Panchanan Barma and the Rajbanshi Community: Revisiting the Struggle for Scheduled Caste Rights in British Bengal

Thakur Panchanan Barma's philanthropic social works and political acumen contributed to the holistic development of the Rajbanshi society. He relinquished his legal profession and the editorial post of Rangpur Sahitya Parishad Patrika (1906) to establish the Kshatriya Samiti (1910), dedicated to combating caste prejudice and advocating for the rights and social dignity of the Rajbanshis. Although ancient religious writings validated the Rajbanshis as Kshatriyas, upper-caste elites prevented themselves from acknowledging the rightful status of the Rajbanshis, condemning them to systematic humiliation and exploitation. However, in 1913, under his guidance, the Rajbanshis succeeded in reclaiming official recognition of their long-lost Kshatriya status with the support of prominent religious Sanskrit scholars and the British authorities. The Kshatriya Samiti was metamorphosed later into a political platform (1920) to further the community's socio-economic and political advancement. Based on secondary sources, including books and essays, this paper examines how the Rajbanshis, despite being recognised as Kshatriyas, were later listed as a Scheduled Caste (SC) and how Panchanan Barma's leadership shaped that labyrinthine journey.