The Derozio Effect

The Derozio Effect: A Short yet Transformative Phase in 19th-Century Colonial Calcutta

• The early 19th century in colonial Calcutta witnessed a short but radical intellectual awakening led by Henry Louis Vivian Derozio and his students, famously known as the Young Bengal movement. Their ideas, though short-lived, left a lasting impression on India’s intellectual and political discourse. They envisioned an India that was inclusive, tolerant, rational, and progressive — ideals later echoed by leaders like Gandhi and Nehru.

Henry Derozio: The Catalyst

• In 1826, at just 17 years old, Henry Derozio, an Anglo-Portuguese poet of remarkable talent, became a lecturer at Hindu College. The institution, established about ten years earlier, aimed to give the sons of wealthy Indians a liberal education modeled on that of English gentlemen.
• Derozio was more than a teacher; he was also a poet and a nationalist intellectual. His works reflected deep anguish at India’s subjugation. In one poem, he likened his country to a captured eagle:
• “Thy eagle pinion is chained down at last, And groveling in the lowly dust art thou.”
• He often expressed what freedom meant, urging that liberation must extend to all, including the most degraded and enslaved.

The Young Bengal Movement:

Derozio’s teaching style — bold, questioning, and rational — inspired his students, who soon began calling themselves Derozians. They formed the Academic Association, where they debated pressing social, cultural, and political issues of the time.

• challenged orthodox religious practices, caste hierarchies, and social conservatism.
• They upheld liberty, equality, and rationalism as guiding principles.
• They cultivated the habit of public debate and critical thinking, rare in colonial India.

Though Derozio was dismissed from Hindu College in April 1831 for allegedly propagating atheism, his influence endured. Just months later, he succumbed to cholera at the age of 22, but his legacy lived on through his students.

Political Awakening and the First Party

• In 1843, aided by British abolitionist George Thompson, members of the Young Bengal movement established the Bengal British India Society, regarded as India’s first political party. Its objective was groundbreaking for that era, aiming to promote welfare, safeguard rights, and uphold the interests of people across all sections of society.
• This inclusive approach to politics sharply contrasted with Macaulay’s idea of creating a class of Indians who were “Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, opinions, morals, and intellect.” Instead, Young Bengal was described by missionary Alexander Duff as “a new race of men in the East.”

Acts of Courage: Radhanath Sikdar:

One of the most striking examples of Young Bengal’s radical spirit was Radhanath Sikdar, a brilliant mathematician and member of Derozio’s circle.

• While working for the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India, he openly opposed the exploitation of Indian labourers by colonial officials. When questioned by a British magistrate on his defiance, Sikdar boldly declared: “A man, and so are you.”
• He even filed a legal complaint against the magistrate — a rare act of resistance against colonial authority.
• Later, as Chief Computor at the Survey, Sikdar performed the calculations that confirmed Peak XV (later named Mount Everest) as the world’s tallest mountain. Yet, most of the recognition was given to Andrew Waugh, the then Surveyor General, whereas Sikdar’s contribution received little attention.

Legacy of Young Bengal:

Though the movement was short-lived, it sowed seeds of modernity in Indian thought:

• It introduced political radicalism and challenged colonial authority.
• Promoted free expression, equal rights, and social change.
• It influenced later generations of reformers and leaders who built on its principles of inclusivity and tolerance.

According to Rosinka Chaudhuri in India’s First Radicals, the Young Bengal vision of India embraced inclusivity and diversity, drawing inspiration from global ideas—a perspective that later influenced nationalist thinkers.

What’s in a Name? The Everest Debate

The Great Trigonometrical Survey, where Sikdar worked, became famous for measuring Peak XV. In 1857, Andrew Waugh named it after his predecessor, George Everest, despite objections. Alternative names like the Nepali “Devadhanga” or Tibetan “Mi-thik Dgu-thik Bya-phur Long-nga” were considered but rejected.

Unfortunately, while Waugh’s name and reputation were immortalised, Sikdar’s critical contribution was mentioned only briefly in historical accounts, including John Keay’s The Great Arc.