Puranachandra Sen, born in 1886 in Chandpur village under Daspur police station in Ghatal subdivision, hailed from a family that was deeply rooted in the freedom movement. His father, Jogendranath Sen, served as an advocate at the Medinipur Judge Court. He commenced his educational journey after completing elementary school, enrolling in Tamluk Hamilton High School.
After graduating from Hamilton in 1904, Puranachandra joined Medinipur College. It was here that he was introduced to the freedom struggle by Gyanendranath Bose; a prominent figure in the revolutionary activities of Medinipur. His dedication caught the attention of Anusilan Samiti, and he found himself involved in the Maniktala dynamite conspiracy and the Alipore bomb case, resulting in his imprisonment alongside Arabinda Ghosh.
Upon his release from jail, Puranachandra assumed the role of private secretary to Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das after the special session of the Calcutta Congress in 1920. During the Nagpur Congress session, he aligned himself with Mahatma Gandhi's ideology of non-cooperation, following the lead of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. It was during the Non-Cooperation Movement that he recognized the need for newspapers dedicated to the freedom struggle, leading him to venture into the field of journalism. He contributed to Servant, Amrita Bazar newspaper, and managed Deshbandhu's forward Patrika, enduring the hardships imposed by British authorities.
Following India's independence, Puranachandra Sen played a pivotal role in establishing the Calcutta Press Club while working for the Statesman newspaper. He served as the founder and president of the Calcutta Press Club. Puranachandra peacefully passed away at his residence in Kolkata.
Puranachandra Sen’sname in the Alipore Bomb case is on Sri Aurobindo Society's website
Source: Sujatak Kumar, Contributor for CCRT