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Madan Mohan Tarkalankar Biography

Madan Mohan Tarkalankar was a famous Bengali poet. He developed a few textbooks in Bengali language. Those books were mainly meant for children and youngsters. He was also a Sanskrit scholar. Along with Akshay Kumar Datta and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Madan Mohan Tarkalankar added a new dimension to modern Bengali literature. In the late nineteenth century, in structuring the Bengali society, Madan Mohan’s works played a crucial role. He also established a print shop and a bookstore titled the Sanskrit Press and Depository. He started this business along with his friend Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Early Life

Madan Mohan was born on 3^rd January, 1817 at Bilwagram, a village of Nadia district in the state of West Bengal, India. His father was Ramdhan Chattopadhyay. Madan Mohan was a batch mate of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at Sanskrit College in Kolkata. Later, he studied at Hindu College, Kolkata. He had excellent capability of composing poetries. So, his teachers and professors awarded the prestigious title of 'Kabyaratnakar'. He was conferred the title of ‘Tarkalankar’ by his frinds. ‘Vidyaratna’ and ‘Rasatarangini’ are the two books of poems created by Madan Mohan.
Career

Madan Mohan Tarkalankar taught at Krishnanagar College and Fort Williams College as a professor of literature in 1846. In 1855, he arrived in Murshidabad. Here he became a judge pandit. Within a very short period, Madan Mohan was promoted as deputy magistrate. He opened a printing press in Kolkata. Thereafter he published numerous Sanskrit and Bengali books. ‘Basabdutta’ is one of his most significant literary creations.

Along with Ramgopal Ghosh and Dakshinaranjan Mukhkerjee, Madan Mohan lent massive support to the school started by John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune. In educating the daughters of educated elite and of middle class, the school played important role. Madan Mohan wrote the first Bengali primer ‘Sishu Sikha’. His two daughters Bhubanmala and Kundamala were amongst the very first candidates of the Bethune School. Madan Mohan taught there free of cost.
Death

This great son of Bengal died on 9^th March, 1858 in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Literature