Early Life
The son of Braja Gopal and Sumangala Niyogi, he was born at Gaya on 7 January 1891. His father had converted to the Brahmo Samaj, under the influence of his maternal uncle, Hari Sundar Bose, and had moved from Berabuchina (now in Tangail District, Bangladesh) to settle initially at Gaya. The family later moved to Bankipore, where he had his early education. Braja Gopal Niyogi finally joined Keshub Chunder Sen's New Dispensation as a missionary.
He was in the thick of politics and social reform even before he had completed his college education. He was attracted towards the movement against partition of Bengal in 1905. However, he was strongly influenced by Brahmo ideals and tried to implement them in life. He formed a youth organisation named ‘Band of Hope’ and in 1916, was appointed president of Temperance Federation, a movement against consumption of alcoholic drinks.
Affected by the suffering of humanity he was drawn towards social efforts that saw him actively participate in the relief work during the floods of Damodar River in 1914 and Atrai River in 1916. He was actively associated with and was secretary of Bengal Social Service League established by Dr Dwijendranath Maitra. Among others involved was Nishi Kanta Bose, another leading social reformer.
Niyogi helped to form the Pallisree Sangha for the consolidation of village uplift movement. Having come in contact with and influenced by Chittaranjan Das he formed the Deshbandhu Pallisanskar Samiti.
Read more about this topic: Jnananjan Niyogi
Famous quotes related to early life:
“... goodness is of a modest nature, easily discouraged, and when much elbowed in early life by unabashed vices, is apt to retire into extreme privacy, so that it is more easily believed in by those who construct a selfish old gentleman theoretically, than by those who form the narrower judgments based on his personal acquaintance.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)