From Philanthropy to Volunteerism: The Maharani Swarnamoyee Samiti in Colonial Bengal (c. 1870s–1940s)

Social Science

The present study examines the Maharani Swarnamoyee Samiti, a significant voluntary organization that emerged in the 1920s in Murshidabad, Bengal, within the broader context of colonial socio-cultural transformation. While the Samiti drew ideological and institutional inspiration from the nineteenth-century philanthropic initiatives of Maharani Swarnamoyee (1827–1897), it represented a critical shift toward organized, indigenous forms of social reform under the patronage of Maharaja Manindra Chandra Nandy. Unlike earlier charitable efforts characterized by elite, top-down patronage, the Samiti was shaped and administered by the emerging bhadralok middle class, reflecting the growth of associational culture and civic engagement independent of colonial missionary structures. The study focuses on the Samiti’s contributions to women’s education, particularly its support for professional medical training through the Maharani Swarnamoyee Hostel at Calcutta Medical College, as well as its initiatives in rural welfare, public health, and sanitation. Situating the Samiti within the intellectual currents of the Swadeshi movement, the paper argues that it functioned as a crucial intermediary between traditional forms of aristocratic philanthropy and modern, community-based voluntary action. By analyzing its activities during the early decades of the twentieth century, the study highlights the organization’s role in shaping the socio-educational landscape of colonial Bengal and advancing indigenous models of reform.

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