Bhagwan Das (February 12, 1869 – September 18, 1958) was an philosopher and public figure. For a time he served in the Central Legislative Assembly of undivided India. He became allied with the Hindustani Culture Society and was active in opposing rioting as a form of protest.
As a fighter for national freedom from the British rule, he was often in danger of reprisals from the Colonial government.
He belonged to the prosperous and eccentric Shah family of Varanasi. He was ex-communicated from the Agrawal Samaj for advocating that going across the sea does not cause one to lose his caste. The situation arose when his son Sri Prakash wanted to go to Britain to study law.
Born in Varanasi, India, he graduated to became a deputy in the collections bureau, and later left to continue his academic pursuits.
With Dr. Annie Besant he formed a professional collaboration which lead to the founding of the Central Hindu College, which became Benaras Hindu University. He would later found the Kashi Vidya Peeth, a national university where he served as chancellor. He was a scholar of Sanskrit, from which he added to the body of Hindi language. He wrote approximately 30 books, many of these in Sanskrit and Hindi.
Dr. Bhagwan Das received the Bharat Ratna award in 1955. He breathed his last on September 18, 1958
