Romesh Chunder Dutt Biography 
Romesh Chunder Dutt was an Indian civil servant, economic historian and noted writer who translated Hindu epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata. He was born in Kolkata on 13 August 1848 and died in 30 November 1909 in Baroda. Thakamani and Isam Chunder Dutt were his parents.
Romesh was born in a well-educated family with good literary and academic achievements. His father was a Deputy Collector of Bengal and Romesh used to accompany him on official duties. His education was completed at various districts and he got opportunity to study at prestigious Hare School, Kolkata. He lost his father in a boat accident and later his uncle became his local guardian. His uncle, Shoshee Chunder Dutt was an accomplished writer.
He joined Kolkata Presidency College in 1864. He passed the First Arts examination in 1866 with a scholarship. While a graduate student, he left to England with two friends, Beharilal Gupta and Surendranath Banerjee without family’s permission. At University College London, Dutt continued to study British writers. He studied law at Middle Temple, London and was called to the bar. He qualified for the Indian Civil Service in the open examination in 1869. Dutt entered the Indian Civil Service as an Assistant Magistrate of Alipur in 1871. Famine in Meherpur of district of Nadia in 1874 and cyclone of Dakhin Shahbazpur of Bhola District in 1876 noted his skills as an efficient administrator.
He served as administrator for Backerganj, Mymensingh, Burdwan, Donapur, and Midnapore. He became Burdwan's District Officer in 1893, Commissioner of Burdwan Division in 1894, and Divisional Commissioner for Orissa in 1895. Dutt was the first Indian to attain the rank of divisional commissioner. He was active in moderate nationalist politics as a member of Indian national congress. He was president of the Indian National Congress in 1899.
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Updated: January 10, 2014
