Background
Son of Ishwar Chandra Pal,he received an English education at the Oriental Seminary and the Hindu Metropolitan College, and at an early age devoted himself to journalism.
Son of Ishwar Chandra Pal,he received an English education at the Oriental Seminary and the Hindu Metropolitan College, and at an early age devoted himself to journalism.
Vidyasagar College.
In spite of being born of the Teli or oil-men"s caste, which ranks low in the Hindu social hierarchy, he rose to be one of the important persons of his age. A student of Doctorate. L. Richardson, he acquired an admirable proficiency in English. In 1861, he was appointed assistant secretary (and afterwards secretary) to the British Indian Association, a board of Bengal landlords, which numbered among its members some of the most cultured men of the day.
Thus Kristo Das Pal had rare opportunities for proving his abilities and independence during an eventful career of twenty-two years.
In 1863, he was appointed justice of the peace and municipal commissioner of Calcutta. His opposition, however, to the Calcutta Municipal Bill of 1876, which first recognized the elective system, was attributed to his prejudice in favour of the classes against the masses.
In the discussions on, the Rent Bill, which came up for consideration before the council, Kristo Das Pal, as secretary to the British Indian Association, necessarily took the side of the landlords. He died on the 24th of July 1884 from diabetes.
Speaking after his death, Lord Ripon said: "By this melancholy event we have lost from among us a colleague of distinguished ability, from whom we had on all occasions received assistance, of which I readily acknowledge the value.
This journal having been transferred by a trust deed to some members of the British Indian Association, it henceforth became to some extent an organ of that body. In 1872, he was made a member of the Bengal legislative council, where his practical good sense and moderation were much appreciated by successive lieutenant governors. In 1878, he received the decoration of Companion oi the Order of the Indian Rmnirfl In 1883 he was appointed a member of the viceroys legislative council.