Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee

Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee (December 29, 1844 - 1906) was the first president of Indian National Congress.

Early days

Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was born on December 29, 1844 in Calcutta, West Bengal in an upper middle class Brahmin family of considerable social standing. His career began in 1862 when he joined the firm of W. P. Gillanders, Attorneys of the Calcutta Supreme Court, as a clerk. In this post he acquired a good knowledge of law which greatly helped him in his later career. In 1864 he was sent to England where he joined the Middle Temple with a scholarship and was called to the Bar in June, 1867. On his return to Calcutta in 1868, he found a patron in Sir Charles Paul, Barrister-at-Law of the Calcutta High Court. Another barrister, J. P. Kennedy, also greatly helped him to establish his reputation as a lawyer. Within a few years he became the most sought after barrister in the High Court. He was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel, in which capacity he officiated four times. In 1883 he defended Surendranath Banerjea in the famous Contempt of Court Case against him in the Calcutta High Court.

As a president of Indian National Congress

He presided over the first session of the Indian National Congress held at Bombay in 1885. In the 1886 session held at Calcutta he proposed the formation of standing committees of the Congress in each province for the better co-ordination of its work and it was on this occasion that he advocated that the Congress should confine its activities to political matters only, leaving the question of social reforms to other organisations.

References

* [http://www.congress.org.in/ Indian National Congress Website]