Bengali people
Early history
Middle ages
Renaissance
Independence Movement
Bengalis also played a notable part in the independence movement. Many of the early proponents of the freedom struggle were educated Bengalis such as Chittranjan Das and S.N.Bannerjee; subsequently others such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Khudiram Bose and Rashbehari Bose were part of the more militant "extremists".
The Bengalis are known for their artistic and cultural achievements. Noted Bengali authors, playwrights, music composers, painters and film-makers have played a significant role in the evolution and development of modern Indian artistic expression. The
Bengal renaissance of the 19th century was brought about when the British introduced Western education and ideas. Among the various Indian cultures, the Bengalis were relatively quick to adapt to the British rule and actually use its principles (such as the judiciary and the legislature) in the subsequent political struggle for independence. The Bengali renaissance contained the seeds of a nascent Political Indian Nationalism and was the precursor in many ways to modern Indian artistic and cultural expression.
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List of Bengalis*
List of Bangladeshis*
List of people from West Bengal
