Krishna Kanta Nandi, also known as Kanta Babu,[1] was a banian/commercial agent to Warren Hastings and Sir Francis Sykes, 1st Baronet; and made a fortune working for the East India Company and trading silk.[2][3] He is the founder of the Cossimbazar Raj based in Cossimbazar.[4][5]

Early life

Nandi was born in 1700 in Cossimbazar in family from Burdwan District.[6]

Career

Nandi was a trader who traded in cotton, salt, and silk.[7] Nandi met Warren Hastings in 1750 when they were supposedly of the same age.[8] He saved Hastings life when he was imprisoned by the Nawab of Bengal Siraj ud-Daulah by helping him escape prison.[9] From 1754 to 1756, he served as a banian to Warren Hastings.[6] He had loaned money to Hastings and had a good relationship with him.[8] After Hastings left India, Nadi was hired by Francis Sykes on Hastings's recommendation.[6]

Nandi acquired Pargana Baharbund.[7] Nandi, and other revenue agents of East India company, such as Akrur Dutta, Baranashi Ghosh, Ganga Govind Singh, Gokul Ghoshal, Hidaram Banerjee, Manshur Mukherjee, and Nabakrishna Deb, made a significant fortune working for the company.[10][11] While Gokul Ghosh went after properties in sparsely populated areas Nandi preferred densely populated areas such as Murshidbad.[12]

Nandi expanded further through buying estates under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.[7] He had acquired properties across northern and western Bengal.[13] Hastings seized the estate of Rani Bhabani and handed it over to Nandi.[14] He built the Kasimbazer Rajbari which had marbles from Baneras.[15] The marbles were gained by Hastings in his expedition against Maharaja Chait Singh in which Nandi accompanied him.[15] Maharaja Nandakumar had bought allegations of corruption against Hastings and Nandi.[16]

Death

Nandi died in 17994/1804 (dates differ) and was succeeded by his son, Loknath Nandi who later received the title of Maharaja from the Nawab of Murshidabad.[7][6] The book Life and times of Cantoo Baboo (Krishna Kanta Nandy), the banian of Warren Hastings was written about his life in 1804.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Noonan, John Thomas (1987-01-01). Bribes. University of California Press. p. 407. ISBN 978-0-520-06154-5.
  2. ↑ Bayly, C. A.; Bayly, Christopher Alan (1987). Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-521-38650-0.
  3. ↑ Markovits, Claude (2004-02-01). A History of Modern India, 1480-1950. Anthem Press. p. 246. ISBN 978-1-84331-004-4.
  4. ↑ Caṭṭopādhyāẏa, Baṅkimacandra (1895). Krishna Kanta's Will. T. Fisher Unwin.
  5. ↑ "East India Company at Home Project Cast Study" (PDF). ucl.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "The Indian Seal Case Study: The Banian". blogs.ucl.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Islam, Sirajul (18 June 2021). "Kasimbazar Raj". Banglapedia. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 Beveridge, Henry (1886). The Trial of Maharaja Nanda Kumar: A Narrative of a Judicial Murder. Thacker, Spink. p. 245.
  9. ↑ Calcutta Review. University of Calcutta. 1901. p. 52.
  10. ↑ Experts, Disha (2021-07-01). Blissful West Bengal General Knowledge for WBPSC, WBSSC & other Competitive Exams. Disha Publications. p. 36. ISBN 978-93-90711-02-4.
  11. ↑ Rungta, Radhe Shyam (1970). The Rise of Business Corporations in India, 1851-1900. CUP Archive. p. 58.
  12. ↑ Datta, Rajat (2008). Rethinking a Millennium: Perspectives on Indian History from the Eighth to the Eighteenth Century : Essays for Harbans Mukhia. Aakar Books. p. 336. ISBN 978-81-89833-36-7.
  13. ↑ Marshall, P. J. (2006) [First published 1987]. Bengal: The British Bridgehead: Eastern India 1740-1828. The New Cambridge History of India. Vol. II.2. Cambridge University Press. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-521-02822-6.
  14. ↑ Chakrabarti, Kunal; Chakrabarti, Shubhra (2013-08-22). Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis. Scarecrow Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-8108-8024-5.
  15. 1 2 Walsh, J. H. Tull (1902-01-01). A history of Murshidabad District (Bengal) : with biographies of some of its noted families. Dalcassian Publishing Company. p. 206.
  16. ↑ Dirks, Nicholas B. (2009-06-30). The Scandal of Empire: India and the Creation of Imperial Britain. Harvard University Press. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-674-03426-6.
  17. ↑ "Life and times of Cantoo Baboo (Krishna Kanta Nandy), the banian of Warren Hastings : period covered, 1742-1804". 東京外国語大学附属図書館ＯＰＡＣ. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
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