Dr. Babu Rajendra Lal Dutt is a famous Indian homeopath from Calcutta. He was born in 1818 in the famous “Dutt” family of Wellington Square, Calcutta. Babu Rajendra Lal Dutt may be called “the father of Indian Homeopathy”. This immensely talented honest businessman came out highly successful in his trade and spent the benefit of it in various philanthropic works and homeopathy.
His clinical trials with homeopathic medicines have influenced many homeopaths all over the world. Dr. Babu Rajendra Lal Dutt invited Dr.Tonnere to Calcutta and helped him in establishing his practice at Calcutta. He played an important role in the establishment of the native homeopathic hospital and free dispensary. Because of some reasons, this dispensary did not run properly, hence Rajendra babu took up the task of practicing homeopathy himself, and proved his skill of prescribing.
The development of homeopathy in India started during this period. It was he who brought homeopathy into high esteem by curing celebrities like Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Sir Radhakanta Dev, and many noted personalities. Vidyasagar was suffering from a chronic disease which the allopaths could not improve a bit. But under the treatment of Rajenbabu, he recovered totally.
Rajendra Lal Dutt successfully cured many cases recommended by Vidyasagar. This, in turn, influenced Vidyasagar very much and he became an ardent follower of homeopathy. Rajendra babu was much successful in his homeopathic practice.
In the year 1863, he treated his relative of the royal family by the name Raja Sir Radha Kanta Bahadur. He was suffering from traumatic gangrene of the foot. At the request of the royal relative Rajendra, babu took on the task of curing him and within a few months of his treatment, Raja recovered from his illness in an impressive manner.
Rajendra Babu, as he is famously known by the general public, played a pivotal role in the conversion of Dr.Sarkar to homeopathy. Dr. Babu Rajendra Lal Dutt convinced Dr. Mahendra Lal Sarkar to investigate the homeopathic system. It is said that Rajendra babu was the neighbor of Dr.Sarkar and many cases that were termed as incurable by many leading allopathic practitioners as well as Sarkar, were cured and improved by Rajendra babu.
One friend of Dr. Sarkar handed over a copy of Morgan’s philosophy of homeopathy to him and asked him to scrutinize the truth about the homeopathic system. Being a practical person Sarkar decided to find out the effectiveness of the homeopathic system with his clinical trials. He did them under the guidelines of Rajendra babu.
Dr.Sarkar was totally convinced and astonished by the efficacy of the homeopathic medicines in such cases where allopathic medicines could do nothing. Totally convinced by the beauty of the system of Hahnemann, Sarkar went through the entire homeopathic literature and converted to homeopathy.
Rajendra babu expired at the age of 71 years on June 5, 1889, leaving homeopathy in Bengal, on a firm, sound, and wide footing.