Rasamoy Sur

Rasamoy Sur (Bengali: রসময় শূর Rasomoy Sur) (1901–1981) was an Indian revolutionary and a political activist associated with the Bengal Volunteers and later the Forward Bloc. Though little is known about his early life or background, Sur played a key logistical role in the operation, escorting Benoy Basu to the rendezvous point.^[1] He was later arrested and sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment. Detained again during World War II, he was released in 1946. A lifelong bachelor, Sur devoted himself to rural social service in post-independence India.^[2]

Sur was born in 1901 in the village of Bargao, located in Begumganj, Noakhali, then part of the Dhaka in British India. He was the son of Baikuntha Sur. Detailed information regarding his early education and formative political influences remains unavailable.^[3][4]

From the inception of the Bengal Volunteers, Sur was associated with the group and rose to become a key leader. He is reported to have served as the director of the organisation’s “Action Squad,” responsible for executing armed revolutionary operations along with his classmates Prafulla Dutta and Manindra Kishore Roy.

Rasamoy Sur is believed to have had an indirect but important role in the Writers' Building attack of 8 December 1930, carried out by Benoy Basu, Badal Gupta, and Dinesh Gupta—three revolutionaries who launched an armed assault on British officials inside the Writers' Building in Kolkata.^[5]

Sur reportedly assisted by escorting Benoy Basu from his Kidderpore hideout in Kolkata to a rendezvous point, where the other two participants arrived with Nikunja Sen. After ensuring their coordination, Sur and Sen departed, leaving the trio to proceed toward the target.^[6][7]

Although not present during the actual assault, Sur's logistical support linked him to the event in subsequent investigations.^[8][9]

Sur came under suspicion for involvement in various conspiracies to assassinate British officials, particularly following the attempted assassination of the president of the European association of Kolkata named Mr. E. Villiers by Bimal Dasgupta. Although no direct evidence was presented against him, Sur was arrested in the aftermath of the incident and sentenced to eight years of rigorous imprisonment.^[10][11]

During World War II, he was arrested again under preventive detention laws and was released in 1946.^[12]

Detention under the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1930, Sur was designated a “detenu” and imprisoned in multiple facilities across India.^[13] He was held at:

• Howrah Jail (from 18 January 1932)
• Delhi Jail (from 7 June 1932),
• Presidency Jail (from 29 September 1937)
• Berhampore Camp (from 24 December 1937).

Subsequently, he was subjected to village domicile restrictions and confined in Galachipa, Bakerganj (from 8 February 1938), and Panchagarh, Jalpaiguri (from 24 February 1938). He was unconditionally released from detention on 28 August 1938.

While Subhas Chandra Bose was imprisoned in Alipore Jail, Rasamoy Sur reportedly met him in his capacity as a lawyer. During these visits, Sur discussed legal matters and acted as a channel for news from outside.^[14]

In 1940, Sur was among the key figures involved in establishing the Forward Bloc in Bengal, following the ideological direction of Subhas Chandra Bose after his break with the Indian National Congress. His involvement marked a shift from armed revolutionary activities to organised political mobilisation.

Following India's independence in 1947, Sur remained unmarried and devoted himself to rural development. Influenced by the ideals of Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose, he focused on community service and upliftment in village areas. However, detailed documentation of his work during this period remains scarce.^[15][16][17]

Despite his involvement in significant revolutionary events, Rasamoy Sur's life remains largely obscure. Critical details regarding his early life, education, and broader political affiliations are still lacking. His name primarily surfaces in historical records connected to the Bengal Volunteers and the Writers’ Buildings incident. He passed away in 1981.^{[18][19][20][21]}

• Hemendranath Dasgupta, Bharater Biplab Kahini, II & III, Calcutta, 1948;
• Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, History of the Freedom Movement in India, III, Calcutta 1963;
• Ganganarayan Chandra, Abismaraniya, Calcutta, 1966.