2. At College
At College Bankim Chandra finished his early education at Midnapur. He joined the Mohsin College at Hoogly and studied there for six years. Even there he was known for his brilliance. His teachers were all admiration for his intelligence. With the greatest ease Bankim Chandra passed his examinations in the first class and won many prizes. He was not very enthusiastic about sports. But he was not a student who was glued to his textbooks. Much of his leisure was spent in reading books other than his texts. He was very much interested in the study of Sanskrit.
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was born on 27th June 1838 in the village Kantalpara of the Twenty-four Paraganas District of Bengal. He belonged to a family of Brahmins. The family was well known for the performance of yagas (sacrifices). Bankim Chandra's father Yadav Chandra Chattopadhyaya was in government service.
One of the greatest novelists of India who gave the 'people the sacred 'mantra'- Vande Mataram.' The Bengali Novel practically began with him. He also wrote philosophical works, which stimulated independent thinking. There is hardly an Indian who is not familiar with this National Song. Possibly, most of us do not know who composed this song.