Image and Narrative contributed by Paritosh Pathak, India
This image of my wife’s great great grandfather was photographed in a studio in Bulandshahr, then a part of the United Provinces in India. In those days there were only a few trained doctors in a city, and a civil surgeon was considered to be a ‘top medical practitioner’ as well as the last hope of anyone with an ailment requiring surgery.
Shambhu Nath Misra was awarded “Rao Bahadur” medal by the British government, the top civilian award of the time which was an equivalent of “Order of British Empire -OBE”. He wears that medal proudly around his neck in this picture. The medal has the British crown connecting the loop to the neck string. In the centre is a circular portion with etched words Rao Bahadur that is barely legible because of picture quality.
He graduated with a Degree in Medicine in 1899 from The University of Panjab located in Lahore of undivided India. (In 1956, the university was relocated to Chandigarh, Punjab, India). At the time of his graduation the university awarded an all-in-one degree- Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics. Today the three are considered separate medical specialties.
A very fashionable man, in this picture, he sports a bowtie, very western for an Indian in 1920s. His ‘Head Cap’, was common head gear for a man of stature, though unlike the kings and other royalty, it indicated status as a civilian. Completing his attire is a 3 piece suit, a silk vest, and I think a pocket watch which was specifically worn on the left pocket.
He was a very wealthy man, earning a salary of Rs 14,000 a month. And the ‘civil surgeon’ tag was important enough to get a letter delivered to him with only “Shambhu Nath Misra, Civil Surgeon, Bulandshahar” as the address. He supported many families of needy relatives and had significant real estate assets. He fathered 2 daughters and 3 sons, one of whom was the great grandfather of my wife. Two of his other sons emigrated to the United Kingdom. The family prestige and assets, both were gradually lost and it never regained the glory of his achievements. He suffered from diabetes and other common ailments, and passed away around the age of 70.
2 Responses
Hello all. Would anybody please intimate which year did Rai Bahadur Gulzari Lal Chaube , Civil Surgeon pass out from Lahore Medical College? He was believed to be a compatriot of Shambhu Nath Misra ji.
Hi Paritoshji,
Thank you so much for bringing this illustrious piece of family history to light. I wish to make a small correction. Only one of his sons A. N. Misra (Mana Saheb) immigrated to UK. He was the youngest. The eldest son was Doctor Rajeshwar Nath Misra (Da Saheb), my grandfather who got his degree in medicine from Calcutta Medical College and set up practice in Allahabad where our ancestral home is located near Civil Lines. The middle son Bhaiyya Saheb lived in Bulandshahr. I am his great grand daughter.
best regards,
Meenakshi Misra Chaturvedi