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Dorothy Noel 'Dorf' Bonarjee (1894–1983) was an Indian poet and artist who was known for being awarded a Bardic chair while a student in Wales and for being the first woman internal student to be awarded a law degree by University College London.^[1]

Biography

Early life

Bonarjee was born into a Bengali Christian family in Bareilly in north India in August 1894.^[2] Her father was a barrister. Along with her brothers, Bonarjee spent much of her childhood in Dulwich in south London and was largely educated in England.^[3]

Higher studies and poetry

In 1912, Bonarjee enrolled to study for a degree in French at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth. While a student, she published poetry in the college journal The Dragon and in Welsh Outlook. In February 1914, she was awarded the Bardic chair at the college Eisteddfod for verse submitted under a pseudonym.^[4] She was the first woman and first non-European to win the college Eisteddfod. Her father, who was present, agreed to demands to address the gathering, thanking those present for the way they had 'received a successful competitor of a different race and country'.^[5] Among Bonarjee's papers are more than sixty printed and manuscript poems. Alongside one is a note: 'Written at the age of 22 when a Welsh student after 3 years of secret engagement dropped me because his parents said "She is very beautiful and intelligent but she is Indian."'^[5]

A critical article devoted to Bonarjee's poetry commented that she 'doubtless has a bright and hopeful career before her'.^[6] Bonarjee went on to University College, London where, in 1917, she became the first woman internal student to be awarded a law degree (LLB)^[7]^[8] - though she never practiced law.^[9]

Later life

Bonarjee was a supporter of women's suffrage.^[9]

Rather than returning to India to join her parents, in 1921 Bonarjee married the French artist Paul Surtel [fr]. They lived in Provence, France. The couple had two children - Denis, who died in infancy, and Claire Aruna - before divorcing.^[2] Bonarjee painted particularly still life and landscapes. She died in 1983.

Memory

Dorothy Bonarjee was the subject of a radio documentary, 'The Hindu Bard', broadcast on the BBC World Service in December 2020.^[10]

References

^ "'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19". BBC. 28 December 2020.
^ ^a ^b Whitehead, Andrew (2020). "Dorothy Bonarjee: Bard of Aberystwyth". Planet. 238: 70–76.
^ Bonarjee, N.B. (1970). Under Two Masters. Oxford University Press. pp. 37-57. OCLC 473638554.
^ "Hindu Lady Chaired". Cambria Daily Leader. March 2, 1914.
^ ^a ^b Whitehead, Andrew. "'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19". Retrieved 28 December 2020.
^ Harihar Das, 'The Poetry of Dorothy Noel Bonarjee' The Indus, November 1922, pp50-53
^ Auchmuty, Rosemary (April 4, 2008). "Early Women Law Students at Cambridge and Oxford". The Journal of Legal History. 29 (1): 63–97. doi:10.1080/01440360801903588. ISSN 0144-0365.
^ "Index of Graduates by Surname". Retrieved December 28, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Jenkins, Beth R. "Bonarjee, Dorothy Noel". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
^ "The Hindu Bard". BBC World Service. Retrieved 29 December 2020.

External Links

[1] "'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19". BBC. 28 December 2020.

[:0-2] Whitehead, Andrew (2020). "Dorothy Bonarjee: Bard of Aberystwyth". Planet. 238: 70–76.

[3] Bonarjee, N.B. (1970). Under Two Masters. Oxford University Press. pp. 37-57. OCLC 473638554.

[4] "Hindu Lady Chaired". Cambria Daily Leader. March 2, 1914.

[BBC-5] Whitehead, Andrew. "'She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19". Retrieved 28 December 2020.

[6] Harihar Das, 'The Poetry of Dorothy Noel Bonarjee' The Indus, November 1922, pp50-53

[7] Auchmuty, Rosemary (April 4, 2008). "Early Women Law Students at Cambridge and Oxford". The Journal of Legal History. 29 (1): 63–97. doi:10.1080/01440360801903588. ISSN 0144-0365.

[8] "Index of Graduates by Surname". Retrieved December 28, 2020.

[WelshBio-9] Jenkins, Beth R. "Bonarjee, Dorothy Noel". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 8 September 2020.

[BBC20-10] "The Hindu Bard". BBC World Service. Retrieved 29 December 2020.

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 In 1912, Bonarjee enrolled to study for a degree in French at the [[Aberystwyth University|University College of Wales]] at [[Aberystwyth]]. While a student, she published poetry in the college journal ''The Dragon'' and in ''[[Welsh Outlook]]''. In February 1914, she was awarded the Bardic chair at the college [[Eisteddfod]] for verse submitted under a pseudonym.<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 2, 1914|title=Hindu Lady Chaired|work=Cambria Daily Leader|url=https://newspapers.library.wales/view/4095803/4095804/7/bonarjee}}</ref> She was the first woman and first non-European to win the college Eisteddfod. Her father, who was present, agreed to demands to address the gathering, thanking those present for the way they had 'received a successful competitor of a different race and country'.<ref name= BBC>{{cite web |last1=Whitehead |first1=Andrew |title='She is beautiful but she is Indian': The student who became a Welsh bard at 19 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-55430717 |access-date=28 December 2020}}</ref> Among Bonarjee's papers are more than sixty printed and manuscript poems. Alongside one is a note: 'Written at the age of 22 when a Welsh student after 3 years of secret engagement dropped me because his parents said "She is very beautiful and intelligent but she is Indian."'<ref name= BBC/>
-A critical article devoted to Bonarjee's poetry commented that she 'doubtless has a bright and hopeful career before her'.<ref>Harihar Das, 'The Poetry of Dorothy Noel Bonarjee' The Indus, November 1922, pp50-53</ref> Bonarjee went on to [[University College, London]] where, in 1917, she became the first woman internal student to be awarded a law degree (LLB)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Auchmuty|first=Rosemary|date=April 4, 2008|title=Early Women Law Students at Cambridge and Oxford|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01440360801903588|journal=The Journal of Legal History|language=en|volume=29|issue=1|pages=63–97|doi=10.1080/01440360801903588|issn=0144-0365|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-university-graduates/pp307-341 |title=Index of Graduates by Surname |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> - though she never practiced law.
+A critical article devoted to Bonarjee's poetry commented that she 'doubtless has a bright and hopeful career before her'.<ref>Harihar Das, 'The Poetry of Dorothy Noel Bonarjee' The Indus, November 1922, pp50-53</ref> Bonarjee went on to [[University College, London]] where, in 1917, she became the first woman internal student to be awarded a law degree (LLB)<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Auchmuty|first=Rosemary|date=April 4, 2008|title=Early Women Law Students at Cambridge and Oxford|url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01440360801903588|journal=The Journal of Legal History|language=en|volume=29|issue=1|pages=63–97|doi=10.1080/01440360801903588|issn=0144-0365|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-university-graduates/pp307-341 |title=Index of Graduates by Surname |access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> - though she never practiced law.<ref name=WelshBio>{{cite web |last1=Jenkins |first1=Beth R. |title=Bonarjee, Dorothy Noel |url=https://biography.wales/article/s12-BONA-NOE-1894 |website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography |access-date=8 September 2020}}</ref>
 ===Later life===