Rajendra Mullick
Rajendra Mullick (Bengali: রাজেন্দ্র মল্লিক) (24 June 1819 - 1887) was an Indian art lover and philanthropist. He was the scion of Mullick family of Chorbagan and built the Marble Palace of Kolkata.[1]
Early life
The Mullick family of Chorbagan was founded by Ramakrishna Mullick, who made his fortune in business. Rajendra was adopted by Nilmani Mullick, a descendant of Ramakrishna Mullick, when he was a child. At the age of three, Nilmani died, leaving behind Rajendra to inherit all his wealth. In his childhood, Rajendra received lessons in English, Sanskrit and Persian.
Career
In 1835, t the age of 16, Rajendra began the construction of the Marble Palace. It was completed in 1840. In 1866, he opened a relief centre in Kolkata to serve the famine-stricken people of Orissa who had taken shelter in the city. He was decorated with Rai Bahadur in 1867 and Raja Bahadu r in 1878 for this benevolence. When the Zoological Gardens was set up in 1876, he donated many birds and animals from his personal collection. They were kept in a house named the Mullick House inside the zoo.