Abhiroop Sengupta is a Kolkata based entrepreneur, fencer, amateur historian and writer. Also a devoted Freemason and Rotarian, he spends most of his free time researching about varied subjects, especially those which he feels did not get their deserved due in the course of history.
Indian Civil Service, since its establishment always had a very important role to play in the British Empire. Since the joining of Satyendra Nath Tagore, many Indians who qualified for the ICS left an everlasting impact on the history of both the nations. One such ICS officer played a very important role at the global stage and could be considered one of the earliest internationally renowned and respected diplomats and statesmen of Indian origin. His name was Sir Atul Chandra Chatterjee GCIE KCSI.
Early Life and Education
Atul Chandra Chatterjee was born in Calcutta on the 24th of November in 1874 to Hem Chandra Chatterjee and Nistarini Devi. His family resided at the Shyampukur area of North Calcutta and his initial student days were spent in the Hare School and Presidency College of Bengal. A bright student and a government scholar he proceeded to King's College in London where he was admitted on the 7th of October 1893. Graduating in History in England he finally joined the Indian Civil Service, sometime around 1896 and returned to India in 1897.
Career
Between 1897 and 1905 he served in the various regions of the United Provinces, initially joining as an Assistant Magistrate and rising to the position of a District Collector. Between 1912 and 1916 he was the Registrar of the Co-Operative Societies and eventually he reached the prestigious position of Chief Secretary of the United Provinces. After serving as Industries Secretary to the Government of India in 1921 and post serving as a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, he made his transition to a diplomatic career as he became the second Indian to be appointed as the High Commissioner of India to UK in 1925. In this position he succeeded Sir Dadiba Merwanji Dalal CIE who in turn had succeeded Sir William Stevenson Meyer, the inaugural holder of the position.
While Sir Atul was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1919, he was finally made a Knight Commander of the same order in 1925. He served as a High Commissioner till 1931. During this time he was a driving force behind the construction of the India House in London which was inaugurated in 1930 by George V himself. Sir Atul served as the President of the International Labour Conference in 1927 and over the years also held very senior positions within the International Labour Organisation. He served as a member of it's governing body between 1926-1931 and also served as it's Vice President in 1932 and President in 1933 respectively. He was also a senior delegate to the London Naval Treaty in 1930 and served as the leader of the Indian delegation in the British Empire Economic Conference in Ottawa in 1932. He later served in the Council of India till 1936 and from 1938 to 1946 he served as Chairman of the Permanent Central Opium Board of the League of Nations. One of the last major position he held was that of being an advisor to the Secretary of State for India from 1942 to 1947. Sir Atul was appointed as a Knight Grand Commander of the order of the Indian Empire in 1933. The GCIE being one of the highest honours ever bestowed on an Indian Civil Servant in British India. He additionally also received the Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India in 1930.
Other Interests
He was also a connoisseur of arts and was associated with council of the Royal Academy of Arts for many years and served as its Chairman between 1939 and 1940. He had also served as the Vice-Chairman of the East India Association and was also associated with the Royal Asiatic Society. A gifted writer, he authored or co-authored quite a few works which included 'A Short History of India.'
Personal Life
He initially married Vina Mookerjee, a marriage which produced two daughters. After the demise of his first wife he married Gladys Mary Broughton OBE, a barrister. He remained in England after the Indian independence and resided in Grosvenor Gardens in London and Weybridge, Surrey. After a long and fruitful life, Sir Atul passed away on the 8th of September, 1855 in Surrey England at the ripe old age of eighty and thus ended the life of a gifted individual whom the Montreal Gazette in their issue dated 11th of July, 1932 had referred to him as "Ranking among the ablest Statesmen of Hindu Blood."
