Pramothnath Basu was born on 12 May 1855 in the remote village of Gaipur, near Gobardanga, in 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. He was a pioneering Indian geologist and paleontologist.
He graduated in science from London University and passed out from the Royal School of Mines the following year in 1878. During his years as a geologist, he discovered iron ore mines in Dhulli and Rajhara in Madhya Pradesh.
He is credited with the setting up of the first soap factory in India and was instrumental in the setting up of Jamshedpur by writing to J. N. Tata about the rich iron ore reserves.
