My Father:
A portrait by Biman Mullick, 31 August 1997
For the publication of the book, ‘Upasana’ (Prayer), Balai Chattapadhhyay took a photograph of the author engaged in meditation. It was in 1953. Most probably this was the last photograph taken of my father. My sister-in-law, Namita, asked me to draw a portrait of my father for her collection, and I drew this portrait based on the above mentioned photograph. London 31st August 1997.
Ajit Kumar Mullick: My Father
Date of Birth – 31st August 1891 (Bengali era: 14 Bhadra 1298)
Date of Death – 23rd August 1954 (6 Bhadra 1361)
Freedom fighter, social reformer, and businessman. He was a leader of the Hawrah District branch of Indian National Congress during the freedom movement of India. When he was the President of a committee engaged in violating Salt Law, introduced by the British Government, he was accused of a “criminal act” of inciting a group of people and delivering a seditious speech at Port Canning Town at Sunderban. He was arrested and imprisoned for six months with labour. He was the founder of DharaniDhar Mullick High English School (Madhya Hawrah Shishkhalayea), Ganga Devi Pratishthhan, and other educational insititions. He was also the founder of the Humanity Association and his role in the abolition of untouchability, caste system, dowry system, and other systems of injustice is notable. He was the first Indian to own a group of Kaolin mines in India. He once owned a Bengali daily news-paper called Paschim Banga Patrika. He was the author of a published book, ‘Upasana’.
Ref. Page 127/8 Durer Durga. ISBN 9781534937987
Translated from Bengali to English by Biman Mullick and Olga Prothoma Olver.