Lalit Chandra Raha was born in 1909 in Jadabpur village under Basail police station in the Tangail subdivision of Mymensingh, which is now part of Bangladesh. His parents were Madhab Chandra Raha and Charu Bala Raha.
Lalit Chandra’s academic prowess shone through as he passed his matriculation examination with First Division honours. In 1929, he enrolled in Ananda Mohan College in the I.A. class in the Mymensingh District. His association with the district organization of the Jugantar party intensified and during his second year as an I.A. student, he made the bold decision to abandon his college education and fully commit to revolutionary activities.
In August 1931, a significant event unfolded as Cassel, the commissioner of Dacca division, was shot in Tangail, Mymensingh district. Lalit was arrested in connection with this incident, having been found in possession of a revolver. Despite enduring torture throughout the night in police custody, he remained steadfast and did not confess. Subsequently, he was sent to Mymensingh district jail and kept in isolation.
In November 1931, Lalit Chandra faced a tribunal with charges of conspiracy, attempted murder and violations of the Arms Act. On the first day of the trial, the conspiracy charge was deemed baseless and dismissed, as the police failed to provide sufficient evidence. However, he was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act and sent to the Midnapore district jail.
During Lalit Chandra’s incarceration, three significant revolutionaries, Dinesh Chandra Majumdar (Tegart attempt), Sachindra Lal Kargupto (Mechhua bazar bomb case) and Sushil Kumar Gupta (Putia mail robbery), successfully escaped from Midnapore jail. This ed the British Government to make the decision to relocate all dangerous political prisoners from mainland India. They initiated deportations to the Andaman Cellular Jail under a specific ordinance.
In December 1932, Lalit was among the second batch of prisoners deported to Andaman Cellular Jail aboard the ship 'Maharaja,' departing from Alipur central jail in Bengal. During the journey, 43 prisoners were shackled on the deck for three days. Upon arrival in Port Blair, their fetters were removed but they were provided inadequate food and tasked with manually crafting coir ropes. They were confined to dark cells without access to light, books, newspapers, or any connection to the outside world. Their pleas for humane treatment fell on deaf ears.
In May 1933, Lalit Chandra and fellow prisoners embarked on a historic hunger strike, demanding better food, lighting, access to books, newspapers and basic facilities. This hunger strike persisted for 43 days, resulting in the loss of three of their comrades. Eventually, the authorities capitulated, marking the end of Lalit's conviction.
In March 1936, Lalit Chandra was repatriated to Alipore Central Jail and subsequently to Mymensingh district jail, where he was finally released on 17 April 1936. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was re-arrested by the Defense of India Bureau (DIB) at the jail gate and taken to their office, where he was issued an order for home internment. In 1942, Lalit Chandra actively participated in the Quit India Movement.
Following the partition, Lalit Chandra relocated to Banipur under the Habra police station in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, where he worked as a teacher at Banipur State Welfare Home.
In recognition of his remarkable contributions to the Indian freedom movement, the Government of India bestowed upon Lalit Chandra a copper plate (TamraPatra) on 15 August 1972. Lalit Chandra Raha passed away on 22 October 1997.