Muhammad Mohshin was born in 1732 in Hooghly, Bengal. He was educated at home under a Persian scholar named Shirajee who travelled far and wide, and often related to his pupils the thrilling stories of his travels that awakened in young Mohshin a desire to see far-off lands.
After completing his education at home, Mohshin went to Murshidabad, then a famous centre of Muslim learning in Bengal. He studied there for several years, and then set out to travel all over India, and also beyond it.
He visited Arabia, Persia, Turkey, Egypt, Tartars and many other places. Years after, he came back an old man at the request of his half-sister, Monoojan. Shortly after his return, Monoojan died, leaving her entire large property to her stepbrother Mohshin.
Mohshin was now owner of immense fortune, but he did not care a straw for the pleasures of this world. He was simple in his food, dress and manners. He possessed a pure heart, and’ was pure in thought, word and deed. He never ate meat, nor drank wine, nor even took a wife. He was deeply religious. Charity was the motto of his life.
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Every night he visited dens of poverty and gave food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and medicine to the sick. In his charitable efforts, he made no difference between the Muslims and the Hindus. A poor Hindu was as much the object of his care as a poor Muslim.
Mohshin did much for the spread of Muslim education in Bengal. He made remarkable gifts to the Hooghly College and the Madrassas in Dacca, Chittagong and several other places. He deposited a large sum with the Government with a view to enabling Muslim youths to read free in Government schools and colleges in Bengal.
Mohshin, a noble son of Bengal, died in 1812 at the ripe age of 80. He left the bulk of his property to the religious, charitable and educational institutions.