Dewan Bahadur
Radha Krishna Jalan
Dewan Bahadur
Radha Krishna Jalan
Radha Krishna Jalan (1882–1954) was a distinguished industrialist, philanthropist, and visionary art collector whose cultural influence shaped Patna during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A committed patron of learning, he was actively associated with leading intellectual institutions, including the Bihar Research Society, the Royal Asiatic Society, and the Calcutta Literary Society. His social and professional circle included kings, nawabs, governors, politicians, scholars, and educators, reflecting his deep engagement with both civic leadership and cultural life.
As the founding President of the Bihar Chamber of Commerce and a respected member of the Patna Museum's purchasing committee, he played a pivotal role in safeguarding invaluable works of Indian and global heritage. His lifelong commitment to preservation laid the foundation for what would later evolve into the Planet Patna Museum and Archives. Established by his great-grandson, Aditya Jalan, Planet Patna serves as a contemporary extension of this legacy, transforming a once-private collection into an accessible cultural institution. Through twentieth-century archival records, Company School paintings, and curated exhibitions, the Foundation ensures that Dewan Bahadur Radha Krishna Jalan's pursuit of “preserving the past” remains a living force within the cultural identity of the present.
