He was born on 14 January 1903 at Kayetgram village of Mymensingh District in Bengal province of British India (in the present-day Bangladesh).

He completed his initial studies from the Mrityunjaya School and Ananda Mohan College in Mymensingh.

He received the Mrinalini Gold Medal in the same year for his Political History of Northern India, AD 600-900.

In 1946, he was appointed Bageswari Professor of Fine Arts in Calcutta University and retired from the post in 1965.

In 1965, he became the First Director of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla and remained in office till 1970.