The people of Hooghly, particularly Balagarh, take pride in recalling the legacy of Lieutenant Sorojendra Nath Mukhopadhyay, an unsung revolutionary associated with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj (INA). Though his name commands respect among local historians, he remained largely unrecognised and deprived of due honour and support from both the state and central governments even after India attained Independence.
Partha Chatterjee, a teacher from Balagarh, has been researching the region’s historical legacy. His efforts to preserve these narratives for future generations have brought to light several lesser-known facts about the life and sacrifices of Sorojendra Nath Mukhopadhyay.
In recognition of freedom fighters, a plaque commemorating Lieutenant Sorojendra Nath Mukhopadhyay and revolutionary Sunil Kumar Mukhopadhyay was unveiled in 2023 by Balagarh BDO Niladri Sarkar and Dr Pratap Banerjee, Principal of Balagarh College.
Born in 1895, Sorojendra Nath Mukhopadhyay was a resident of Guptipara in Balagarh, though he was born in Pandua at his maternal uncle’s house. He began his education at Guptipara Higher English School and later studied at Baichi Bihari Lal Institute. He moved to Kolkata for work, where he joined the YMCA and underwent physical training.
During the First World War, he enlisted in the Bengal Regiment Battalion. His experience on the battlefields of Mesopotamia exposed him to the harsh realities of war and colonial oppression. After the war, he joined the postal department but continued to lead an adventurous life, including a bicycle expedition to Kashmir, reflecting his indomitable spirit.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, he again joined the British Army and was posted to Singapore. A turning point came after the British surrender in February 1942. As a prisoner of war, he joined the Azad Hind Fauj, with his recruitment letter personally signed by Netaji. He rose from Sub-Lieutenant to Lieutenant and also served in the postal administration under the Azad Hind Government.
Following the Imphal campaign and the fall of the INA, he was arrested near Mandalay on 24 April, 1945 and released only after Independence. In 1947, he resumed duty at the Kolkata General Post Office.
Despite his role as a freedom fighter, he faced prolonged official neglect regarding employment, pension and recognition, and spent his later years working as a contract employee. He passed away on 7 December, 1968, almost unnoticed. His life stands as a reminder of the many silent patriots whose sacrifices won freedom, but whose names remain largely absent from history.