Political history of Sri Aurobindo
Anushilan Samiti was founded as an attempt to organize Bengali youth through a program of physical fitness and spiritual training for a nationalist program. By 1902, Calcutta had three societies working under the umbrella of Anushilan Samity, a society earlier founded by a Calcutta barrister by the name of Pramatha Mitra. These included Mitra's own group, another led by a Bengali lady by the name of Sarala Devi, and a third one led by Aurobindo Ghosh. The Anushilan Samiti had Aurobindo and Deshabandhu Chittaranjan Das as the vice-presidents, Suren Tagore the treasurer. Jatindra Nath Banerjee (Niralamba Swami), Bagha Jatin, Bhupendra Nath Datta (Swami Vivekananda's brother), Barindra Ghosh were among other initial leaders.
By 1905, the work of Aurobindo and his brother Barin Ghosh allowed Anushilan Samity to spread through Bengal.
Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti
The concept attracted a group of enthusiasts trying to preserve materials related to art, history, literature and culture of the province. The idea crystallized at the Kamakhya conference of the Uttar Bangiya Sahitya Parishad in April, 1912. It was resolved to set up an organization to preserve and promote research on matters related to archaeology, ethnography, language, literature, history, and culture of the region that formed the ancient kingdom of Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa. The Kamarupa Anusandhana Samiti, which was also to be known by a secondary title, the Assam Research Society, was then formed.
A number of prominent personalities were associated with the samiti: Kanak Lal Barua, was the Founder President, Chandra Nath Sarma was the founder secretary, and patrons included Maharaja Jitendranarayan Bhup Bahadur of Cooch Behar, lieutenant-governor of Orissa and Bihar Edward Albert Gait, Commissioner of Assam Valley Lt Col P.R.T. Gordon, chief commissioner of Assam Sir Archdale Earle, Raja Prabhat Chandra Barooah Bahadur of Gauripur, and many other scholars.