First President Of Indian National Congress (Womesh Chandra, Biography)
Womesh Chandra was the first president of Indian National congress. He was a prominent Barrister of that time and completed his studies from England. He belonged to an educated family and was always involved in various activities apart from studies.
Early Life of Womesh Chandra Banerjee
Womesh Chandra Banerjee was born in a Brahmin family of Calcutta in the year 1844. After completing studies he started his career as a clerk at W. P. Gillanders Firm, Attorneys of Calcutta (Kolkata) Supreme Court. While working as a clerk, he gained decent knowledge of law, , which extraordinarily helped him in his later future.
Higher studies
In the year 1864, Womesh Chandra took admission at Middle Temple in London to pursue his high education in Law. After his return to Calcutta, Womesh Chandra started working under the Barrister-at-Law of Calcutta (Kolkata) High Court, Sir Charles Paul.
Before going to England he had assisted Girish Chandra Ghosh in starting the daily paper ‘Bengalee’, in which Womesh Chandra used to write weekly news on a pay of 20 rupees per month.
Womesh Chandra worked in this limit for around 3 years. He started his political movements amid his understudy life in Britain where he assisted in the foundation of London Indian Society that was later combined with East India Association.
Political Career
He supervise the initial session of the INC (Indian National Congress) held in Bombay in the year 1885. In 1886 session which was held in Calcutta he proposed the development of standing advisory groups of the Congress in every territory for the enhanced co – ordination of work and it was on this event that he pushed that the Congress ought to keep its exercises to political matters just, leaving the topic of social changes to different associations.
To produce India’s case in Britain, an Agency in London had been set up in the year 1888 with the assistance of Digby, and Womesh Chandra Bannerjee and Dadabhai Naoroji brought finances in India to support it. He pushed the foundation for a Royal Commission to reduce military expences and its engagement in India and Britain.
Activities of Womesh Chandra Bannerjee
| Year | Activity |
| 1862 | joined W. P. Gillanders Firm, Attorneys of Calcutta |
| 1864 | went to England and joined Middle Temple |
| 1862-1864 | Worked in the daily paper “Bengalee” |
| 1885 | supervise the initial session of the INC |
| 1888 | an Agency in London had been set up to produce India’s case in Britain |
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Such a great personality. I enjoyed reading about him.