Sir Taraknath Palit (1831-1914) lawyer and philanthropist, was born in 1831 in Kolkata. Taraknath passed his childhood and adolescence at Amarpur in Hooghly district. After completing his studies at Hindu College, Kolkata, he went to England to study law. Tarakanath returned to India in 1871 and started practicing law, gaining considerable fame within a short time. Taraknath was one of the founders of the National Council of India, but left the Council over some disagreements. With the assistance of Maharaja Manindra Chandra Nandy of Cossimbazar, he established a Technical Institute in Kolkata for technical education. Taraknath was a stout supporter of nationalism and national development and attempted to nationalize education. He died on 3 October 1914.

Mahendralal Sircar (1833-1904) founder of the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science, the first national science Association of India, was born in the district of Howrah in 1833. Mahendralal was a torchbearer in the propagation of science in India. A meritorious scholar, he studied in Hare School and Hindu College. His joined Calcutta Medical College for higher studies in science and medicine. He obtained IMS and MD degrees by 1862. He was the second MD of Calcutta University after Chandra Kumar De. A champion of Allopathic Medicine and a very active member of the Calcutta Chapter of the British Medical Association, he got interested and shifted his attention to Homeopathy on reading Morgan's Philosophy of Homeopathy and on attending the clinic of Rajendralal Dutt, a noted Homeopath of the day. He later became the most celebrated Homeopath of the country.
But his abiding fame rests on his campaign, started from 1867, for a national science association. Mahendralal Sircir pleaded for an autonomous association that would be completely controlled, funded, and managed by Indians themselves with suitable laboratories for research

Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-1884)- a great intellectual and a famous Brahmo leader of the 19th century Bengal, who founded in 1880 a new 'universal' religion - Naba Bidhan (New Dispensation).
Born in a 'modernist' family in 1838, Keshab inherited his grandfather's organizing ability and his father's 'Spirit of Vaisnava Devotion'. His grandfather Ramkamal Sen (1783-1844) was the first Indian secretary of the Asiatic Society, the compiler of the earliest English-Bengali Dictionary (two volumes published in 1830 and 1834), and one of the founders of the Hindu College (1817).

Keshab Sen's work in the sphere of social reform left a deep imprint on the society in Bengal. Keshab's primary concern was the quest for a universal religion. As a student of Hindu College (1854-56) he was deeply attracted to the Unitarian theological and social gospels propounded in the writings of the likes of Theodore Parker, FW Newman, RW Emerson, Miss Francis Cobbe and others. Fascinated by monotheist Vedantism, as Maharshi Debendranath propounded it, Keshab joined the Brahma Samaj in 1857 and became its central figure in 1858. Keshab gave new life to Brahma Samaj introducing new ideas and activities in it. As the Acharya of the Samaj, Keshab insisted on giving up some Hindu customs and practices such as caste system, untouchability, child marriage, polygamy and became the champion of widow and inter-caste marriages. Women's education was one of Keshab's greatest concerns. This became a vital agenda of Keshab-controlled Brahma Bandhu Sabha (1863). He also actively supported educational efforts of the organisers of the Bamabodhini Sabha and Bamabodhini Patrika (both founded in 1863) and guided Bama Hitaisini Sabha (1871) to improve the moral and material condition of women.
In 1881 Keshab officially instituted Nava Bidhan (New Dispensation), a new syncretistic religion based on the union of East and West, and the mouthpiece of his new religion, New Dispensation, was started in March of that year.

Satyendranath Tagore (1842-1923) was a writer, litterateur and the first Indian ICS. He was the second son of Maharshi Debendranath Tagore and an elder brother of Rabindranath Tagore. He studied English and Sanskrit at home. In 1857 he passed the Entrance examination in the first division from Hindu School and entered Presidency College. While still in college, he became associated with Brahma Samaj and, in 1861, joined hands with Keshab Chandra Sen to propagate the Brahmo religion. In 1862 he went to London along with his wife and returned home in 1864 as an ICS officer. He founded Hindu Mela at Belgachia in Calcutta on 12 April 1867 (last day of Chaitra, the last month in Bengali calendar) with the aim of arousing patriotism among common people. Satyendranath's patriotic song, 'Mile sabe Bharatsantan', sung at the second session of Hindu Mela was profusely praised.
Satyendranath made a significant contribution to the social advancement of the country. He believed in women's liberation and took his wife Jnanadanandini to England much against social criticism. It was his support that encouraged her to give up the veil at home. She was the first Indian woman to enter the Government House at the invitation of the viceroy.

Woomesh Chandra Banerjee (1844-1906) barrister, politician and the first president of the Indian national Congress, was born in Kidderpore, Calcutta to Girishchandra Banerjee attorney. He completed his schooling in Hindu School and Oriental Seminary and worked as apprentice to an attorney office. He received the Rustamji Jijibhai Scholarship in 1864 which sent him to England to study law. While studying at Middle Temple, England he established the Indian Society in England was chosen its first secretary. He returned to Calcutta as a barrister in 1868 and started practicing at Calcutta High Court. In 1870 he edited and published the “Hindu Wills Act” which was followed by his being nominated as the first President of the Law Faculty of the Calcutta University in 1871. In 1883 Woomesh Chandra famously defended Surendranath Banerjee in the case that accused him of contempt of court. In 1885 he presided over the INC’s opening session in Bombay.
Woomesh Chandra was much criticized by the ‘Bangabasi’ magazine for his western lifestyle and his marriage to Hemangini Devi who followed the Christian faith. In 1902 Woomesh Chandra built a house in Croydon, a suburb of London and named the it ‘Khidirpur House’ where he lived till his death in 1906. Woomesh Chandra spend the last days of his life practicing at thew Privy Council London.