Surendra Nath Mitra

Surendra Nath Mitra aka Surendranath Mitra (c.1850 – 25 May 1890) was one of the prominent devotees of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He came from a very properous background and had the fortune of sponsoring the expenditures of the Master and his devotees when the Master lived in Calcutta in his last days. He was also known as Suresh Chandra Mitra, but Sri Ramakrishna called him "Surendra". Suresh lived in Simulia Street, the same locality as Narendranath (Swami Vivekananda).

Biography

Mitra was probably born in 1850. Little is known about his early life except that it was carefree and open, like that of many rich people in erstwhile Bengal. According to his own testimony, Mitra was initially indifferent towards religion.

Meeting with Sri Ramakrishna

Mitra probably met Sri Ramakrishna in 1880, when he (near age 30) went there in company with another prominent householder disciple, Ramachandra Dutta.Ramakrishna accepted him with all his past vices and preached to him on self-surrender. From then on Mitra, became a frequent visitor to Dakshineswar temple.