Who is Bhau Daji Lad?
Bhau Daji Lad honourable personality who played a big role in political and social history of Bombay. He was Bombay’s first medical graduate from Grant Medical College. He was also known by the name – Ramakrishna Vithal. He was a man of versatile achievements, great educationist, politician and social reformer. He even took interest in the commercial and industrial development of the country.
He also took interest in cause of women’s education and helped and defended the poor people.
His Achievement
- Active member and Secretary of Bombay Association for many years.
- Outstanding role in the political life through his life.
- Along with Jagannath Shankarseth played active role in the foundation of the University.
Bhau Daji Lad Museum
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum was earlier known as Victoria and Albert Museum. It was founded in 1858. The museum became a storehouse of information on various communities and Bombay’s industrial arts.
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad and Dr. George Birdwood, the two secretaries of the Museum Committee, were charged with raising funds to establish the building and enlarge the collection with the best specimens of ‘Indian manufactures’.
The construction of the Museum building took ten years due to a lack of funds. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad was the most persuasive in urging citizens to donate generously for the Museum and Rs. 1,16,141 was collected from the public. The Government contributed an additional Rs. 1,00,000.
On November 19, 1862, Governor Bartle Frere laid the chief cornerstone of the Museum at a ceremony attended by a large gathering of the city’s elite. On May 2, 1872, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Bombay, was opened to the public. A little more than a hundred years later, on November 1, 1975, the Museum was renamed the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in honour of the man whose vision and dedication enabled its establishment.
