Kumudini's death grieved Debendra Kumar. Nevertheless, on his friend's and relative's advice, he decided to remarry. Little Ranada Prasad's restless spirit and yearning for motherly care and attention were hardly touched or soothed by the new mistress of the house. Growing in such an atmosphere Ranada Prasad turned into an unmanageably restless boy and a stage came when he had to be sent to Kachore, near Kishoreganj, to stay with his maternal uncle. Ranada Prasad spent his adolescence here. His formal education could not progress beyond the first few years in elementary school. One day a restless and loveless adolescent Ranada Prasad left Kachore for unknown destination.

After a long time it came to be known that Ranada Prasad was in Calcutta ; he had joined the Anushilan Group and had been jailed. The background and history of how and when he was drawn into the Swadeshi Movement against the British Raj is still to be unfolded.

Whatever was the background and context - the restless and runaway adolescent Ranada Prasad had set an example by joining the nationalistic movement at its very onset.

During the First World War Ranada Prasad joined the Medical Corps of the British Bengal Regiment. The work was bizarre, droll and often full of surprises. He successfully graduated from a poverty-stricken life in Calcutta to the role of a Soldier in the Medical Corps. He earned distinction in this role. This spirited Bengali once led a life of loneliness and privation in Calcutta . His performance as a member of the British Bengal Regiment's Medical Corps earned him a medal and citation from King George the Fifth.

He was back in Calcutta after the end of the war. Calcutta - the city of brick, timber and stone - had turned into the coal city by this time. Ranada Prasad took up trading in coal, to start with house to house supply. The big supply orders came later. A wealthy Ranada Prasad Shaha was born through sheer hard work and self-sacrifice.

In 1939 Ranada Prasad started a joint river transportation business in the name of "Bengal River Service" This was the core business of all his commercial ventures. By this time, at around 1940, R.P. Shaha had already acquired George Handerson's jute business, warehouses, jute bale press etc., which were being operated by David and Company at Narayanganj.

R.P. Shaha's dream all through those days was to establish a hospital in his native village Mirzapur to serve the common people. The hospital would provide all kinds of medical care free of cost.

So the work started. In 1943 a dispensary and outdoor facility in the name of R.P. Shaha's grandmother Srimati Shova Sundari was started. The than Governor of Bengal, Lord Casey inaugurated this 20-bed hospital on July 27, 1944. In his written address to the guests he said:

"You are no doubt aware that the opening ceremony of the Kumudini Hospital is the main objective of my visit. Some of you may wonder why I should take such close personal interest in a hospital which happens to be situated in a part of Bengal never before visited by a Governor of the province. My answer to this is simple. I have come here today because I feel that this hospital affords a high example of what can be done when the initiative, enterprise and public spirit of one man are directed towards the welfare and the well being of the community."

A letter from the Governor of Bengal, acknowledging his contribution of Rs. 250,000/- to the British red cross during the world war II follows.

“I was much impressed by all that you have done and are continuing to do in the way of public welfare. The people of Tangail Subdivision may well be proud of you and grateful to you. Your magnificent donation of Rs.2,50,000 to the Red Cross Appeal Fund is a further instance in this most exceptional record of public service, and I know that the many sick and wounded men of the fighting services, who stand to benefit, will share my feelings of gratitude and appreciation”' .

R.P. Shaha thought that the foremost requirement to achieve women's freedom and establish their rights is education for women. R.P. Shaha dedicated himself to draw a synthesis of modern and traditional education for women and established the Bharateswari Homes in 1944.

After reaching the pinnacle of success, R.P. Shaha placed all his companies and businesses in a “Trust” with a view to use its proceeds for public welfare; “Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal” (KWT) thus came into existence for poor and distressed people. He had used his entire wealth to establish in a remote village a hospital - bigger than any of the city hospitals - to provide free medical care. He had established an impressive institution Bharateswari Homes to promote education among women.