List of Namasudras explained

This article contains a list of notable people from the Namasudra caste, organized by profession, field, or focus.

Social reformers

• Harichand Thakur, founder of Matua Mahasangha
• Binapani Devi, the matriarch of Matua community, also known as "Boro Maa".^[1]

Judiciary and bureaucracy

• Upendra Nath Biswas, former joint director and Minister (East) of the CBI, MLA from Bagdah and former Minister of Backward Classes & Welfare of Government of West Bengal. (2011–16)^[2]
• Mukunda Behari Mullick, former lawyer, professor of Pali, senate member in Calcutta University, founder of All Bengal Namasudra Association, MLA and minister in first Fazlul Haq's government^[3]
• Sumit Mullick, IAS officer from the 1982 batch and former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra^[4]

Politicians

Ministers

• Jogendra Nath Mandal, one of the leading founding fathers of the modern state of Pakistan and first minister of law and labour of the country^[5]
• Birat Chandra Mandal, minister and member of Constituent Assembly of Pakistan^[6]
• Kanti Biswas, former MLA of Gaighata and minister of Youth Affairs and Home (Passport)^[7]
• Shantanu Thakur, M.P from Bangaon and Minister of State of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the Second Modi ministry (2021–present).^{[8] [9]}

MPs and MLA

• Apurba Lal Majumdar, two-time MLA and former speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly^[10]
• Kapil Krishna Thakur, former Sanghadhipati of Matua Mahasangha and M.P from Bangaon^[11]
• Mamata Bala Thakur, religious mother of the Matua Mahasangha and M.P from Bangaon^[12]
• Pramatha Ranjan Thakur, former MLA and head of Matua Mahasangha^[13]

Writers and journalists

• Manoranjan Bayapari, Indian Bengali writer and socio-political activist, also known as the pioneer of ‘Dalit literature in Bengali’^[14]
• Manohar Mauli Biswas, bilingual poet, essayist and writer of Bengali Dalit Literature^[15]
• Kalyani Thakur, Dalit feminist writer^[16]

See also

• Chandala

References

1. Web site: How The Demise Of Matua Matriarch Boroma Could Change The Political Landscape Of Bengal. outlookindia.com/. 2020-06-01.
2. Web site: 'Bengal Hasn't Produced A Jagjivan Ram Or Even A Mayawati'. outlookindia.com/. 2020-06-01.
3. Web site: A Secret History of the Mallik family . Museum of Material Memory . 15 December 2021 . 19 July 2020.
4. Web site: Sumeet Mullick is Maharashtra's new Chief Secretary. 2017-03-01. The Indian Express. en. 2020-06-01.
5. Web site: Jogendra Nath Mandal, a Bengali Dalit leader who went on to become a Pakistani minister. Munsi. Sharanya. 2019-01-29. ThePrint. en-US. 2020-06-01.
6. Book: Chandra. Uday. The Politics of Caste in West Bengal. Heierstad. Geir. Nielsen. Kenneth Bo. 2015-09-25. Routledge. 978-1-317-41477-3. en.
7. Web site: A Chandal education minister. विस्वास. A. K. Biswas एके. 2016-02-12. Forward Press. en-US. 2020-06-01.
8. Web site: Ground Report: Why BJP's Identity Politics in Bengal's Bongaon Will Likely Fall Flat. thewire.in. en. 2020-06-01.
9. News: Santanu Thakur, Matua Leader From Bengal, Becomes Union Minister . 15 December 2021 . NDTV.com.
10. Web site: FORMER SPEAKER DIES. telegraphindia.com. en. 2020-06-01.
11. Web site: Matuas: nobody's people, everybody's votebank. telegraphindia.com. en. 2020-06-01.
12. Web site: In Bengal and Assam, BJP-TMC Tussle Over Namasudra Votes Has Reached New Heights. thewire.in. en. 2020-06-01.
13. Book: Bandyopadhyay, Sekhar. Caste, Culture and Hegemony: Social Dominance in Colonial Bengal. 2004-07-01. SAGE Publishing India. 978-93-5280-072-8. en.
14. Web site: A migrant from East Bengal, Manoranjan Byapari "interrogated" his life as chandal. 25 November 2018 . 2020-06-01.
15. Book: Das. Sukanta. Border, Globalization and Identity. Bhowal. Sanatan. Syangbo. Sisodhara. 2018-04-18. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 978-1-5275-1076-0. en.
16. Web site: Why Bengali Dalit feminist poet and writer Kalyani Thakur added Charal (for Chandal) to her name. Ghose. Amita. Scroll.in. 18 March 2018 . en-US. 2020-06-01.