Majumdar, (Roy Bahadur) Jadunath (1859-1932) writer, journalist and a community leader reputed for social work. He was born on 23 October 1859 at lohagara in narail district. Jadunath obtained his MA degree in English language and literature from Calcutta University. After completion of university studies, he served as a teacher for some time. In 1883, he and Dr Jogendranath Smartashiromoni jointly edited an English weekly, the United India. In addition to writing for his own journal, he used to contribute articles regularly to the statesman, hindu patriot and Aamrita Bazar Patrika. Later, he went to Lahore to work as editor of the Tribune. Nepalese minister Sir Maharaja Ranadeep Singh Jangi Bahadur appointed him headmaster of the palace school. But because of political turmoil he left Nepal and returned to Lahore to resume his service as editor of the Tribune. Thereafter he took up the job of revenue secretary in Kashmir at the invitation of the state's minister Nilambar Mukherjee.

While in Kashmir, he graduated in law, he left the job in the Kashmir government and began practicing law in Jessore. He took up the cases of peasants oppressed by the European indigo planters. He also exposed the oppressions through newspaper articles and petitioned to the higher authorities. Through one Mr Braddle, he raised in the British Parliament the issue of oppressions by the indigo planters. This way he contributed significantly to a movement that gradually relieved peasants of the oppressions.

Jadunath Majumdar was chairman of the Jessore district board and Jessore municipality for the period from 16 September 1904 to 23 November 1907. During this period he carried out many public welfare activities including a campaign for development of mass awareness about diseases like malaria, cholera, smallpox and influenza, introducing a system of running water supply in Jessore town, and building a town hall.

Jadunath published a journal Sammilani to provide a forum for discussion of issues of public concern. He published Hindu Patrika to throw light on the essence of hinduism and attract the educated Hindus to the scriptures of their religion. He published Brahmachari in English and yet another journal Vaishyabarujibi. Jadunath Majumdar wrote books in Bengali on philosophy, theology, politics, sociology and health. Some of his famous books are Amitwer Prashar, Paribrajak, Suktamala, Sreya and Priya, Gitshaptak, Upabas and Palli Shyastha. He also translated a number of books to English. Most known among them is Brahmasutra. The English commentary of his book Shandilya Sutra was received well by the western scholars.

Jadunath Majumdar was well versed in Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Gurkha, Gurumukhi and Udiya. He was an expert in the vedas , for which he was awarded the title of 'Vedanta Bachaspati'. He was also awarded the title of 'Vidyabaridhi' for his uncommon scholarship.

In 1889, Jadunath Majumdar established Sammilani Institution, a specialised high school at Jessore. He also founded the Lohagara High School. Later, the Lohagara Adarsha Mahabidyalay (model college) and the Adarsha Uchha Balika Bidyalay (model girls high school) were established at his houses at Lohagara and Jessore respectively. Jadunath contributed significantly to the establishment of the Sufalakathi High School and the Rajghat High School in Jessore and the Kadamtala High School in Barisal. As chairman of Jessore district board he helped in establishing many primary, middle English and high schools and several girls schools. The British government awarded the title of Roy Bahadur in 1902. Jadunath Majumdar died on 24 October 1932 at the age of 74 at Dayalpur in Magura district. [Benjeen Khan]