Born: 7 May 1937 Kurseong, Darjeeling
Died: 20 December 2013 (aged 76)
Alma mater: Ramakrishna School Darjeeling,
St. Alphonsus School Kurseong,
Darjeeling Government College,
University of Calcutta
Employer: Kurseong College, Darjeeling
Darjeeling Government College
Spouse: Late Purnima Pradhan
I was in Class VIII in St. Robert's High School, Darjeeling. In those days, my knowledge in English was miserably poor. Kumar Sir was our class teacher, and also he used to teach us History. Since I had come from a Hindi school, I had passed Class VII with bare pass marks, that also by memorizing every answer; without learning by rote hardly was it possible for me even to write a single correct sentence in English. My poor knowledge of English every now and then infuriated Kumar Sir.
One day I was reading a Hindi book, and Kumar Sir entered the class room suddenly. Having found me reading a Hindi book, he became infuriated and literally snatched the book away from my hand and threw it away again at me and then made a boy Rabindra Mani to stand up, and said: "Look at your friend Rabindra Mani, do you know how good he is at English, and don't you feel that even you should make an effort to learn English. I don't think you would be able to pass Class VIII examination with this poor standard of English."
Out of insult in the presence of boys, I felt highly ashamed, though I did not take any offence, rather I took the insult as an inspiration. That day I decided, I would learn English somehow and one day I would earn the highest degree of the university and then I would meet him. As soon as we passed Class VIII, Kumar Sir left us for the Government College Darjeeling as History lecturer.
Out of sight out of mind as the proverb goes, I forgot Kumar Sir, though the memory of insult sometime or other pinched me badly. Time moved on and I joined the civil service, and became a magistrate. In the meanwhile I earned one academic degree after another, and one day I obtained Ph.D. That time Kumar Sir came into my memory, and I began to search for him. I learnt after retirement from Kurseong College from the post of principal, he was editing a Nepali daily "Sunchari Samachar" in Siliguri. I searched out his office, and went with my PhD degree in my hand.
He instantly recognised me, I touched his feet and sat on a chair and said: “Sir, the insult in Class VIII by you always stood with me as an inspiration, and today I am in civil service and I also obtained PhD degree, and I came here to seek your blessing."
He said: "Puran I can now recall that incident and I regretted later that day in the teachers’ room that I should not have insulted you in front of the whole class. I am very happy with you now. In spite of becoming a magistrate you did not forget your insignificant teacher, that's your large heartedness. One day I feel you would earn some special name in the world, though I shall not be there to see you reaching that height."
Next day, my news was given a front page slot in his newspaper, and he sent me three copies of the same by post at my office address in Coochbehar.
Dr. Kumar Pradhan was his real name, and he earned great laurels as a historian in India and Nepal as well as in Nepali literature.
Dr. Pradhan, better known among his students as Kumar Sir, was an Indian historian of repute and a writer, whose interests included the History of Eastern Himalayas, Genealogical studies and Nepali literature.
Dr. Pradhan was born on May 7, 1937 in Kurseong, Darjeeling, a district in West Bengal. Though he had a humble beginning, he rose to the height of eminence with his sheer effort, which others could hardly achieve. He earned his early education at Ramakrishna Vidyalaya, a Nepali medium school, and then shifted to St. Alphonsus Missionary School Kurseong and later passed out from Darjeeling Government College with Honours in History. In those days to obtain a postgraduate degree, one had to shift to Calcutta as all colleges in Darjeeling were affiliated to the University of Calcutta, so he also shifted to Calcutta along with his one bosom friend Prof. Raj Narayan Pradhan, later a famous lexicographer, and obtained a Master's in History and his friend in Commerce from there and from the same university he also earned his Ph.D. later on.
He started his career as a teacher in St. Robert's High School, and then from 1966 to 1984, he served in the Darjeeling Government College and later from 1984 he was the Principal of Kurseong College. He was the author of 'The Gorkha Conquests: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal”, which was published by the Oxford University Press, and in the circle of historians he earned quite a name in Nepal as well as in India. He also authored "A History of Nepali Literature", which was published by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi under the Sahitya Akademi Histories of Literature series.
In 1983 he was awarded the Bhanubhakta Puraskar by the Nepali Academy instituted by the Government of West Bengal. He was also the recipient of Nepali Sahitya Sammelan Purashkar in 2002 and the Agam Smriti Purashkar, an award given every three years for contributions to Nepali language and literature, instituted by the Nepali Sahitya Parishad in 2003.
He retired from Kurseong College in 1996 and took over the charge of editor of his own Nepali vernacular daily “Sunchari Samachar ''. When Sunchari’s publication was abruptly stopped on 26 January, 2008 due to some internal problems, he joined Nepali daily "Himalaya Darpan" as its editor, but could not continue for long. In September 2013 he resigned from the daily and took rest at home due to some health issues. Then he fell seriously ill and was taken to Delhi by his family members; there he breathed his last on 20th December, 2013. He published many Nepali literary journals, like "Malingo" and plethora of literary articles in Nepali. He also wrote history books in Nepali and English for both high school and middle class students.
He had an uneventful family life. He was married to Purnima Pradhan and from her he had two daughters Indira and Manasha Pradhan and sons Somendra and Gehendra Pradhan.
He received many awards and recognitions, among them the prominent are:
1. Bhanu Purashkar (2000) awarded by Nepali Academy, Government of West Bengal for his book Pahilo Prahar.
2. Kanchenjangha Purashkar (2000), awarded by Siliguri Journalist Club for his contributions in field of journalism.
3. Nepali Sahitya Sammmelan Purashkar (2002), awarded by Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling for his contributions in the field of Nepali language and literature.
4. Agam Smriti Purashkar (2003), awarded by Nepali Sahitya Parishad, Sikkim for his contributions in the field of Nepali language and literature.
5. Kanchanjanga Kalam Purashkar (2006) was awarded by Press Club of Sikkim for his contributions in the field of journalism.
Dr. Pradhan completed his thesis "The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal, with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal (1750-1850), from the Department of History, Calcutta University in 1982 and in the same year he was also awarded Ph.D.
Books and Edited Volumes, to name a few:
· Edited 1972. Baarta Haru (An anthology of critical essays in Nepali), Darjeeling Nepali Sahitya Parishad.
· 1982. Pahilo Prahar (in Nepali), Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan (2010 Second Edition, Sajha Prakashan, Lalitpur, Nepal).
· 1984. A History of Nepali Literature. New Delhi: Sahitya Academi.
· 1991. Gorkha Conquest: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal, with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal: Oxford University Press ( Reprinted in 2009 with a foreword by John Whelpton, Himal Books, Lalitpur, Nepal), ISBN 978 9937 8144 78.
· Edited 2005. Adhiti Kahi (An Anthology of literary critical essays in Nepali), Siliguri: Purnima Prakhashan.
· 1967. The Myth of Chinese Suzerainty. The Voice of Tibet 1 (3): 3-5.
· 1970. Dew Ma Romantikta (in Nepali). Diyalo XI (36): 9-18.
· 1973. Ananyanai Soche Chu (in Nepali). Pines and Camellias, Darjeeling Government College Journal, Annual Issue: 30-32.
· 1982. Agam Singh Giri Ko Kabitama Jatiyata Bhavna (in Nepali). Manav Traimasik, Inaugural Volume, October-December: 71-87
· 1983. A Note on the Lepchas. Journal of Bengal Natural History Society, N.S.2 (2): 66-67.
· 1983. Purano Maang – Chutte Pranta Ko Maang (in Nepali). Andolan 1(1): 1-4.
· 1993. Nepali Bhasako Sanchipta Parichaya (in Nepali). In Prakriya Prakashan: Pashim Sikkim.
· 2004. Darjeeling Ma Nepali Jati Ra Janjatiya Chinarika Naya Udaan Haru (in Nepali). Mahesh Chandra Regmi Lecture Social Science. Baha. Lalitpur, Nepal.
· 1974. Bharatbarsha Ko Aitihasik Parichaya. (XIth standard textbook in Nepali), Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan.
· 1977. Itihas Parichaya: Bharatvarsha Ko. (VIIth standard history textbook in Nepali) Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan.
· 2008 (1980). Prachin Savyata Haru (VIth standard history textbook in Nepali. Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan.
· 2007 (1982). Manav Sabhyata: Madhya Yug (VIIth standard textbook in Nepali)). Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan.
· 1983. Bharatiya Itihas Ko Ruprekha. (Xth standard textbook in Nepali), Darjeeling: Shyam Prakshan.
· 1997 (1983). Manav Sabhyata: Adhunik Yug. (VIIIth standard textbook in Nepali). Darjeeling Shyam Prakashan.
· 1986. Bharatiya Itihas Ko Ruprekha (Xth standard textbook in Nepali). Darjeeling: Shyam Prakashan.
· 2000 (1989). Bharat Ko Itihas. (IX and Xth standard history textbook in Nepali). Nepali Shyam Prakshan.
· 1991. History of the Middle Ages. (VIIth standard textbook in English). Darjeeling: Bista Publication House.
· 1992. History of Modern Times. (VIIIth standard history textbook in English). Darjeeling: Bista Publishing House.
· Date not available. Translated into Nepali the Statute of the International Court of Justice. Darjeeling: Vinayak Publications.
· 1991. Translated into Nepali M.K.Naik’s A History of Indian English literature. New Delhi: Sahitya Academi.
· 2000. Translated Birendra Subba’s poems into English (“The Birth of My Son” and “The Fair”). Published in Signatures: One Hundred Poets, Edited by K. Sachidanandan. New Delhi: National Book Trust.
· 2009. Translated Remika Thapa’s poems into English. Published in Voices from Margin, Man Prasad Subba and Remika Thapa. Siliguri: Sunchari Prakashan.
Edited Journals and News Papers.
· Kamal (1953). Nepali Literary Journal published from Darjeeling.
· Hamro Sansaar (1961-62). Nepali Monthly Journal Published from Nepal.
· Maalingo (1964-1966). Nepali Monthly Journal published by Nepali Sahitya Sammelan, Darjeeling.
· Hamro Patrika (2009-2010). Nepali Monthly Journal Published from Siliguri.
· Sunchari Samachar (1993-2007). Nepali News daily published from Siliguri.
· Himalaya Darpan (2008-2013). Nepali News daily published from Siliguri.
Concluding Remarks:
Dr. Kumar Pradhan was an iconic Nepali historian and prominent literary figure of Darjeeling. Though he was one of the intellectual giants of our time, it is felt he did not get that amount of recognition what he deserved.
“As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
While some of their sad friends do say,
The breath goes now, and some say no.”
(John Donne)
(drpkchhetri7@gmail.com)
