| Peary Mohan Chatterjee | |
| Birth Date: | 1 August 1883 |
| Birth Place: | Khulna, Bengal, British India |
| Death Date: | 24 December 1951 |
| Death Place: | Bhowanipore, Calcutta |
| Education: | University of Calcutta |
| Occupation: | Educationist, Lawyer, Social Reformer |
| Notable Works: | Founder, Beltala Girls' High School and South Calcutta Girls' College |
Peary Mohan Chatterjee (1 August 1883 – 24 December 1951), was an Indian educationist and lawyer during the British colonial rule in India. He was the founder of Beltala Girls High School[1] [2] and South Calcutta Girls' College.[3]
Peary Mohan Chatterjee was born in 1883 into a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family. His father, Krishna Mohan Chatterjee, was a lawyer. Chatterjee pursued a legal career, following in his father's footsteps. He studied at the University of Calcutta, where he earned a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts degree.
Chatterjee married Vidyutbala Devi in 1906.
Peary Mohan Chatterjee was a prominent figure in early 20th-century colonial Bengal who championed girls' education.[4] On July 2, 1920, he founded a girls' school at his South Calcutta residence from his library with only six girls, including his daughters Kanaklata Devi and Kamala Devi.[5] This initiative was groundbreaking during an era when educating girls faced substantial societal resistance and financial constraints.
Undeterred by these challenges, Chatterjee demonstrated his unswerving commitment by mortgaging his home to finance the school's construction. The school was called Beltala Girls' High School, that proudly symbolized inclusivity by welcoming girls from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
In 1922, Chatterjee, with the help of Chittaranjan Das and other lawyers, established the Beltala Girls Education Society. Das chaired the society, and Chatterjee served as secretary[6] [7] .The society aimed to expand educational opportunities for women coming from middle-income families. This powerful initiative led to the establishment of South Calcutta Girls College,[8] initially operating as a morning section of Beltala Girls' School before becoming an independent institution in 1932. Today, the college's library is named in honor of Chatterjee,[9] commemorating his enduring legacy in advancing women's education.