University Of Calcutta

Discover the notable alumni of University Of Calcutta. The list includes people like Subhas Chandra Bose, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Pranab Mukherjee & Amartya Sen. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as leaders, writers, film & theater personalities, intellectuals & academics and musicians etc.
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 1 
Subhas Chandra Bose
(Indian Nationalist Who Participated in Indian Freedom Movement)
Subhas Chandra Bose
102
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 23, 1897
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cuttack, India
Died: August 18, 1945

An Indian nationalist known for his role in the country’s struggle for freedom from the British, Subhas Chandra Bose was a politician with radical views. He was part of the Indian National Congress in the late 1920s and 1930s. However, his association with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan made him a controversial figure.

Rabindranath Tagore
78
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 7, 1861
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: August 7, 1941

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who contributed greatly to the fields of literature, art, and philosophy. Referred to as the Bard of Bengal, Tagore is credited with reshaping Bengali literature and music. The first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore is also credited with composing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.

 3 
Pranab Mukherjee
(13th President of India (2012-2017))
Pranab Mukherjee
9
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 11, 1935
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mirity, West Bengal, India
Died: August 31, 2020

An Indian politician who served as the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee was a veteran with a political career spanning over five decades. He occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India, such as Defence, Finance and External Affairs. He was honored with Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2019.

 4 
Sourav Ganguly
(Former Indian National Cricket Team Captain and 39th President of the 'BCCI')
Sourav Ganguly
11
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 8, 1972
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Considered India's most successful Test captain, legendary cricketer Sourav Ganguly, nicknamed Maharaj, was also arguably one of the best one-day batsmen of his time. Also known as the God of the Off Side, he now heads the BCCI as its president. He was initially also a talented footballer.

 5 
Sunil Chhetri
(Indian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Forward)
Sunil Chhetri
18
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 3, 1984
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Secunderabad, Telangana, India
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 6 
Rajendra Prasad
(1st President of India)
Rajendra Prasad
6
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: December 3, 1884
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Siwan, Bihar, India
Died: February 28, 1963
Rajendra Prasad was India’s first and longest-tenured president, from 1950 to 1962. He was re-elected in 1957, thus becoming the only Indian president to serve two terms. He had previously been a freedom fighter and later also served as the president of the Constituent Assembly, which drafted India’s constitution.
 7 
Amartya Sen
(Indian Philosopher, Economist and Winner of 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences)
Amartya Sen
11
Birthdate: November 3, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India
Indian economist Amartya Sen was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions to welfare economics and social choice theory. Sen is known for his development of more sophisticated measures of poverty, and also for his work on the causes and prevention of famines. He is considered an important contemporary liberal thinker for his views about the nature and primacy of liberty. 
 8 
Leander Paes
(One of the Greatest Doubles Players in Tennis History)
Leander Paes
11
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 17, 1973
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Leander Paes is an Indian tennis player who has the most doubles wins in the history of Davis Cup. With 10 mixed doubles and eight doubles Grand Slam titles under his belt, Paes is one of the most successful Indian tennis players of all time. Paes is the recipient of India's highest sporting honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

 9 
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
26
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 29, 1893
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kolkata
Died: June 28, 1972

Best known for conceptualizing the Mahalanobis distance, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a renowned Padma Vibhushan-winning Indian statistician who played a major role in his country’s industrialization policies of the Second Five-Year Plan. He also taught at his alma, Presidency College, and was one of the founders of the Indian Statistical Institute.

 10 
Abhijit Banerjee
(Indian-born American Economist, Professor and 2019 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences)
Abhijit Banerjee
3
Birthdate: February 21, 1961
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Born to economics professor parents, Abhijit Banerjee grew up in India before he moved to the U.S. to study at Harvard. He later taught at Harvard and Princeton and is now associated with MIT. His studies on the ways of reducing world poverty won him a Nobel Prize.

 11 
Soumitra Chatterjee
(One of the Most Influential Actors of Indian Bengali Cinema Known for His Collaborations with Director 'Satyajit Ray')
Soumitra Chatterjee
3
Birthdate: January 19, 1935
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: November 15, 2020

Soumitra Chatterjee was an Indian film actor, director, writer, playwright, singer, and poet. He often collaborated with prominent director Satyajit Ray, with whom he worked in 14 films. A veteran actor with over 210 film appearances, he was the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema given by the government of India.  

 12 
Jyoti Basu
(Indian politician)
Jyoti Basu
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 8, 1914
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: January 17, 2010
 13 
Mahasweta Devi
(Human rights activist, Writer, Poet, Novelist, Educator, Short story writer)
Mahasweta Devi
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 14, 1926
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dhaka
Died: July 28, 2016

Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning Indian author Mahasweta Devi is regarded as a gem of the Bengali literary world. She had also been a left-wing social activist, and her works such as Hajar Churashir Maa and Rudali have either tribals or people from the marginalized communities as their protagonists.

 14 
Kumar Sanu
(Singer, Composer)
Kumar Sanu
11
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 23, 1957
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Born Kedarnath Bhattacharaya, Kumar Sanu turned out to be Bollywood’s King of Melody. One of the greatest Indian playback singers, he rocked the 1990s with hits such as Kuch Na Kaho and Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen. The Padma Shri winner has had multiple hit duets with co-singer Alka Yagnik.

 15 
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
(Indian Novelist & Poet Who is Considered as One of the Greatest Writers of Bengali Literature)
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 26, 1838
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: April 8, 1894

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was an Indian poet, novelist, and journalist. He is credited with composing India's national song, Vande Mataram, which personifies India as a mother goddess. The song played a major role in inspiring revolutionaries during India's struggle for independence. Dubbed Emperor of Literature, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote 14 novels alongside several poems.

 16 
Mamata Banerjee
(Politician)
Mamata Banerjee
14
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 5, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Calcutta, West Bengal, India
 17 
Jagjivan Ram
(Indian politician)
Jagjivan Ram
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 5, 1908
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chandwa, India
Died: July 6, 1986
 18 
Mircea Eliade
(Historian of Religion and Author)
Mircea Eliade
6
Birthdate: March 13, 1907
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
Died: April 22, 1986

Mircea Eliade was a Romanian fiction writer, historian of religion, professor at the University of Chicago, and philosopher. His stories and novels have been adapted into films, such as The Bengali Night, which was directed by Nicolas Klotz. His works have also influenced writers all over the world.

 19 
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
(Indian Novelist and Short Story Writer of the Early 20th Century)
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
22
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 15, 1876
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Debanandapur, Bandel, India
Died: January 16, 1938

Iconic Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is best known for his works such as Devdas, Srikanta, and Parineeta, many of which have been made into films. Born into a poverty-stricken family, he found solace in literature and began writing in his teens. He was a prominent figure of the Bengali Renaissance.

 20 
S.D. Burman
S.D. Burman
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: October 1, 1906
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Comilla
Died: October 31, 1975

S.D. Burman was an Indian singer and music director. One of the most influential and successful film music composers in the history of Bollywood, Burman composed the music for more than 100 movies. During his career, he won many prestigious awards like Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Filmfare Awards, and National Film Awards. In 1969, he was awarded the Padma Shri.

 21 
Prafulla Chandra Ray
5
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 2, 1861
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Khulna
Died: June 16, 1944

Indian Bengali chemist Prafulla Chandra Ray founded the country’s first pharma company, Bengal Chemicals. Educated in Calcutta and Edinburgh, he later worked from his home, a room on the first floor of the college where he taught. Knighted for his achievements, he donated generous sums to the Brahmo Samaj initiatives.

 22 
Roopa Ganguly
(Actress)
Roopa Ganguly
4
Birthdate: November 25, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 23 
Ram Manohar Lohia
(Indian Politician and Independence Movement Activist)
Ram Manohar Lohia
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 23, 1910
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Akbarpur, India
Died: October 12, 1967

Born to an Indian freedom fighter, Ram Manohar Lohia grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps and joined the Indian National Congress to oust the British. He was also associated with Gandhiji’s Quit India movement. He had also co-established the Congress Socialist Party and written extensively on the caste system.

 24 
Manna Dey
(Indian Playback Singer and Musician)
Manna Dey
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 1, 1919
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: October 24, 2013

Manna Dey was a classical Indian vocalist, playback singer, musician, and music director. He is regarded as one of the most celebrated vocalists of the Hindi film industry. In a rich and extensive career spanning seven decades, he recorded more than 4,000 songs. He was honored with numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Vibhusan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. 

 25 
Meghnad Saha
(Indian Astrophysicist Who Developed the ‘Saha Ionisation Equation’ and ‘Thermal Ionisation’)
Meghnad Saha
4
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 6, 1893
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bangladesh
Died: February 16, 1956

Indian astrophysicist Meghnad Saha is best remembered for developing the thermal ionization equation. A grocer’s son, he relied on merit alone to excel in academics and eventually became a professor at the universities of Allahabad and Calcutta. He was also a Lok Sabha MP and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

 26 
Swami Vivekananda
(Indian Monk & Philosopher Who Introduced the Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World)
Swami Vivekananda
147
Birthdate: January 12, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: July 4, 1902

The founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math, Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, and spiritual leader. He is credited with introducing the Indian philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the Western world. He is also credited with elevating the status of Hinduism as a major religion in the modern world by raising interfaith awareness.

 27 
Asima Chatterjee
(Chemist)
Asima Chatterjee
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: September 23, 1917
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: November 22, 2006
 28 
Pritam
(Indian Composer and Playback Singer Known for Blending Indian Classical Music with Western Style)
Pritam
5
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 14, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Known for blending Indian classical music with contemporary undertones, Indian music director, composer, and record producer, Pritam Chakraborty is also a well-known singer and instrumentalist.  Beginning his career with ad jingles, he later partnered with Jeet Ganguly to compose music for Hindi films before going solo. He has won numerous awards for his work, concurrently helping budding musicians through his organization JAM8.

 29 
Raima Sen
(Actress)
Raima Sen
2
Birthdate: November 11, 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 30 
Fatima Jinnah
(Sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
Fatima Jinnah
16
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 31, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Karachi
Died: July 8, 1967

Fatima Jinnah was a Pakistani politician, stateswoman, and dental surgeon. She was the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Fatima worked closely with her elder brother, who often sought the advice of his sister. Fatima Jinnah is also credited with co-founding the All Pakistan Women's Association, which aims at promoting the welfare of Pakistani women. 

 31 
Mohammad Hamid Ansari
(Diplomat)
Mohammad Hamid Ansari
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 1, 1937
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kolkata
 32 
Uttam Kumar
(Indian Actor Who Predominantly Worked In Bengali Cinema)
Uttam Kumar
4
Birthdate: September 3, 1926
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: July 24, 1980

Known to Bengali audiences as Mahanayak, legendary actor Uttam Kumar ruled the Bengali film industry in the 1950s and the 1960s with superhits such as Harano Sur and Saptapadi. Loved for his on-screen chemistry with Suchitra Sen, he later died of a heart attack while shooting for Ogo Bodhu Shundori.

Arundhati Bhattacharya
7
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: March 18, 1956
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 34 
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
(Film director, Screenwriter, Film producer, Film editor)
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
2
Birthdate: September 30, 1922
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: August 27, 2006
 35 
Mimi Chakraborty
(Actress)
Mimi Chakraborty
3
Birthdate: February 11, 1989
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 36 
Rituparna Sengupta
(Actress)
Rituparna Sengupta
4
Birthdate: November 7, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Calcutta, West Bengal, India
 37 
Surendranath Banerjee
(Politician)
Surendranath Banerjee
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 10, 1848
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: August 6, 1925
 38 
Rimi Sen
(Actor)
Rimi Sen
5
Birthdate: September 21, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kolkata
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 39 
Ritwik Ghatak
(Film director, Actor, Screenwriter, Film producer, Composer, Writer)
Ritwik Ghatak
4
Birthdate: November 4, 1925
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dhaka
Died: February 6, 1976

Ritwik Ghatak was an Indian film director, playwright, and screenwriter. Best remembered for his depiction of realism, Ghatak was honored with India's fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 1970. Ghatak also had a teaching career and is credited with teaching future filmmakers like Adoor Gopalkrishnan and Kumar Shahani. Ritwik Ghatak’s filmmaking style also influenced a generation of filmmakers and screenwriters.

 40 
Amar Singh
(Indian Politician and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1996-2014))
Amar Singh
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 26, 1956
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: August 1, 2020
 41 
Prosenjit Chatterjee
(Actor)
Prosenjit Chatterjee
2
Birthdate: September 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 42 
M. J. Akbar
(Journalist and Minister of External Affairs of India)
M. J. Akbar
2
Birthdate: January 11, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New Delhi, India

Initially part of the Indian National Congress, politician M. J. Akbar later joined the BJP. A leading journalist, too, he founded The Asian Age. The former Rajya Sabha MP and external affairs minister was dragged into a controversy when he lost a #MeToo defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani.

 43 
Jeet Gannguli
(Indian Film Music Composer Best Known for His Works in Movies: 'Aashiqui 2', 'Singham Returns' and 'City Lights')
Jeet Gannguli
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: May 24, 1977
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bombay, Maharashtra, India

Jeet Gannguli is a score composer and music director active in Hindi film industry. He is trained in Indian classical music and is also well-versed in western classical music, jazz, and rock. He began his career in the early 2000s and has been scoring music for TV commercials, jingles, TV serials, and Hindi and Bengali films. 

 44 
Paoli Dam
(Actress)
Paoli Dam
2
Birthdate: October 4, 1980
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
 45 
Basu Chatterjee
(Director)
Basu Chatterjee
1
Birthdate: January 10, 1930
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ajmer, India
Died: June 4, 2020
 46 
Keshab Chunder Sen
(Indian Philosopher and Social Reformer Known for Incorporating Christian Theology in Hindu Framework)
Keshab Chunder Sen
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 19, 1838
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: January 8, 1884

Keshab Chunder Sen was an Indian social reformer and philosopher. Although he was born a Hindu, Sen thought highly of Christian theology and wanted to incorporate the theology of Christian practice into the framework of Hindu thought. By the use of Christian missionary methods, Keshab Chunder Sen effected several social reforms in India.

 47 
Mrinal Sen
(Filmmaker)
Mrinal Sen
3
Birthdate: May 14, 1923
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Faridpur, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died: December 30, 2018
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 48 
Rupam Islam
(Singer, Songwriter)
Rupam Islam
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kolkata
 49 
Salil Chowdhury
(Songwriter, Music Director)
Salil Chowdhury
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 19, 1925
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: West Bengal, India
Died: September 5, 1995
 50 
Kumaran Asan
(Writer, Activist)
Kumaran Asan
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 12, 1873
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Trivandrum, Travancore, Kerela, India
Died: January 16, 1924

Indian social reformer and Malayali literary icon Kumaran Asan is known for his revolutionary impact on Malayali poetry. He died when the boat carrying him from Kollam to Alappuzha met with an accident midway. He is remembered for his works such as his iconic narrative poem Duravastha.