It was in 1961 and on the memorable birth-centenary of Rabindranath Tagore when the people of Tarakeswar and Pursurah P.S. ably led by a group of social workers, made a start of the Tarakeswar-Pursurah Co-operative Cold Storage at Champadanga that the dream of opening a degree-college in the locality was conceived at all. Mostly, the local elders had the desire to meet the demand for higher education that was growing daily in the minds of the youths. They also planned to provide the college with fund from the Co-operative Society's profit for its all-round development. preparatory Committee was formed with the following members -
1. Prasad Chandra Mandal (President)
2. Nityananda Adhikari (Secretary) up to 4.11.1971.
3. Amarendra nath Adak ( Secratary).
4. Nandalal Dutta (Traeasurer).
5. Panchkari Pal.
6. Pran Krishna Mandal.
7. Baidya Nath Dutta.
8. Sukdeb Dutta.
9. Amiya kr. Gupta.
10. Ajit kr Maji
11. SK. Anwar Ali Middya.
12. Santi Mahan Ray.
13. Ramsing Pal.
14. Ramen Maitra.
15. Lalit Mahan Hazra.
16. Sk. B.J.Naskar
17. SK. Gani Middya.
18. Kashi Nath Mandal.
From then on, it took few years to select a suitable place for the college-building. A great many number of persons cutting across different social strata, among them many educationists, businessmen, and even illiterate peasants, came forward with their invaluable donations and timely help to turn what was once a distant dream into felt, pulsating reality.
Even remembered will be late Netai Charan Hazra and his now deceased wife Phelubala Hazra who jointly donated a handsome Rs. 20,000.00 in cash along with a gift of 307 sataks of land situated at the side of the Old Benaras Rode, or, as the local residents prefer to call it, Auhalyabai Road so that a rudimentary start could at least be made. A two-storied building on the northern side of big pond was built under the supervision of the then Preparatory Committee. Finally, out college ' Rabindra Mahavidyalaya' was founded on 8th November, 1971 making available for aspiring youths of the area the much sought after access to higher education. Initially, only 8 students were admitted to the Pre-university course and 25 students to B.Com. Pass Course. On the other hand, two teachers were given full-time appointment, though they had their business largely facilitated by the constant presence of a host of part-time appointees who were duly qualified and were also eager to impart knowledge to their tiny but not so insignificant band of sincere students.
Another three or four men came forward with and honest intention of shouldering the burden of official and administrative works. So they formed, for the first time, the essential bulwark. So they formed, for the first time, the essential bulwark of non-teaching community in the college. As the official status of the institution was that of an 'undertaking college'. the teachers and the non-teaching staff did not initially get any pay from the government. Only a 'pocket allowance' was given to the staff and that also came as generous donation from the community of local businessmen. The University of Burdwan extended affiliation to the college for Commerce Pass Course only. In order to consolidate a very humble beginning, the college authority started making fervent appeals to the local guardians and headmasters of neighbouring schools urging them to insist upon their lads and students to take admission only in this college for further studies. However, though the sincerity and honesty of local people's participation was admirable, it was not enough for the proper development of the college.
But the obvious limitations of localised efforts were gradually overcome and actually it took the decade of the '80's of the preceding century when a real change was effected for the better. The severely cash-strapped coffer of the college now could look forward to some steady inflow of funds through various monetary aids granted to it either by the state government, or by the 'University Grants Commission', or by similar such agencies. The time was opportune to go for a fast-paced development of the different wings of the institution with the available resources thus mobilised. The results of the sincere efforts made towards re-building the college are now all too visible for us. Only after three decades since its inception, the college now has a pretty long list of assets to its credit -four big buildings, a fairly spacious library, a beautiful playground, separate courts for playing volleyball, basketball and badminton. A garden of medicinal plants within the college premises is an additional attraction for the visitors.
The lush green backdrop and a big pond in the middle with thickly -foliaged, shady trees along its embankment truly evoke the bygone charms of a pastoral setting.
The college now has the student population of nearly three thousand and for their part, the students are offered quite a remarkable list of 16 'Honours' and 17 'Pass' subjects to choose from. In the realm of higher education of the district. Rabindra Mahavidyalaya has already carved a niche for itself. A good many number of students, who mainly hail from the community of local peasantry, ably overcome the normal constraints of their rural backwardness to make glorious marks at various levels of the university examination. They excel at other sorts of competitive tests also. The phenomenon of regular 'achievements' have already placed their 'almamater' very high in the eyes of the others. For the locals, it is a matter of great pride In fact, for the last two decades, the history of the college charts only a steady progression from the days of a humble but honest beginning to that of a strong and vibrant present. In the improvement of the surrounding social atmosphere in making it more informed and less superstitious - the college has played a pivotal role. Frankly, the college has slowly emerged as a centre of academic and cultural excellence that can be used as a solid, starting platform by an average ruralite who generally tends to suffer from the malady of 'scarce opportunities' in his or her life.
The founder- father of the college worked with a missionary zeal to reach out to almost each home and every family of the locality with the holy message of learning. Though we have miles to go towards the fullest attainment of the goal, but honestly speaking, we have already registered some positive steps taken in the rightful direction. Had they been living they would have been delighted to see their 'enlightment programme' now taking solid root into their own home-soil.
Last but not the least, we heartily remember all those benevolent donors, educationists, businessmen and a host of well-intended persons but for whose sincerest efforts the dream of setting up a college would never have become a reality. Though many of them have either left this mundane sphere or are now physically inactive, the college will remain indebted to them all. We make an honest pledge here of remembering them always for their honest contributions as it is only on following their footsteps that our institution is now all set to embark upon a new journey rendered more challenging because of the completely new situation of the present millennium.
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