The recent decision of the West Bengal government to rename Kolkata’s Suhrawardy Avenue as Gopal Mukherjee Road has revived an old debate,
Who exactly was the “Suhrawardy” after whom the road was named?
For years, many people assumed that Suhrawardy Avenue was named after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the controversial Premier of Bengal during the tumultuous years leading up to Partition and later Prime Minister of Pakistan. However, historical records show that this assumption is incorrect.
The Road Was Not Named After Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
The evidence available from municipal records and historical works indicates that Suhrawardy Avenue was named after Sir Dr. Hassan Suhrawardy (1884–1946), a prominent surgeon, public official, and the first Muslim Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was Hassan Suhrawardy’s nephew.
This distinction is important because the political legacy of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy remains controversial, particularly because of his association with the events surrounding Direct Action Day and the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946.
The Documentary Evidence
The strongest evidence comes from the 17th Volume of the Calcutta Municipal Gazette (1932–33).
The Gazette records that the road constructed by the Calcutta Improvement Trust from Park Circus to the junction of Kasaipara Lane was officially named “Suhrawardy Avenue” through a municipal notification issued on 20 April 1933.
This is significant because the naming took place in 1933, long before Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy became one of the most prominent political figures in Bengal.
What Do Historians Say?
The late historian P. Thankappan Nair, widely regarded as one of Kolkata’s foremost chroniclers, addressed the issue in his book A History of Calcutta’s Streets.
According to Nair, the Calcutta Corporation, at its meeting on 8 March 1933, decided to name the newly constructed road after Sir Hassan Suhrawardy. Nair specifically notes that Hassan Suhrawardy’s residence stood on that road, and the official notification followed on 20 April 1933.
This account closely matches the municipal records.
Who Was Dr. Hassan Suhrawardy?
Sir Hassan Suhrawardy was one of the most distinguished Muslim professionals of his era.
He served as:
- First Muslim Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta (1930–1934)
- Surgeon and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS)
- Chief Medical and Health Officer of the East Indian Railway
- Member of the Bengal Legislative Council
- Adviser to the Secretary of State for India
He was knighted by the British government in 1932, though he later renounced his British honours shortly before his death in 1946.
Why Does the Debate Continue?
The controversy is not really about identifying which Suhrawardy the road was named after. On that question, the documentary evidence is fairly clear.
The real debate is whether Hassan Suhrawardy himself should be commemorated through public monuments and road names.
Supporters view him as an eminent physician, educator, and institution-builder who made significant contributions to medicine and higher education.
Critics argue that he was closely associated with the British colonial establishment, accepted imperial honours, served in senior colonial positions, and did not play a notable role in India’s freedom struggle.
These competing interpretations have become part of a broader discussion about how colonial-era public figures should be remembered in modern India.
The 2026 Renaming
In June 2026, the West Bengal government officially renamed Suhrawardy Avenue as Gopal Mukherjee Road, ending nearly a century of association with the Suhrawardy name.
While opinions differ on whether the change was justified, the historical record leaves little doubt about one point:
Suhrawardy Avenue was named after Sir Dr. Hassan Suhrawardy, not Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.