RAMTANU LAHIRI.
When Babu Ramtanu Lahiri died in 1898 at the advanced age of 85, a link which connected the present generation with the greatest men of Bengal in the earlier part of the nineteenth century was broken. It was his singular lot to come into contact with the makers of modern Bengal as well as with the best fruits of their efforts. Born in 1813 at Krishnanagar, he was admitted to the Society's School established by Mr. David Hare. Subsequently he entered the Hindu College, where under the guidance of that memorable man, Professor De Rozio, he acquired habits of free thinking and a rational criticism of the religious doctrines current among his couutrymen. Of his fellow-students, he was most intimate with Ramgopal Ghose, the great orator and patriot, the Rev. K. M. Banerjee, the scholar and missionary, Rashik Krishna Mullick, Raja Dakshinaranjan Mukherjee and Raja Digambar Mitra, all of whom afterwards distinguished themselves in the various walks of life. In 1834 he became a teacher in the Hindu College. The life of a teacher, with its honesty and quietness, coupled with the high mission of shaping the mind of young men, was very attractive to Ramtanu, and he worked as a tencher in various institutions in Bengal, Barisal, Krishnanagar, Barasat, Utterpara and Burdwan for instance, everywhere earning the golden opinions of both the students and the guardians alike. He was an ideal teacher, who was fully conscious of his high duties and responsibilities, which he discharged to the satisfaction of all. He enforced discipline, not by penal measures, but by influencing the will of his students and making them good.
The sincerity of his feelings and the courage of his convictions were shown at a very early age when he openly broke with Hinduism and orthodox society. He had to suffer many persecutions in consequence, but he bore them all very cheerfully. He was much appreciated by his European friends also, most of whom sincerely mourned his death.
