Sarada Charan Das (15 May 1906 – 6 September 1992) was an Indian

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

polymath A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...

, scientist, confectioner, entrepreneur and businessman. He was the youngest son and successor of Krishna Chandra Das (K.C. Das) and the grandson of the

confectioner

Nobin Chandra Das Nobin Chandra Das (1845–1925) was a Bengali confectioner, popularly referred as the " Columbus of Rossogolla". Early life and career Nobin Chandra was born in 1845. In 1864, driven by poverty and with little provision to complete his ed ...

(alleged inventor of the Rossogolla). Born on 15 May 1906 in Bagbazaar, Kolkata, India, he established the first confectionery company in India, named K.C. Das Private Limited, in 1946. Sarada Charan also created artwork and competed for India at the

1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XVI Olympiad and officially branded as Melbourne 1956, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December ...

in weightlifting. He is considered as the founding father of K.C. Das Private Limited and a major innovator and pioneer of the Bengali

sweetmeat Confectionery is the Art (skill), art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two bro ...

industry due to his contributions towards revamping, modernizing and scientifically standardizing the confectionery industry.

Birth and early life

Sarada Charan was born on 15 May 1906 to the noted confectioner family of the Das'es of

Bagbazar Bagbazar (also spelt Baghbazar) is a neighbourhood of North Kolkata, in Kolkata district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. The area, under Shyampukur police station of Kolkata Police, has been, along with neighb ...

as the youngest son of Krishna Chandra Das (K.C. Das), in

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

, India. In his early twenties, after completing a degree from

Vidyasagar College Vidyasagar College is a state government-aided public college, affiliated to the University of Calcutta, located in North Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The college offers both post-graduate and under-graduate courses in a number of subjects ...

, Sarada Charan initially pursued a career in scientific research under physicist and

Nobel Laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...

Sir C.V. Raman at the

Rajabazar Science College The University College of Science, Technology and Agriculture (formerly known as Rajabazar Science College) are two of five main campuses of the University of Calcutta (CU). The college served as the cradle of Indian sciences, where Raman won t ...

, between 1926 and 1930. However, his father Krishna Chandra strongly opposed the idea of his son accepting any form of employment beyond the parameters of their prestigious family business.Archived a
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In order to engage and induct his youngest son into the confectionery business, Krishna Chandra Das started a brand new venture at Jorasako in 1930 appointing Sarada Charan at the helm of affairs. This shop was named after Krishna Chandra Das and later modified by Sarada Charan to its modern form "K.C. Das". Sarada Charan and his father came up with the canned form of Rossogolla in 1930; which was also the first canned

sweet Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketones, ...

manufactured in India.

Patronage

Sarada Charan patronised Jamini Roy's depiction of the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

in seventeen parts on canvas. Jamini Roy's ''Ramayana'' is on display at the Das residence "Rossogolla Bhavan" in Kolkata. The Das residence today harbors the largest private collection of Jamini Roy paintings with 25 of the master's originals.

Establishment of K.C. Das Grandsons

In 1955, Sarada Charan had a major disagreement with his second son Debendra Nath, leading to a permanent estrangement within the family. Debendra Nath left his ancestral home and family business and went on to establish an independent entity, K.C. Das Grandsons Pvt. Ltd, in 1956.

Expansion of K.C.Das to South India

To combat acute scarcity of milk, the

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

government introduced a Milk Trade Control Order in 1965. This legislation severely curtailed the supply of milk to confectioners and resulted in a major negative impact on the business of Bengali confectioners. The K.C. Das company had to scale down operations drastically and barring the Esplanade establishment which sold savouries along with sweets, all the other K.C.Das shops were shut down, along with the historical

establishment. West Bengal's growing energy crisis and resultant shortage of electricity added to the organization's problems.

Death and legacy

Sarada Charan died at the age of 86 on 6 September 1992. On the occasion of Sarada Charan's birth centenary in 2006 and the Platinum Jubilee of the " K.C. Das" confectionery, the company formally outlined its fourfold mission statement:

Children

Sarada Charan and Annapurna Devi had seven children, Rabindra Nath Das (1927–2000), Debendra Nath Das (1930–2010), Narendra Nath Das (1932–1993), Dhirendra Nath Das (1934–2018), Birendranath Das (1935–present), Monika Das (1937–1940) and Manjulika Das (1939–2012).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Das, Sarada Charan Businesspeople from Kolkata Confectioners 1906 births 1992 deaths Culture of Bengal Indian confectionery Bengali Hindus