Jharna Dhara Chowdhury

Jharna Dhara Chowdhury (15 October 1938 – 27 June 2019)^[1] was a Bangladeshi social activist.^[2]

Jharna Dhara Chowdhury
ঝর্ণা ধারা চৌধুরী
Born	15 October 1938 Lakshmipur District, East Bengal, British India
Died	27 June 2019 Dhaka, Bangladesh
Occupation	Social activist
Awards	Ekushey Padak (2015) Padma Shri (2013)

Early life

Chowdhury was born on 15 October 1938 in Lakshmipur District, East Bengal, British India.^[3] Her parents were Promoth Chowdhury and Ashalata Chowdhury.^[4] Her home was burned during the Noakhali riots and she fled with her family to Assam.^[3] She returned after the riots ended and was inspired by the works of Mahatma Gandhi who had come to the region on a peace mission after the riots.^[3]

Career

During the Bangladesh Liberation war in 1971, Chowdhury helped around 500 girls flee the violence to India.^[5]

In 1990 Chowdhury took charge of the Gandhi Ashram Trust in Jayag Village, Chatkhil Upazila, Noakhali District.^[3]

Chowdhury was the secretary of the Gandhi Ashram Trust in Noakhali District.^[6]

In 2013, Chowdhury was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.^[7]

Chowdhury was awarded the Ekushey Padak, the second highest civilian award, for her contribution to social services in Bangladesh.^[8]

In 2016, Chowdhury oversaw the creation of the Gandhi Memorial School in the Gandhi Ashram Trust campus and which was financed by the Gandhi Heritage Sites Mission, an organ of the Indian Ministry of Culture.^[9][10]

Death

Chowdhury died on 27 June 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.^[11] She was being treated at Square Hospital after suffering brain hemorrhage on 1 June 2019.^[12] Her last rites took place at the Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka.^[13] It was kept at the Central Shaheed Minar the next day so people could pay their respects.^[13]

Awards

• Gandhi Seva Puraskar (2010)^[14]
• Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award (2013)^[6]
• Ekushey Padak for social service (2015)^[15]
• Jamnalal Bajaj Award (1998)^[16]

References

1. "Gandhian activist Jharna Dhara Chowdhury passes away". Daily Sun.
2. সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. নোয়াখালি গাঁধী আশ্রমের সচিব ঝর্নাধারা প্রয়াত. www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 2 January 2022.
3. "Jharna Dhara Chowdhury". The Daily Star. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
4. "Gandhian Jharna Dhara Chowdhury dies". Bangla Tribune. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
5. Tripathi, Salil (25 January 2013). "Retracing Gandhi's footsteps". mint. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
6. "Jharna Dhara Chowdhury conferred Padma Shri Award". Bangladesh Business News. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
7. "President Pranab Mukherjee confers Padma awards". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
8. "Poet Nurul Huda among 15 named for Ekushey Padak 2015". bdnews24.com. 8 February 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
9. "Gandhi Memorial School inaugurated in Bangladesh's Noahkali district". bdnews24.com. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
10. "What is Gandhi Heritage Site Mission?". Jagranjosh.com. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
11. "Social activist Jharna Dhara passes away". UNB. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
12. "Gandhi Ashram Trust Secretary Jharna Dhara Chowdhury dies". bdnews24.com. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
13. "Jharna Dhara Chowdhury passes away - Front Page". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
14. "Gandhi Seva Puraskar for veteran Gandhian of Noakhali". Hindustan Times. 2 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015.
15. "14 honoured with Ekushey Padak 2015". The Daily Star. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
16. "Kumari Jharna Dhara Chowdhury". Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation. 2015. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2015.