Shaileshwar Basu

Shaileshwar Basu (Bengali: শৈলেশ্বর বসু) (1886 – 11 June 1928) was an Indian revolutionary and nationalist active in the struggle against British colonial rule in Bengal. Closely associated with figures such as Bagha Jatin, Manabendra Nath Roy and Subhas Chandra Bose, Basu played a significant role in the underground revolutionary movement and later participated in the Non-cooperation movement under the Indian National Congress. He was also known for his intellectual pursuits, contributing spiritual essays to contemporary journals.^[1]

Shaileshwar Basu was born in 1886 in Mahinagar, located in the present-day South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. His father was Kedarnath Basu.^[2][3]

During his school years, Basu studied at the Harinavi School. However, he was expelled from the institution along with fellow student Narendranath Bhattacharya (later known as M. N. Roy) and others after organizing a felicitation ceremony for Sir Surendranath Banerjee, popularly known as Rashtraguru. This early incident marked Basu's initial confrontation with colonial educational authority and reflected his growing nationalist sentiment.^[4][5]

Following his expulsion, Basu became associated with the Anushilan Samiti, a prominent revolutionary organisation in Bengal. He worked closely with (Bagha Jatin) Jatin Mukherjee, a leading figure in the armed nationalist movement. Within this network, Basu was involved in coordinating operations and is known to have played a supportive role in logistical arrangements for underground activities.^[6][7][8][9]

Basu served as one of the key directors of Universal Emporium, in Balasore a commercial front that was reportedly used to fund and facilitate revolutionary operations. The organization functioned as a legitimate enterprise while covertly supporting the cause of Indian independence.^[10]

He was implicated in the Balasore Conspiracy Case, which involved the attempted procurement of firearms from Germany during World War I, as part of a broader plan to incite armed rebellion. Arrested and imprisoned by the British authorities, Basu undertook a hunger strike while in jail, leading to a serious deterioration of his health.^[11][12]

After his release, Basu became involved in the non-cooperation movement launched by the Indian National Congress under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership. His continued activism during this phase led to another period of imprisonment.^[13][14]

Basu later served as the secretary of the 24 Parganas District Congress Committee. In addition to his political work, he also wrote spiritual essays which were published in various Bengali journals, reflecting his engagement with both political and philosophical discourse.^[15][16][17]

Shaileshwar Basu maintained close ties with several key leaders of the Indian independence movement, including M.N. Roy and Subhas Chandra Bose. His efforts helped sustain the Chingripota (present day Budge Budge) revolutionary group in South Bengal, which served as a hub for anti-colonial planning and mobilization.^[18][19]

During the height of revolutionary activity in Balasore, Basu suffered from tuberculosis. He was cared for by fellow young revolutionaries Dinesh Chandra Majumdar and Anujacharan Sen, who tended to him during his period of severe illness.^[20][21]

Shaileshwar Basu died on 11 June 1928, following complications related to his declining health. His contributions, though less publicised in mainstream narratives, remain significant in the context of Bengal's revolutionary history.^[22][23]

• Bagha Jatin
• Chittapriya Ray Chaudhuri
• Manabendra Nath Roy
• Bholanath Chatterjee

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