Tapan Raychaudhuri


Tapan Raychaudhuri was an Indian historian specialising in British Indian history, Indian economic history and the History of Bengal.

Early life and education

He was the son of Prativa and Amiya Kumar Raychaudhuri, the last zamindar of Kirtipasha in Barisal district of eastern Bengal. He came from a well-known Baidya family. He was a nephew of Kiron Shankar Roy and Hem Chandra Roychaudhuri, through his paternal aunts.
He was a student of Ballygunge Government High School, Calcutta and Barisal Zilla School, Scottish Church College, Calcutta, where he completed his I.A. and finally Presidency College, Calcutta, where he completed his B.A. in history with a high first class. He completed his first D.Phil. in history at Calcutta University under the supervision of Sir Jadunath Sarkar and his second D.Phil. at Balliol College, Oxford under the supervision of Dr. C.C. Davies.

Career

He started his career as a lecturer at the Department of Islamic History and Culture, Calcutta University. After his return from Britain he became a deputy director of the National Archives of India. He was a reader and then professor of history and director of the Delhi School of Economics and also of the department of history of Delhi University.
He was first a reader in Modern South Asian History and then professor of Indian History and Civilization and fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford from 1973-93. He was an emeritus fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford after retirement.
He became a national research professor in India in 2010

Awards

He died at home in Oxford on 26 November 2014, after suffering a stroke.

Publications

Books

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