PROSANNA KUMAR TAGORE.
The name of Prosanna Knmar Tagore will be remembered for his various public endowments, and more particularly for the establishment of the Tagore Law Professorship in the University of Calcutta. Born in 1803 in the illustrious Tagore Family, which has always been fruitful of eminent men, he was mostly educated at home by private teachers, but latterly he joined the Hindu College, Thus he acquired great preficiency in English learning, which was of considerable service to him in his professional career and in various other capacities.
Though his annual income from his big zemindary exceeded a lakh of rupees, he tried to increase it by conducting business, but did not succeed. He therefore joined the Sudder Dewany Adalat Bar, and rapidly rose to the highest position as a Vakil. His success was so great, that bis professional income rose to a lakh of rupees and a half a year. He was subsequently appointed by Lord Dalhousie to be clerk assistant to the Legislative Council of the India Government, which post he filled with considerable ability and reputation. Later on he rose to be a member of the same council. The title of c.s.i. was conferred on him in recognition of his eminent talents and leading position among his countrymen.
In religious view, he leaned towards reforms, but he was not an active and zealous reformer like so many of his contemporaries. In 1832, when the Suttee rite was abolished, certain Hindus appealed to His Majesty in council against the abolition, but the application was refused. Prasanna Kumar played an active part in voting an address to the sovereign for the above rejection, describing the Suttee as a barbarous and inhuman rite which ought to receive no countenance from a civilized government. Latterly however, when his only son, Jnanendra Mohan Tagore (the first Indian Barrister) accepted Christianity. Prasanna Kumar leaned towards ordinary Hinduism. He worked hard for education as a Governor of the Hindu College, as a member of the Council of Education and as a Fellow
