Panchanan Barma (1866-1935) was a Rajbanshi leader and a social reformer who worked for the betterment of backward class people, specifically for his own community that is Rajbanshis. Panchanan Barma started a caste association named ‘Kshatriya Sabha’ to instill Brahminical values & practices among the people of the Rajbanshi community. He realized that Rajbanshis people cannot develop without education and took initiative for the same. He started ‘Khatriya Sabha’ which provided financial help to the needy students of the community. In 1919, the British Government gave him the title of Rai Sahib in recognition of his social work. In 1920, he was elected to Bengal Legislative Assembly and used his political power for the emancipation of the poor. He also worked for women's empowerment & was the first Indian who debated the Voting rights for women in Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1921. He also established an organization known as ‘Nari Raksha Upasamiti’ for the protection of women against crimes.
Panchanan Barma started a financial company, named Barma Company to free the rural poor peasants from the exploitation of the landowners and moneylenders by providing loans. Finally, he started a bank named Kshatriya Bank to help the poor and needy people.
Source: Manjeet Yadav, IAS 2020 (West Bengal)