Bidhan Chandra Roy was born on July 1, 1882, at Bankipore in Patna, Bihar. His father Prakash Chandra was an Excise Inspector. Bidhan was the youngest of five children and was greatly influenced by the simplicity, discipline and piety of his parents. His parents inculcated in him the idea of service by taking care of people other than relatives with affection and understanding.
Bidhan’s mother passed away when he was 14. His father played the role of both father and mother to his five children.
Bidhan did his B.A. from Patna College with Honors in Mathematics. He applied for admission to the Sibpur Engineering College and the Calcutta Medical College. He was accepted to both institutions but opted to go to Medical College.
Bidhan left for Calcutta in June 1901. Bidhan’s term in Medical College was fraught with hardships. His father retired as a Deputy Collector after the first year and could no longer send Bidhan any money. Bidhan fended for himself by getting a scholarship and living frugally, saving on books by borrowing notes and relying on books in the library.
Bidhan sailed for England with only Rs. 1,200 in February of 1909 intending to enroll himself for further his education. Within two years and three months, Bidhan completed his M.R.C.P and F.R.C.S and returned home in 1911. On his return he taught at the Calcutta Medical College, then the Campbell Medical School and finally at the Carmichael Medical College. He opened a centre for training women in nursing and social work.
In 1942, Yangon fell to Japanese bombing and caused an exodus from Calcutta fearing Japanese insurgency. Dr. Roy was serving as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta. He acquired air-raid shelters for schools and college students to have their classes in, and provided relief for students, teachers and employees alike. In recognition for his efforts, the Doctorate of Science was conferred upon him in 1944. Dr. Roy was both Gandhiji’s friend and doctor. When Gandhiji was undergoing a fast in Poona Dr. Roy attended to him. Dr. Roy entered politics in 1925. He ran for elections from the Barrackpore Constituency as an Independent candidate for the Bengal Legislative Council.
Dr. Roy was elected to the All India Congress Committee in 1928. He kept himself away from rivalry and conflicts and made a deep impression on the leaders. Dr. Roy efficiently conducted the Civil Disobedience in Bengal in 1929 and prompted Motilal Nehru to nominate him Member of the Working Committee in 1930.
During the Dandi March in 1931, many members of the Calcutta Corporation were imprisoned. Congress requested Dr. Roy to remain out of prison and discharge the duties of the Corporation.
The Congress Party proposed Dr. Roy’s name for Chief Minister of Bengal after independence. Dr. Roy wanted to devote himself to his profession. On Gandhiji’s advice, however, Dr. Roy accepted the position and took office on January 23, 1948.
The nation honoured Dr. Roy with the Bharat Ratna on February 4, 1961. On July 1, 1962, after treating his morning patients and discharging affairs of the State, 11 hours later Dr. Roy died. He gifted his house for running a nursing home named after his mother. The B.C. Roy National Award was instituted in 1976 for work in the area of medicine, politics, science, philosophy, literature and arts.
