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{{Short description|Bengali landlord and Politician (1873–1941)}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Rai Sahib]]
| name = Bipin Bihari Sasmal
| native_name = বিপিন বিহারী শাসমল
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Bipin Bihari Sasmal
| birth_date = April 1873
| birth_place = Chandiveti, [[Contai]], [[Midnapore district]], [[Bengal Presidency]]
| death_date = July 1941
| death_place = [[Contai]], [[Midnapore district]], [[Bengal Presidency]]
| education = [[Contai High School]]
| occupation = [[Zamindar]], politician
| spouse = Shantashila Debi
| relatives = [[Birendranath Sasmal]] (brother)
| honours = {{ubl|[[File:Rao Sahib.jpg|30px]] [[Rai Sahib]] (1912)}}
}}

'''[[Babu (title)|Babu]] Bipin Bihari Sasmal''', [[Rai Sahib]] (also written as '''Bepin Behari Sasmal''') (April 1873 – July 1941) was a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Politician]], social worker, [[educationist]] and a distinguished [[Zamindar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Calcutta |first=University of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=42MbAQAAIAAJ&q=bipin+bihari+sasmal |title=The Calendar |date=1928 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Manmatha Nath |title=Medinipur Charitabhidhan |publisher=Arindam's |edition=1st |language=bn |trans-title=Biographical dictionery on undivided Medinipur District}}</ref> He significantly contributed to the growth of education in [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]], by founding many educational institutions and he was also involved in many other social works for the welfare of the people.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Basantakumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F7i1AAAAIAAJ&q=%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8+%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80+%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B2 |title=Svādhīnatā saṃgrāme Medinīpura |date=1980 |publisher=Medinīpura Svādhīnatā Saṃgrāma Itihāsa Samiti |pages=324 |language=bn}}</ref> He was the elder brother of [[Birendranath Sasmal]], one of the foremost nationalist leaders of [[Bengal Presidency]] during the [[Indian independence movement]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Dulal Krishna |script-title=bn:বাংলার নবরত্ন |publisher=Tuhina Publications |year=2021 |edition=1st |location=Kolkata |publication-date=2022 |pages=138 to 165 |language=bn}}</ref>

==Early life==
Sasmal was born at Chandiveti village, near [[Contai]] in [[Midnapore district]] in [[Bengal Presidency]]. He was born into a prominent land-owning (''[[zamindar]]'') [[Mahishya]] family to [[Zamindar]] Biswambar Sasmal and Anandamoyee Debi.<ref name=":0" /> He was their eldest child, his brothers being [[Birendranath Sasmal|Deshapran Birendranath Sasmal]] and Jogendranath Sasmal.<ref name=":2" /> The Sasmal family of Chandiveti had been intrinsically involved with the [[Indian independence movement]], being one of the major landed families, was among the earliest educated families of [[Purba Medinipur district]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bandyopadhyay |first=Anirban |date=2021-03-18 |title=Mahisyas and the new caste question in West Bengal politics |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021/story/mahisyas-and-the-new-caste-question-in-west-bengal-politics-1780517-2021-03-17 |access-date=2025-12-24 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> He completed his studies from the [[Contai High School]]. After graduation, he was initiated into [[Brahmoism]] by his teacher, and the [[Acharya]] of the [[Brahmo Samaj]] of [[Contai]], Tarak Gopal Ghosh.<ref name=":1" />

==Career==
He owned large zamindaris at Birkul near [[Contai]], and also in [[Kolaghat (community development block)|Kolaghat]] and in [[Egra subdivision|Egra]] and various other places in the district.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Gupta |first=Swapan Das |title=Local Politics in Bengal: Midnapur District 1907-1934. |date=1980 |degree=phd |publisher=SOAS University of London |url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/34081/ |language=en}}</ref> He was a modern and enlightened man, he specifically insisted on sending his brother to [[England]] to study for the [[Bar (law)|Bar]] and also, helped gather the requisite funds to do so. As a result, [[Birendranath Sasmal]] became the first person from the district, as well as the first member of the caste to go abroad to read [[law]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cooper |first=Adrienne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_gbtAAAAMAAJ&q=birendranath+sasmal |title=Sharecropping and Sharecropper's Struggles in Bengal, 1930-1950 |date=1988 |publisher=K.P. Bagchi & Company |isbn=978-81-7074-039-1 |language=en}}</ref> He had substantial contribution in various social works in his district. He played a significant role in setting up of multiple educational institutions in the [[Purba Medinipur district]]. In 1883, along with [[Madhusudan Jana]] and others he founded the [[Contai Model Institution]] and 1909, he being a prominent member of the [[Brahmo Samaj]] set up the [[Contai Chandramani Brahmo Girls' School]]. In the ''National School movement'', initiated by his brother [[Birendranath Sasmal]], he took a leading role in the foundation of the Henria Shivaprasad Institution and [[Bahiri]] Bradley Birt High School, two "National Schools" near [[Contai]] and also, Mugberia Gangadhar High School in Mugberia village, in [[Bhagabanpur II|Bhagabanpur]].<ref name=":0" /> He also helped another [[Zamindar]], Biswambar Dinda in setting up of the [[Prabhat Kumar College]] in memory of his late son. The college bring the oldest college in [[Purba Medinipur district]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Calcutta |first=University of |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M1Y4AAAAMAAJ&q=bipin+bihari+sasmal |title=Calendar |date=1929 |language=en}}</ref> He became the first president of the college after its foundation in 1926. He was elected to be the first [[Chairperson|Chairman]] of the Contai Union Committee and also the Chairman of the Contai Local Board.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dasgupta |first=Swapan |title=Local Politics in Bengal: Midnapur District |publisher=[[SOAS University of London]] |year=1980 |location=[[London]] |pages=98 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Chatterjee |first=Pranab Kumar |title=Midnapur's tryst with struggle |publisher=West Bengal State Archives |date=August 2004 |edition=1st |location=[[Kolkata]] |pages=157 |language=English}}</ref> He arranged for [[Dhangar]] cleaning staff to be brought from [[Ganjam district]] in [[Odisha]] and settled then in the city of [[Contai]]. He narrowly missed the winning margin for the [[Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency|Midnapore South Constituency]] in 1920.{{sfn|Dasgupta|1980|p=101}} He was one of the most prominent and influential people of [[Midnapore district]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=.:: Legacy of Midnapore - Freedom Movements at Contai ::. |url=https://www.midnapore.in/town_contai_freedom.html |access-date=2025-12-25 |website=www.midnapore.in}}</ref> he was made an honorary Marriage Registrar in 1907<ref>{{Cite book |publisher=Bengal (India) Office of Chief Secretary to the Government |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDKflO3ciboC&dq=bipin+bihari+sasmal&pg=PA257 |title=Half-yearly Civil List for Bengal |date=1908 |pages=257 |language=en}}</ref> and an [[Magistrate|Honorary Magistrate]] of the [[Contai subdivision]] in 1908.<ref>{{Cite book |publisher=Bengal (India) Office of Chief Secretary to the Government |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDKflO3ciboC&dq=bipin+bihari+sasmal&pg=PA257 |title=Half-yearly Civil List for Bengal |date=1908 |pages=324 |language=en}}</ref> The [[British Raj]] also, further honoured him with the title of [[Rai Sahib]] for his social works and other contributions in 1912.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Senapati and Das |first=Uma and Dulal Krishna |title=মাহিষ্য রত্নাবলী জীবনী শতক |publisher=Tuhina Publications |year=2018 |isbn=9788194434641 |edition=2nd |location=[[Kolkata]] |publication-date=2020 |pages=152 |language=Bengali |trans-title=Mahishya Ratnavali Biographical Century}}</ref>

==Death==
Sasmal died in July, 1941 at [[Contai]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]. His legacy continues to live through the numerous works he carried out in the district and especially in Contai for the people.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

== Family tree ==
Source:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Dulal Krishna |script-title=bn:বাংলার নবরত্ন |publisher=Tuhina Publications |year=2021 |edition=1st |location=Kolkata |publication-date=2022 |pages=138 to 165|language=bn}}</ref>
{{Tree list}}[[Babu (title)|Babu]] Karunakar Sasmal
**Chandi Charan Sasmal
***Ramdhan Sasmal
***Biswambhar Sasmal
****[[Bipin Bihari Sasmal]], m. Shantashila Debi
****[[Birendranath Sasmal]], m. Hemanta Kumari Debi
****Jogendranath Sasmal, m. Sarala Debi
***Kashinath
***Bholanath
**Baidyanath
{{Tree list/end}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Chandramani Brahma Balika Vidyalaya - Contai - East Midnapore - 2016-06-18 4159.JPG|[[Contai Chandramani Brahmo Girls' School|Chandramoni Brahmo Balika Vidyalaya]], [[Contai]]
File:Contai Model Institution.jpg|[[Contai Model Institution]] at [[Contai]], [[Medinipur district|Midnapore]]. One of the institution that he had helped set up.
File:Prabhjat Kumar College.jpg|[[Prabhat Kumar College]], [[Contai]]
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1873 births]]
[[Category:1941 deaths]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Bengali people]]
[[Category:Brahmos]]
[[Category:People from Purba Medinipur district]]
[[Category:People from Midnapore]]
[[Category:People from the Bengal Presidency]]
[[Category:Bengali educators]]
[[Category:Rai Sahibs]]
[[Category:Bengali zamindars]]
[[Category:Indian landlords]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]
[[Category:Social workers from West Bengal]]

Bipin Bihari Sasmal - Revision history

Igorcaf at 00:41, 2 March 2026