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Bhagwan Das

Indian theosophist (1869–1958)

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Through Annie Besant, Indian National Congress and Non-cooperation movement (1919–1922)

Life

Born to a Agrawal Bania family in Varanasi, India, he graduated school to become a deputy in the collections bureau, and later left to continue his academic pursuits. Das joined the Theosophical Society in 1894 inspired by a speech by Annie Besant. After the 1895 split, he sided with the Theosophical Society Adyar. Within that society, he was an opponent of Jiddu Krishnamurti and his Order of the Star in the East organisation. Das joined the Indian National Congress during the non-co-operation movement and was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1955.

With Besant he formed a professional collaboration which led to the founding of the Central Hindu College, which became Central Hindu School. Das would later found the Kashi Vidya Peeth, a national university where he served as headmaster. Das was a scholar of Sanskrit, from which he added to the body of Hindi language. He wrote approximately 30 books, many of these in Sanskrit and Hindi.

A prominent road in New Delhi, on which the Supreme Court of India is situated, is named after him and a colony is also named after his name in Sigra area of Varanasi 'Dr. Bhagwan Das Nagar'.

In Banaras Hindu University, Law Hostel is named after him (Dr. Bhagwan Das Hostel). The Indian Law Institute and office of the Bar Council of India is located on the road named after Dr. Bhagwan Das near Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

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