Ranada Prasad Saha—widely revered as Danbir, the great philanthropist—was a visionary of social welfare whose life was devoted to service, compassion, and nation-building. Born on 15 November 1896, he began his public life far from comfort or privilege. During the First World War, he served in the Royal British Army, fought in Iraq with the Bengal Infantry (Bengali Paltan), and later joined the 1919 Victory March in London, where he was awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour.

After the war, Saha entered business and accumulated considerable wealth, which he consciously redirected towards public welfare. His mission was clear: to uplift the disadvantaged through healthcare, education, and social development. In 1944, he founded Kumudini Hospital in Mirzapur, Tangail—an institution inaugurated by Governor Lord Casey and destined to become one of the country's most respected centres of medical care.

A traditional smoking pot (hukka dani) used by Ranada Prasad Saha. Courtesy: Liberation War Museum

During the devastating Bengal famine of 1943–44, Saha organised and sustained several langar khana (community kitchens), feeding thousands of starving people for months. His philanthropy was neither episodic nor symbolic; it was sustained, practical, and rooted in an unshakeable belief in human dignity.

The violence of 1971 did not spare even such a life of service. On 29 April, during the Liberation War, Ranada Prasad Saha and his son, Bhabani Prasad Saha, were summoned by the Pakistan Army. Though they were briefly released on 5 May, both were abducted two days later and never seen again. His disappearance marked one of the most painful losses of the war—a reminder that compassion itself was a target.