Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury (; 12 May 1874 – 29 November 1957) was a zamindar of the Gouripur estate in Mymensingh District, British Bengal (now in Bangladesh). He was a patron of Indian classical music and contributed to the national education movement in Bengal.
Early life and succession Brajendra Kishore was born on 12 May 1874 in Balihar village, Naogaon District, Rajshahi Division, British Bengal. He was the second son of Hariprasad Bhattacharya, belonging to a family from Naogaon.
Following the death of Rajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, the fourth zamindar of Gouripur, in 1873, his widow Bishweswari Devi Chowdhurani adopted Brajendra Kishore in 1877 to maintain the lineage. During her management of the estate, Bishweswari Devi donated funds toward the establishment of local public institutions and schools.
Upon the division of the estate, Bishweswari Devi retained a one-fourth share and transferred three-fourths to Brajendra Kishore. According to her directions, income from her share was utilized to establish an educational institution in her husband's memory, leading to the creation of Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School in 1911.
Zamindari and public service Brajendra Kishore succeeded to the management of the Gouripur estate. In 1939, he served on the Land Revenue Commission of Bengal (also known as the Floud Commission), which examined land tenure systems in the region. Alongside Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, the Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan, he submitted dissenting notes defending landholding interests during debates over agricultural revenue structures.
He declined the title of "Raja" offered by the British colonial administration.
He offered critical financial backing to leading Swadeshi Movement figures like Bipin Chandra Pal and Sri Aurobindo, helping fund nationalist newspapers—including Bande Mataram—to spread anti-colonial literature and ideas across Bengal.
Educational contributions Brajendra Kishore provided financial support to educational initiatives across Bengal. He was among the principal donors to the National Council of Education, an institution that later laid the groundwork for Jadavpur University in Kolkata.
He founded and funded several schools, including: Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School (1911) Ishwarganj Bisweswari Government Pilot High School (1916) Madhyanagar Bisweswari Public High School and College (1920) in Sunamganj District
Arts and heritage Brajendra Kishore developed an estate grounds complex in Gouripur featuring reservoirs, residential quarters, administrative offices, and a botanical area.
He also acquired "Gouripur House" in Kalimpong, which hosted Rabindranath Tagore on several occasions between 1938 and 1940. Additionally, he commissioned a wooden residence along the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh.
Patronage of music A practitioner of Hindustani classical music, Brajendra Kishore maintained a collection of musical notations and manuscripts. He hosted musicians at Gouripur, including Enayat Khan, Mohammad Ali Khan, Ustad Masid Khan, Ustad Uzir Khan, Hafiz Ali Khan, and Dabir Khan.
His son, Birendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury, became an instrumentalist on the sursringar, esraj, and veena, and later helped establish the music department at Rabindra Bharati University.
Selected bibliography Marxism and the Indian Ideal (1941) Sangeet Bigyan Probeshika - a journal about indian classical music.
The Status of Tansen in Hindustan Music.
Raga Sangeet. Legacy The Gouripur estate premises were eventually partitioned over time to accommodate various public and academic institutions, including Gouripur Women's Degree College, municipal offices, and local parks. The wooden Gouripur House in Mymensingh, currently utilized by Sonali Bank, has been designated a protected site under regional heritage regulations.
See also Gouripur, Bangladesh Birendra Kishore Roy Choudhury Zamindars of Bengal Gouripur Rajendra Kishore Government High School Gouripur, Bangladesh
References
External links Brajendra Kishore Roy Chowdhury at Banglapedia