A Brief Biography of Sahid Raj Babu Sinha

Published on the 104th Birthday anniversary of Sahid Raj Babu Sinha

By Jogendra Sinha

Raj Babu Sinha was born on November 29, 1905 at Chiporsangan of the present Hailakandi district of Assam. His father’s name was Choba Sinha and mother Kusumi Devi.

The family of Raj Babu Sinha shifted to Masughat, Cachar, in the period between 1914 and 1915. Chouba Sinha died in the year 1916, and mother in the year 1922.

Under the guidance of Nandalal Sinha and aunt Gidhisou, he spent his childhood. In 1916, he was admitted into the Masughat Higher Primary School and passed it in 1921 with scholarship.

After coming out from the Masughat Higher Primary School he took admission in Sarat Kalimohon Practising Middle Vernecular (MV) School. In 1923, he passed the MV School with scholarship in first division. He took admission in the Silchar Govt Boys High School in 1924, and joined Calcutta University in 1930.

Through out his school life, Raj Babu Sinha was deeply associated with social activity. He established Balak Samity in his native village Masughat.

The Balak Samity used to meet on every Sunday where he imparted moral education to the boys. The Samity also got involved into activities like constructing village paths.

Raj Babu Sinha became Manager of the Manipuri Patrika ,which was published from Silchar. The Manipuri Patrika had luminaries editors like Late Samarjit Sinha and Dr Laireng Khomba Singha.

The year 1931 is an important year for the Manipuri community. It is in this year that British Government counted the community as “tribals”. The entire Manipuri community from Assam and undivided India unitedly opposed the declaration. In several meetings, the decision of the British Government was opposed.

Raj Babu Sinha placed the historical documents of the Manipuris before the Government and urged the error to be rectified, and count the Manipuris as caste Hindus. In 1932, the British Government accepted Manipuris as caste Hindus.

This development allegedly annoyed some people who were against the Government’s decision and with the role played by Raj Babu Sinha. On the night of 15th phalgun, Bengali Era 1340(March 1933), while coming back from the Manipuri Patrika office, situated at Tarapur, Silchar, he was attacked and killed.

After 7-day his body was found floating in the Barak river. The society declared him "martyr" for his precious role in changing the government’s decision.

People collected money for his "shrad" by singing the song "Samajor mangal koranir kajje… ahesil Rajbabu ae bhabe" composed by Late Komalkanta Sinha of Meherpur. The shrad ceremony started with the chorus prayer song composed by Late Nileshwar Mukherjee of Tripura.

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