NCERT Notes (Study Material) on important GK topics for the UPSC civil services exam, NDA, CDS, CAPF, AFCAT. These notes will also be useful for other competitive exams like State Civil Service, SSC, Railway and so on. Check Other NCERT Notes Here
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee (1844 - 1906)
W C Bonnerjee was born on 29th December 1844 at Calcutta. He finished his schooling from Oriental Seminary and Hindu School.
In 1862, he joined a law firm in Calcutta as a clerk from where he got acquainted with law.
In 1864, Bonnerjee went to England to study law and three years later, he was called to the Bar.
In 1868, he returned to Calcutta and started his legal practice.
In 1882, he became the first Indian to be appointed as a Standing Counsel. He officiated in this capacity three more times in 1884, 1886 and 1887.
He famously defended Surendranath Banerjee in a contempt of court case in the High Court of Calcutta.
In the first session of the Indian National Congress in December 1885 at Bombay, Bonnerjee was the President.
In the second INC session the following year, which was presided over by Dadabhai Naoroji, Bonnerjee suggested that the party forms Standing Committees for every province to have a good coordination of its functioning.
Bonnerjee was President of the INC one more time in 1892 at Allahabad.
He also lived in England for a while and practiced law there.
While he was a resident there, the Liberal Party gave him a seat to contest in the elections to the House of Commons from Barrow-in-Furness.
Although he was defeated, he became the first Indian to stand for election for the British Parliament.
He passed away at Calcutta in 1906 aged 61.
Must Read:
