Ideal Teacher and Agronomist: Girish Chandra Bose

Girish Chandra Bose was born on 29th October, 1853, at the tiny village of Berugram in the district of Burdwan. From early boyhood, he showed a remarkable keenness and desire for knowledge which was greatly encouraged by his father Janaki Prasad Bose. Girish Chandra passed the Entrance Examination from the Hughli Branch School in 1870, FA and BA from the Hughli College in 1873 and 1876. After graduating, he joined Ravenshaw College, Cuttack as a lecturer of Botany. While teaching there, he obtained the MA degree in 1878. In 1877 he married Nirad Mohini Devi, youngest daughter of Peary Charan Mitra of Burdwan. This marriage brought him in close contact with Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. In 1881 he went to London on a Bengal Government scholarship for higher studies in agriculture. In recognition of his extraordinary academic talent, he was made a life member of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1882 and was elected a Fellow of the Chemical Society of England in 1883. After completing his studies, Girish Chandra travelled to Scotland, France and Italy before returning home in 1884.