Radha Kumud Mukherjee (also spelled Radhakumud or Radha Kumud Mookerji and also known as Radha Kumud Mukhopadhyaya; 25 January 1884 – 9 September 1963) was an Indian

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

and a noted

Indian nationalist Indian nationalism is an instance of territorial nationalism, which is inclusive of all of the people of India, despite their diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds. Indian nationalism can trace roots to pre-colonial India, b ...

during the period of British

colonial rule Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...

. He was the brother of the sociologist

Radhakamal Mukerjee Radhakamal Mukerjee (1889–1968), a leading thinker and social scientist of modern India, was Professor of Economics and Sociology and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lucknow. Mukerjee played an important and constructive role in the Ind ...

Career

Mukherjee obtained a doctorate from the

University of Calcutta The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate State university (India), state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered ...

in 1905 and joined the newly established

National Council of Education The National Council of Education - Bengal (or NCE - Bengal) was an organisation founded by Satish Chandra Mukherjee and other Indian nationalists in Bengal in 1906 to promote science and technology as part of a '' swadeshi'' industrialisation m ...

, teaching at the Bengal National College. After 1915, he embarked on a series of tenures at universities in

Benares Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic tr ...

Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...

, and

Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...

. He published ''Indian Shipping: A History of Seaborne Trade and Maritime Activity of the Indians from the Earliest Times'' in 1912. He was an advocate of the notion of

Greater India Greater India, or the Indian cultural sphere, is an area composed of many countries and regions in South and Southeast Asia that were historically influenced by Indian culture, which itself formed from the various distinct indigenous cultures ...

in which Indian

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

s and

adventurer An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

s with huge fleets brought Indians to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

and became the foundation of kingdoms in that region. He was awarded the

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service ...

in 1957 for his contribution to Public Affairs.

Bibliography

Books by Radha Kumud Mukherjee: * Indian Shipping: A History of Seaborne Trade and Maritime Activity of the Indians from the Earliest Times * Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist (1947), reprinted by Motilal Banarsidass (1960). * Men and Thought in Ancient India (1912) McMillan and co., reprinted by Motilal Banarsidass (1996). * The Fundamental Unity of India * A History of India * Chandragupta Maurya and His Times * Early History of Kausambi * Local Government in Ancient India * Nationalism in Hindu Culture * The University of Nalanda

References

20th-century Indian historians Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in public affairs 1884 births 1964 deaths University of Calcutta alumni Banaras Hindu University faculty University of Mysore faculty University of Lucknow faculty Writers from West Bengal {{India-historian-stub