and some even felt that nothing worthwhile can be written in the Bengali language. However, whenever, Tattwabodhini Patrika came out they not only read it seriously but even brought it to the attention of one another.
Akshay Kumar Datta was the first person in the Brahmo Samaj to boldly proclaim that that the Vedas were not infallible. He succeeded in convincing Debendranath Tagore in this respect and ultimately Brahmo Samaj adopted the thinking that while it respected all religious scriptures it did not consider any as infallible. It was in this perspective that Debendranath Tagore wrote Brahmo Dharma.
In 1855, his health suffered a serious set back and he could not continue with his massive work for the Tattwabodhini Patrika. His work was such that sometimes he used to spend the entire night writing. In later life, he served for sometime as headmaster of a school established by Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and writing the two-part Bharatiya Upasak Sampraday. His other books were: Bahyabastur sahit manabprakritir sambandha bichar (based on the Constitution of Man by George Combe), Dharmaniti, Prachin Hinduder Samudrajatra O Banijya bistar, Charupath, and Padarthyabidya.
A great patriot, his mind was always immersed in how he could free his people from the clutches of superstition and blind beliefs. Vastly learned in many subjects, he was the first Indian to write on languages.
The renowned Bengali poet Satyendranath Dutta was his grandson.
[edit] References
- Ramtanu Lahiri O Tatkalin Banga Samaj in Bengali by Sivanath Sastri
- Sansad Bangali Charitabhidhan (Biographical dictionary) in Bengali edited by Subodh Chandra Sengupta and Anjali Bose
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